Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is a state in central East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean. The name Tanzania is a portmanteau of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. The two states united in 1964.

Tanzania is probably one of the oldest known continuously inhabited areas on Earth; fossil remains of humans and pre-human hominids have been found dating back over two million years.

At 945,087 km², Tanzania is the world's 31st-largest country (after Egypt). It is comparable in size to Nigeria. The population reached more than 38 million people in 2 006.

Tanzania is mountainous in the northeast, where Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, is situated. To the north and west are the Great Lakes of Lake Victoria (Africa's largest lake) and Lake Tanganyika (Africa's deepest lake, known for its unique species of fish). Central Tanzania comprises a large plateau, with plains and arable land. The eastern shore is hot and humid, with the island of Zanzibar lying just offshore.

Vast plains full of typical African animals can be found in most Tanzanian national parks. It was right here where some of the most famous films about African nature were made. Serengeti or Ngorongoro are only two of many national parks which probably everybody has heard about.

It is almost certain that a visitor of these parks will see herds of grazing antelopes, giraffes, elephants, lions and other big mammals that appear in films about Africa. Appart from this, with us you will see that nature in this beautiful country is much more diverse and smaller animal species are as interesting as the big ones. The Tanzanian national parks are not only savannas – Kilimanjaro with its unique flora which is so different from the flora of surrounding savannas. In another park you can see as well the lakes of the Great Rift Valley, where beside the big lakes (e.g. Victoria´s Lake) you can visit smaller salty or alum lakes with countless flocks of flamengos.

Another important reason for visiting Tanzania is that its nature is not as commercialized yet as for example in the neighbouring Kenya. You will see more nature and less people.