The country known as Tanzania today was formed by a merger in 1964 of the former British colonies of Tanganyika which gained independence in 1961 and the island of Zanzibar which gained its independence in 1963. With a population approaching 44 million according to recent estimates, Tanzania is recorded as being one of the oldest populated areas on Earth with hominid fossils discovered there dating back some two million years.

Julius Nyerere was Tanzania's first president and formerly its first elected Prime Minister prior to independence, and he took Tanzania down the route of nationalising many industries including the banking sector. By the late 1970s with its economy ailing, Tanzania turned to China for assistance which was duly provided at the cost of using imported Chinese labour.

At this time Tanzania's economy was further weakened by a costly military intervention to oust President Idi Amin from neighbouring Uganda. Nyerere retired in 1985 to be replaced by Zanzibar President Ali Mwinyi. A new constitution was introduced in 1992 with multi party elections in 1995 making Benjamin Mkapa president; a presidency that promoted a free market economy attracting much needed inward investment.

Whilst today Tanzania enjoys relative political stability, it still faces many challenges not least its high levels of poverty with many of its citizens living under the poverty line.

The average age in the country is just 18 years old and life expectancy is around 53 years. One in every six children die before their fifth birthday and over three million children do not attend school, with two million children orphaned through AIDS/HIV.