Tanzania Flag
Tanzania
Explore Tanzania

Step out into the vast open plains of Tanzania and you suddenly feel very, very small. And so you should. You've just joined one of the largest, wildest animal populations in the world. Wildebeest, monkey, antelope, lion, cheetah, crocodile, gazelle, flamingo - they're all out there. Despite troubles from rowdy neighbours and a weak economy, Tanzania offers some of the best wildlife spotting opportunities on the continent. Its famous parks make the often rather pedestrian towns well worth the stopover. (Lonely Planet)

Bean to Tanzania

The Country

  • Tanzania has a population of approximately 37 million
  • Tanzania is just less than one million square kilometers
  • The capital city is Dodoma, although the largest city and economic hub is Dar es Salaam
  • It is bordered by three of the largest lakes in Africa: Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Nyasa (Malawi)
  • Tanzania’s neighbours are Kenya and Uganda to the North, Rwanda, Burundi, and the D.R. Congo to the West, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the South
  • The country has 1424 km of Indian Ocean coastline to the East
  • Tanzania ranges in altitude from sea level to 5895 meters above sea level
  • The currency is the Tanzanian shilling
  • The official languages are Kiswahili and English

The Coffee

  • Tanzania produces both arabica and robusta coffees
  • Wet-processed ‘mild’ arabica coffee grows in the rich volcanic soil of the Northern Highlands and in the fertile Southern Highlands
  • Tanzanian arabicas are sought after both as a ‘pure’ coffee of the highest quality and as a component of the best blends
  • Arabica coffee is processed either on the small-holder’s farm using a hand-pulper or in Central Processing Units (CPU’s / wet mills) run by estates, private companies, or co-operatives
  • During the harvest / processing season, electronic auctions are held weekly on Thursdays at Kahawa House in Moshi
  • Coffee is exported from either the port in Dar es Salaam or the port in Tanga

  • Mbeya

    • Mbeya is approximately 840 km from Dar es Salaam
    • Altitude – 1200 to 2000 meters above sea level
    • Harvest – April to October
    • Coffee variety – Bourbon: N5 (Known locally as Mbozi ‘nylon)
    • 8º 55’ 38.19” S 33º 29’ 29.98” E