Tanzania, one of the premier destinations for a safari in the world, is the 2nd largest country in East Africa. It is actually a combination of two regions/states: the mainland, formerly known as Tanganyika and Zanzibar Island with its clusters.
Almost a third of Tanzania’s land is set aside for national parks, conservation areas, game reserves, and controlled and protected areas. Of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, three are located in Tanzania: the Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park (with its Great Migration!) and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tanzania also boasts six World Heritage Sites: the three named above, the ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani, the Selous Game Reserve (the biggest game reserve in Africa) and Zanzibar’s Stone
Town. Tanzania’s famous islands of Zanzibar, Mafia Island and Pemba also attract many tourists to their renowned beaches and diving locations. Kiswahili and English are the official languages. The terms Kiswahili and Swahili are used interchangeably, although the term Swahili normally refers to the people while Kiswahili refers to the language. Originating along the coast, Kiswahili is a Bantu language with many words derived from Arabic. Other African languages such as Bantu and those of Nilo-Hamitic and Khoisan origin are also spoken in the more remote regions.
The currency of Tanzania is the Shilling (TZS). As of this writing, one US dollar is equal to approximately 2,26 TZS and one Euro is equal to approximately 2,54 TZS.
Tanzania is one of the best safari destinations in the world. The Serengeti boasts the highest density of wildlife anywhere in Africa, half of all lions remaining in Africa can be found in Tanzania and the Selous Game Reserve has the largest population of wild dogs. The northern circuit can get quite busy, but the southern parks are relatively unknown so it’s possible to enjoy a more intimate safari experience.
