Population Figures:

The population is made up of largely mixed Bantu groups, the largest being the Sukuma and the Nyamwezi, but there are 129 recognized tribes. Swahili is the official language, but English is widely spoken. The country is sparsely populated. The majority of the population is concentrated in the northern part of the country. The fertile lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro have population densities as high as 250 persons per square kilometer, causing severe land shortage, whereas the average density is 31 persons per square kilometer.

The 129 different tribal groups that have been distinguished in Tanzania vary from groups of over 1'000'000 people to tribes of just a few hundreds. The largest ethnic groups are the Sukuma and the Nyamwezi, although no group makes up more than 15% of the population. Most of these groups are of Bantu origin (although there are some Nilotic groups as well) and about 95% of the population is Bantu - speaking - the most important Bantu language is Swahili, a language which is the mother tongue of the people of Zanzibar and Pemba as well as some coastal people.

Each of these ethnic groups has its own customs and beliefs as well as traditional practices. Some of these ethnic groups besides the Sukuma and the Nyamwezi include the Makonde, the Chagga, the Haya, the Hehe, the Masai of Tanzania, the Shirazi, the Hi, the Sandawe, the Dorobo, the Hadzapi, the Swahili and many more including a small percentage of Non - Africans (less than 1% of the population).

Visa Information:

Visas are required by all visitors except citizens of the Commonwealth (excluding citizens of the UK, Australia, Canada, India and Nigeria who do require visas), Republic of Ireland, and Iceland. Some Republic of Ireland citizens have reportedly experienced difficulties with officials on arrival in Zanzibar, but not on the mainland. This should not happen and Irish citizens who encounter similar problems should firstly protest and, if unsuccessful, pay the visa fee and claim it back from the Tanzanian Embassy in Dublin.

Citizens of neighbouring countries do not normally require visas. It is straightforward to get a visa at eh point of entry (i.e. border crossing or airport) and many visitors find this more convenient than going to an Embassy. Visas obtained from Tanzanian Embassies require two passport photographs and are issued in 24 hours. Visas vary with price for all countries needing one. Visitors who do not need a visa are issued with a visitor's pass on arrival, valid or 1 - 3 months. Your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months after your planned departure date from Tanzania; this is true whether you need a visa or not.

Traveling with your own car from Kenya requires leaving the vehicle log book with the Kenyan customs, and keeping a Photostat copy for the Tanzanian side. An agreement between Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda is under negotiation to allow holders of single entry visas to move freely between all three countries without the need for re - entry permits. It may be in place when you arrive, so ask, if it is likely to be relevant to you.

Health Information

You will require a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever occurs. Although visitors from Europe are not required to have one, it is strongly advised - you may find you are restricted in visiting neighbouring countries. However, recent travellers have been asked to produce a Yellow Fever certificate on arrival directly from Europe, even though they have not passed through a high risk area.

On the other hand, provided travellers take adequate precautions, their holiday should not be blighted with ill - health. It is not unusual to have a stomach upset on your first visit. Avoid drinking tap water and ice and peel all fruit. Malaria and road traffic accidents pose greatest risk. To avoid Malaria, take the tablets, use vapour tablets on heated electrical pads, ask to have your hotel room sprayed each evening. Cover your arms and legs at night and put repellent on your hands and face. If you observe mosquitoes in your hotel room, sleep under a net treated with insecticide.

It's unwise to drink local water, even when provided in a flask in a hotel. Stick to soft drinks, boil water in a travelling jug, or use water - purifying tablets. Do not add ice to drinks. Comprehensive travel insurance cover should be arranged prior to departure. It is also worth joining AMREF.