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Places in News: Tanzania
Context:
According to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), Tanzania has been carrying out forcible evictions of Indigenous Maasai people from their traditional lands.
More on News:
- The report highlights that the Tanzanian government plans to relocate over 82,000 people from lands designated for “conservation and tourism purposes.”
- The relocation programme started in 2022, involves moving residents from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), historically inhabited by the Maasai, to Msomera village, approximately 600 km (370 miles) away.
- The report reveals that tension between authorities and the Maasai community has led to violent clashes.
- Residents reported violations of their rights to land, education, health, and compensation, along with attacks on critics of the relocation process.
Overview of Tanzania:
- Official Name: United Republic of Tanzania: The name “Tanzania” is a portmanteau of Tanganyika (the mainland) and Zanzibar (the archipelago).
- Union Date: The United Republic of Tanzania was formed in 1964 through the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
- Form of Government: Republic
Capitals:
- Administrative: Dar es Salaam (Largest City)
- Legislative: Dodoma
Official Languages: Kiswahili (Swahili), English
- Currency: Tanzanian Shilling
- Location: East Africa
Borders:
- North: Kenya, Uganda
- West: Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo
- South: Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique
- Mount Kilimanjaro: Africa’s highest point and a prominent landmark.
- Islands: Zanzibar, Pemba, Mafia.
Lakes:
- Lake Victoria: The world’s second-largest freshwater lake, located in the north.
- Lake Tanganyika: Located in the west, it is one of the deepest and oldest lakes in the world.
- Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi): Situated in the southwest.
- Lake Rukwa: (saltwater)
Major Rivers:
- Nile River: Shared by 11 African countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Economy:
- Main Sector: Agriculture, contributing to about one-quarter of GDP and employing around 80% of the population.
Natural Resources:
- Includes gold, diamonds, and other precious and semiprecious stones. Notably, tanzanite, a blue gemstone, is found only in Tanzania.
