Tanzania

The East African country of Tanzania covers some 937 000 sq km of which 53 000 sq km is covered by inland water. This makes the country slightly larger than twice the size of California. 100 000 sq km have been set aside as game reserves and national parks. The climate is tropical on the coast and temperate further inland. There are basically three seasons: the dry season from May to November, the short rains from November to December and the long rains from mid-March to the end of May.

Kenya and Uganda to the north Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire to the west, Zambia Malawi and Mozambique to the south and the Indian Ocean to the east, border Tanzania. The human history of Tanzania goes back over one and a half million years. The remains of the earliest known man were discovered here in 1959.

There is evidence of at least six civilizations that have left traces of their culture. Persians, Turks and Portuguese had transitory settlements in the 16th and 17th centuries. During this time the Swahili language evolved, being a derivative of African, Persian and Arab languages.

Zanzibar was once the trading centre for the whole of East Africa and was governed by the Arab Sultans. In 1880 the coastal region was acquired by Germany after a payment of 200 000 pounds to the Sultan of Zanzibar.

The British replaced the Germans after the First World War. In 1961 Tanganyika, as it was then known as, attained independence. In 1964 Tanganyika and Zanzibar united to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

The vegetation in Tanzania is widely diverse from dry savanna with open plains and scattered thorn scrub in the north to large swamps and wooded areas in the west. Miombo forest dominates the central and southern parts of the country.

Tanzania has numerous mountains including Africa's highest, Mt. Kilimanjaro. This diversity of habitat creates ideal conditions for the varied game populations that have made Tanzania one the finest hunting destinations in Africa.

The Masailand species such as the lesser kudu, gerenuk, Thomson's and Grant's gazelles are unique to this part of the world. These species are an important part of any serious hunter's trophy collection.

Tanzania is also famous for the more dangerous inhabitants of the African bush. Lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant hunting here is as good as you will find anywhere on the continent.