10 Amazing Facts About Tanzania That Will Blow Your Mind

Tanzania is one of those countries that people think they know. The Serengeti.

Kilimanjaro. Zanzibar. The Big Five.

They have seen the documentaries and liked the Instagram posts and they think they have the picture.

They do not have the picture.

Here are ten facts about Tanzania that will change how you see this extraordinary country.

1. Tanzania fought the shortest war in history, and it lasted 38 minutes

In 1896, the Anglo-Zanzibar War took place and lasted between 38 and 45 minutes. The

British did not want the new Sultan in charge and issued an ultimatum. When he refused

to cooperate, the British Navy opened fire on the palace. The madness subsided and the

British achieved their objective. It remains the shortest recorded war in human history.

There is a very specific type of efficiency to that outcome.

2. There is a gemstone found nowhere else on Earth, and it sits in the shadow of Kilimanjaro

Tanzanite is found only in a tiny mining area approximately 7km long and 2km wide near

the Mererani Hills in Tanzania. That is the entire world supply of one of the most coveted

gemstones on the planet. Diamonds are found in over 30 countries across multiple

continents. Tanzanite is thought to be at least 1,000 times rarer than diamond.

The origin story is just as good. In 1967, violent thunderstorms hit the hills around Mount

Kilimanjaro. The lightning caused bush fires, causing the Maasai who lived there to flee.

On their return they discovered bright blue gemstones in the scorched earth that had not

been there before. Tiffany and Co. later named it Tanzanite and called it the most

important gemstone discovery in over 2,000 years. The necklace in the 1997 film Titanic

known as The Heart of the Ocean was actually a heart-shaped Tanzanite, not a blue

diamond.

3. Freddie Mercury was born here

The iconic Queen frontman was born in Stone Town, Zanzibar, on the 5th of September

1946. Mercury spent the first years of his life in Zanzibar, and fans of the legendary lead

singer can even embark on a tour of his home and place of worship. We Will Rock You

has Tanzanian roots.

4. Tanzania has the highest concentration of wild animals per square mile of any country on Earth

Tanzania has the largest animal population density of any country in the world, more

animals per square mile than anywhere else on the planet. Over 14,000 lions. The

largest elephant population in Africa. The Great Migration of over 1.5 million wildebeest.

All of this in a country where over 32% of the land is protected as national parks and

reserves.

5. The lions here have learned to climb trees, and nobody knows exactly why

One of Tanzania's most unusual wildlife phenomena is its tree-climbing lions, most

commonly seen in Lake Manyara National Park and parts of the Serengeti. These lions

are often spotted resting on acacia and sausage trees, possibly to escape insects or

enjoy cooler breezes. Wildlife experts have studied this behaviour for decades without a

definitive conclusion. The lions themselves have not commented.

6. Tanzania contains both the highest and lowest points in Africa

Kilimanjaro's summit at 5,895 metres is the highest point on the continent. Tanzania also

contains the floor of Lake Tanganyika, which is Africa's lowest point. The full vertical

range of an entire continent, contained within one country.

7. Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater lake in the world

At 418 miles long, Tanganyika is the longest freshwater lake in the world, straddling

Tanzania, Zambia, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is also the second

deepest lake in the world with a maximum depth of over 4,800 feet. It is renowned for its

biodiverse marine life including around 250 colourful cichlid species, the majority of which

are found nowhere else on Earth.

8. Tanzania's lakes can turn animals to stone

Lake Natron, a highly alkaline water body in Tanzania, is known to turn birds and other

animals into stone-like statues. The lake's extreme alkalinity and soda content calcifies

animals that die in or near it, preserving them in eerie, mineralised forms. Photographer

Nick Brandt documented this phenomenon in images that went viral worldwide. It looks

like something from mythology. It is entirely real.

9. Tanzania has more than 120 languages, and they all coexist peacefully

Tanzania is one of Africa's most culturally diverse countries, with more than 120 tribes

including the Sukuma, Chagga, Maasai, Nyamwezi and Hadzabe. Kiswahili unites

Tanzania's diverse population and is spoken by nearly 90% of citizens. In a continent

where tribal and linguistic division has caused conflict in many countries, Tanzania's unity

across this diversity is one of its most quietly remarkable achievements.

10. The moonlight in Tanzania is bright enough to read by

Tanzania experiences some of the most luminescent moons in the world, often so bright

that flashlights are not necessary for people to see at night. At altitude on Kilimanjaro on

a clear night, this becomes something extraordinary. The sky on the Shira Plateau at full

moon is unlike anything most people have ever seen.

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