scholars consider the Babylonian version
to be more complete.
#More to explore
Bible • Judaism • Palestine • Torah
Talon
#see Nail and Claw.
Tanganyika, Lake
Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater
lake in the world and the second
deepest. It is located in eastern Africa.
The lake forms the border between Tanzania
and the Democratic Republic of
the Congo.
The lake is 410 miles (660 kilometers)
long. It has a depth of 4,710 feet (1,436
meters). Many rivers flow into the lake.
The largest are the Malagarasi, the Ruzizi,
and the Kalambo. The lake’s only
outlet is the Lukuga River.
Rice and other crops are grown along
the lake’s shore. People also fish in its
waters. Several important ports are
found along the lake.
In 1858 Lake Tanganyika was first visited
by Europeans. At that time British
explorers were searching for the source
of the Nile River.
#More to explore
Lake
Young men study the Talmud at a
special school called a yeshiva.
The Talmud is a collection of
ancient Jewish teachings.
14 Talon BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Tanzania
The country of Tanzania contains Africa’s
highest mountain and its largest
lake. Dar es Salaam is the capital, but
Tanzania’s government has moved some
of its offices to a new capital, Dodoma.
Geography
Tanzania has a coast on the Indian
Ocean in the east. The country includes
the mainland (called Tanganyika) and
the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, and
Mafia. Tanzania shares borders with
Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique.
Large plains, mountains, valleys, and
lakes cover Tanzania’s land. The great
Serengeti Plain lies in the northeast. East
of this plain is Mount Kilimanjaro, the
highest point in Africa. Africa’s huge
Western Rift and Great Rift valleys run
through the country. Along Tanzania’s
borders are three large lakes: Lake Nyasa,
Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Victoria.
Lake Victoria is the world’s second largest
freshwater lake. (Lake Superior in
North America is the largest.)
Most of Tanzania is hot and dry. The
coast and the islands receive the most
rain.
Plants and Animals
Forests grow in the rainy high areas.
Grasslands and scattered trees cover
much of the country. The large
Serengeti National Park protects huge
herds of wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras.
The park also has many lions, leopards,
hippopotamuses, giraffes, and baboons.
Rhinoceroses and elephants survive in
smaller numbers. Bands of chimpanzees
live in the west.
People
Tanzania has more than 120 different
ethnic groups. The Sukuma are the
Ngorongoro Crater is a popular tourist spot
in Tanzania. Visitors to the area can see
zebras and many other animals.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Tanzania 15
country’s largest group. The Sukuma
and other groups have their own languages.
Most Tanzanians also speak Swahili,
which different groups use to
communicate with each other. Some
Tanzanians also speak English. The
country’s main religions are Christianity
and Islam. Many people follow traditional
African beliefs. Most Tanzanians
live in small villages or in the countryside.
Economy
Tanzania’s economy depends on agriculture.
The main food crops are cassava,
corn, sorghum, bananas, rice, and sweet
potatoes. Farmers also grow coffee, cotton,
cashew nuts, tea, and tobacco.
Cloves are grown on the islands of Zanzibar
and Pemba.
Small industries in Tanzania make food
products, cement, clothing, beer, and
cigarettes. Mines provide gold, diamonds,
and gems, including tanzanites.
History
Remains of some of the earliest known
human ancestors have been found in
Tanzania. Some are about 1.75 million
years old. Groups of hunter-gatherers
lived in the area as early as 5000 BC.
Farmers and herders appeared around
1000 BC.
Arab and European Control
By AD 100 Arabs set up trading settlements
on the East African coast. In the
late 1400s the Portuguese arrived. About
200 years later the Arab rulers of Oman
(a country on the Arabian Peninsula)
gained control. More Europeans began
arriving in the 1800s. Great Britain took
over Zanzibar in 1890.
Germany took over the mainland in
1885. The land that is now Tanzania,
Rwanda, Burundi, and part of Mozambique
became known as German East
Africa. In 1919, afterWorldWar I, Britain
took control of the Tanzania portion.
The British named the land
Tanganyika.
Independence
Tanganyika gained independence in
1961, and Zanzibar became independent
in 1963. The two joined to form
the United Republic of Tanzania in
1964. Beginning in the 1990s hundreds
of thousands of people poured into Tanzania
to escape violence in neighboring
countries.
..More to explore
Dar es Salaam • Kilimanjaro, Mount
The Masai people live in Tanzania and
neighboring Kenya. They are nomads,
meaning that they usually do not live in permanent
settlements. They follow their herds
of cattle and other animals throughout the
year.
Facts About
TANZANIA
Population
(2008 estimate)
40,213,000
Area
364,901 sq mi
(945,090 sq km)
Capital
Dar es Salaam
(acting)
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Dar es Salaam,
Arusha, Mbeya,
Mwanza
16 Tanzania BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Taoism
#see Daoism.
Tapir
Tapirs are mammals that live in swamps
