Tanzania

Women standing on their buckets during an auction at the city's Magogoni fish market, Dar es Salaam.

Women standing on their buckets during an auction at the city's Magogoni fish market, Dar es Salaam. © Mark Henley (Panos)

Tanzania has been stable and peaceful since independence in 1961. Despite having one of the greatest ranges of ethnic and religious diversity in the world (some 120 tribes), it maintains a tradition of strong toleration.

Although Tanzania has undergone significant economic and structural reform, it still has a long way to go in reducing poverty. It is heavily aid dependent (approximately 40% of the national budget is funded through aid) and more than a third of its people live below the national poverty line.

Key facts

Pie chart of aid spending

(Above) Pie chart showing UK bilateral aid spending in Tanzania (2008/09)

Total UK bilateral aid received (08/09): £132.7 million
Aid by sector:
Governance: 34%
Growth: 27%
Education: 20%
Health: 12%
Other social services: 7%

Find out more in Key facts: Tanzania

Major challenges

DFID’s main challenges in Tanzania are:

  • governance
  • education
  • growth.

Find out more in Major challenges: Tanzania

How We Have Helped

Can you hear us now?

Can you hear us now?

The £13,000 project is aimed at helping local government officials understand the needs of hearing impaired people in the Mafuriko area of the Buguruni suburb.

Anti-corruption drive boosts Tanzanian business

Anti-corruption drive boosts Tanzanian business

Paulo Mwazyunga's consultancy firm should have been a shoo-in for a new business contract. But after the firm was shockingly turned down, Paulo was determined to find out why