19th ACA Annual Cashew Conference 2025-Tanzania-Country Guide

COUNTRY OVERVIEW OF TANZANIA

Tanzania is in the Eastern part of Africa sharing borders with Kenya to the north, Uganda and Rwanda to the northwest, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, Zambia and Malawi to the southwest and Mozambique to the south. Tanzania covers a land size of approximately 947,403 square kilometers, making it the 13^th largest country in Africa. The most recent national census indicates that Tanzania has a total population of around 62 million people, the 5^th largest population in Africa and the most populated country located entirely south of the equator. Tanzania’s official capital is Dodoma. However, Dar es Salaam, the former capital, remains its largest and main commercial city with an approximate population of 7.3 million. The national language of Tanzania is Swahili while its official language is English. But like most African countries, Tanzania has over 100 ethnic languages spoken by various ethnic groups and communities.

Tanzania’s rich natural wonders, cultural heritage and wildlife make it a very unique country and a major tourist destination. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak and the world’s highest freestanding mountain; the Serengeti National Park, home of the Great Migration; the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO Heritage Site; and the Zanzibar Archipelago are some special tourist attractions in Tanzania.  

Political Context:

Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule ended in 1995, with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. The formation of a government of national unity between Zanzibar’s two leading parties succeeded in minimizing electoral tension in 2010. John Magufuli was voted to power in 2015 and was in power until his passing is 2021. H.E Samia Suluhu Hassan, sworn in on 19 March 2021, is the first female president of the United Republic of Tanzania. She succeeded John Magufuli following his death on 17 March 2021.

Environment 

Area: 947,300 sq km; land: 885,800 sq km; water: 61,500 sq km

Climate: Varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain: Plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Land Use: Arable land: Arable land: 16.37%; permanent crops: 2.43%; other: 81.2% (2012 est.)

Natural Hazards: Flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

TANZANIA’S CASHEW SECTOR OVERVIEW

Tanzania is the leading of cashew producer in East Africa and among the top 5 producers in the world. The country produced an estimated 415,000 MT of raw cashew nuts in 2024. The Cashew nuts Board of Tanzania (CBT) has recently committed to revive the Tanzanian cashew processing industry in order to bolster the domestic sector, making the time ripe for investment. Cashew procurement is heavily regulated by the government with practice of Warehouse Receipt System where raw nuts are collected from farmers and sold via international auction system. Tanzania has significantly active domestic cashew processing industry. To encourage investment in the cashew industry, the government has outlined several policies, favorable investment allowances and 100% tax deductions on industrial buildings, plant & machinery, and agricultural expenditures; deferment of VAT payment on project capital assets among others to create a favorable environment for investment. For additional information, read ACA’s Investment Guide.

Currency

The local currency used in Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS). Click https://www.bot.go.tz/ExchangeRate/excRates  for the latest exchange rates.