Tanzania statistics — population, economy, trade and telecom
As Africa’s seventh-largest economy by nominal GDP and one of the continent’s most consistent growth performers, Tanzania commands increasing attention from investors, policymakers, and development partners in 2026. Sitting at the crossroads of East and Southern Africa, with a rapidly expanding population, a diversifying export base, and an ambitious digital transformation agenda, the country’s statistical profile offers a revealing lens into both the opportunities and structural challenges shaping sub-Saharan Africa’s near-term trajectory.
Population and Demographics
Tanzania’s population is estimated at approximately 67–68 million as of 2025, making it the most populous country in East Africa and one of the ten most populous on the continent. The National Bureau of Statistics of Tanzania and UN Population Division projections suggest the country is growing at roughly 2.9–3.0 percent annually, one of the higher rates globally, which implies a doubling of the population within approximately 25 years. The median age sits at around 18 years, reflecting an extraordinarily young demographic structure that presents both a long-run dividend and a near-term pressure on education, healthcare, and employment systems. Urbanisation is accelerating: World Bank estimates place Tanzania’s urban population share at roughly 37–38 percent as of 2024, up from under 30 percent a decade ago. Dar es Salaam remains the commercial hub and by far the largest city, with a metropolitan population approaching 8 million, while Dodoma functions as the designated political capital. Internal migration from rural agricultural zones toward coastal and lakeside urban centres is reshaping labour markets and infrastructure demand across the country.
Economic Indicators
Tanzania’s nominal GDP is estimated at approximately USD 80–85 billion for 2024, according to IMF World Economic Outlook data, placing it among East Africa’s leading economies alongside Ethiopia and Kenya. GDP per capita in purchasing power parity terms is roughly USD 3,000–3,200, though in nominal terms it remains below USD 1,300, reflecting the country’s lower-middle-income classification. Real GDP growth has been relatively robust: the IMF and World Bank both estimate growth in the 5.0–5.5 percent range for 2024, consistent with Tanzania’s track record of sustained expansion over the past decade. Inflation, which spiked across the region in 2022–2023, is estimated to have moderated to the 4–6 percent range by late 2024, supported by tighter monetary policy from the Bank of Tanzania. The Tanzanian shilling has faced depreciation pressure against the US dollar in line with broader emerging-market currency trends. Unemployment figures are difficult to interpret given the dominance of informal and subsistence employment; official estimates suggest formal unemployment is relatively low in percentage terms, but underemployment and informal sector dependency remain structurally significant. Tanzania’s public debt-to-GDP ratio is estimated at approximately 40–45 percent, a level that international creditors generally regard as manageable, though the composition of external debt — including Chinese infrastructure loans — warrants monitoring.
Trade and External Accounts
Tanzania’s export base is anchored by gold, which typically accounts for roughly 30–35 percent of total merchandise export value. Other significant exports include cashew nuts, tobacco, coffee, tea, cloves, and increasingly refined petroleum products. Tourism receipts function as a major invisible export, contributing substantially to foreign exchange earnings. On the import side, Tanzania brings in capital goods, petroleum products, consumer goods, and industrial machinery — a composition that reflects ongoing infrastructure investment and limited domestic manufacturing capacity. Key trading partners include India, China, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, and several European Union member states. Within the East African Community, intra-regional trade is growing but remains below its potential. Tanzania’s current account deficit has historically been in the range of 3–5 percent of GDP, financed by a combination of foreign direct investment, official development assistance, and remittances, though industry reports suggest the current account position has been volatile in recent years due to commodity price swings and energy import costs.
Key Sectors
Agriculture remains the backbone of Tanzania’s economy, employing an estimated 60–65 percent of the workforce and contributing roughly 25–28 percent of GDP. Smallholder farming dominates, with maize, rice, cassava, and sorghum as staple crops alongside the cash crop exports noted above. The sector’s productivity is constrained by limited mechanisation, climate variability, and inadequate rural infrastructure. Mining is a high-profile growth sector: Tanzania holds significant deposits of gold, diamonds, tanzanite, coal, and natural gas. The Simba and Bulyanhulu gold mines are among the continent’s notable operations, and the government has pursued a more assertive resource nationalism posture in recent years, renegotiating terms with international mining companies. Natural gas reserves in the offshore Rovuma Basin, shared with Mozambique, represent a potentially transformative long-term asset, though the timeline for large-scale LNG exports has faced repeated delays. Tourism is a critical foreign exchange earner: the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Zanzibar archipelago collectively draw hundreds of thousands of international visitors annually, with the sector contributing an estimated 10–12 percent of GDP in strong years. Services broadly — including finance, retail, and transport — account for the largest share of GDP at roughly 40 percent and are expanding as urbanisation deepens.
Telecommunications and Digital
Tanzania’s telecommunications sector has expanded rapidly over the past decade. Mobile penetration is estimated at approximately 80–85 percent of the population on a SIM-card basis as of 2024, according to ITU and GSMA data, though unique subscriber penetration is somewhat lower given multi-SIM usage. Internet penetration — measured as individuals using the internet — is estimated at roughly 35–45 percent, with mobile broadband as the dominant access mode. Fixed-line infrastructure remains limited outside major urban centres. The dominant mobile operators are Vodacom Tanzania, Airtel Tanzania, and Tigo (now part of the Axian Group), with Halotel and TTCL also holding market positions. Mobile money has been a standout success story: M-Pesa, Airtel Money, and Tigo Pesa have driven financial inclusion significantly, with industry reports suggesting that mobile money account penetration exceeds 50 percent of adults. The government’s Digital Tanzania initiative and investments in fibre backbone infrastructure signal continued policy prioritisation of the digital economy, though rural connectivity gaps and digital literacy constraints remain material challenges.
Sources and Methodology
The statistics and estimates presented in this dashboard draw on a range of authoritative international and national sources. Primary references include the World Bank’s World Development Indicators and Open Data platform, the IMF’s World Economic Outlook database and Article IV consultation reports for Tanzania, the United Nations Population Division’s World Population Prospects, the International Telecommunication Union’s ICT statistics portal, and GSMA Intelligence for mobile and internet penetration data. National-level data is cross-referenced against publications from Tanzania’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Bank of Tanzania. Trade data draws on UN Comtrade and the International Trade Centre. Where precise figures could not be verified with confidence, this article uses qualified language — “approximately,” “roughly,” “estimates suggest” — to reflect uncertainty and avoid misrepresentation. All figures should be treated as indicative of orders of magnitude and directional trends rather than definitive official statistics. Readers requiring precise figures for research, investment, or policy purposes are advised to consult primary sources directly. This dashboard will be updated as new reference-year data becomes available from the above institutions.
For deeper qualitative and strategic analysis of Tanzania’s political economy, investment climate, and sectoral outlook, visit the Tanzania expert briefing. To compare Tanzania’s indicators with those of other African nations, explore all African country statistics on africa-research.org. For broader context on growth trends, trade dynamics, and macroeconomic policy across the continent, see our African economy pillar.
