Zambezi River Basin

Tanzania

UGANDA

Lake Victoria

Bukoba

Musoma

KENYA

Mwanza

Lake Natron

Biharamulo

Nyahanga

Geita

Ngorongoro

Moshi

Kakonko

Oldeani

Arusha

Shinyanga

Lake Manyara

Lake Eyasi

Mbulu

P a n g a n i

Kahama

Same

Kanyato

Nzega

Babati

I g o m b e

Singida

Kasulu

Kigoma

Tanga

TANZANIA

Tabora

Korogwe

Uvinza

Sikonge

Itigi

W a m i

Lake Tanganyika

Manyoni

S h a m a

Zanzibar

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Mpwapwa

Mpanda

Dodoma

Kibaha Bagamoyo

Karema

DAR ES SALAAM

Kilosa

Morogoro

Kipili

Lake Rukwa

Mikumi

Kibiti

Sumbawanga

Iringa

R u fi j i

Kilindoni

Ifakara

Mbeya

Tukuyu

Z A M B E Z I R I V E R B A S I N Njombe

Tunduma

Lindi

ZAMBIA

Mtwara

Masasi

Lake Nyasa

Tunduru

MOZAMBIQUE

Total Area of Country Portion of Country within Zambezi Basin National Population in 2010 Portion of National Populationwithin Zambezi Basin

945 087 sq km 27 300 (2.9%) 42 million 1 646 400 (03.92%)

Important Environmental Issues

• Water pollution and aquatic ecosystems • Land degradation and deforestation • Threats to biodiversity and ecosystems

The United Republic of Tanzania, made up of mainland Tanganyika and the islands of Zanzibar, is surrounded by several large bodies of water including 1 300 km of coastline on the Indian Ocean and 2 375 km of shoreline along Africa’s three largest lakes: Tanganyika, Victoria, and Nyasa (UNEP 2008). The economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for more than half of GDP, provides 75 per cent of exports, and employs about 75 per cent of the workforce. The major limitation for cultivation is topography and climate. Tourism is another significant contributor to GDP, as is the mining sector. Progress towards environmental sustainability Reverse the loss of environmental resources The three largest lakes in Africa by volume or size – Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nyasa (Malawi/ Niassa) and Lake Victoria – cover 5.7 per cent of Tanzania’s total surface area (UNEP 2008).

However, pollution from agriculture, industry, mining, and households is threatening the country’s water resources and untreated industrial waste causes significant levels of localized pollution. About 80 per cent of the industries, including agro-chemical and chemical industries, breweries and steel manufacturing industries, are located in the coastal area of Dar es Salaam and pollute the Indian Ocean directly or indirectly (UNEP 2008). The proportion of land area covered by forests has dropped by 19 per cent since 1990 due to deforestation, leaving just over one-third of the land under forests as shown in Figure 4.38. Much of the fuelwood that is cut is converted to charcoal for use in urban households. Rural industries also use substantial amounts of fuelwood. Alternative methods need to be applied and indigenous knowledge systems should be incorporated into sustainable harvesting.

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