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Overview

Strong macro fundamentals allowed Tanzania to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic in good shape, though economic recovery has been relatively modest due to strong headwinds created by the ongoing war in Ukraine, tightening global financial conditions, and global economic slow-down. For 2022, the World Bank estimates that GDP growth was 4.6%, marginally higher than 4.3% growth in 2021. The economic recovery in 2022 nevertheless remains broad based with most sectors rebounding to pre-COVID activity levels. Headline inflation continued to edge up during 2022 as a result of rising international commodity prices and severe drought, reaching 4.2% in the first nine months of 2022 compared to 3.5% in the same period the previous year. This is concerning as food makes up about 30% of the consumer price basket.

The pandemic caused an increase in the poverty rate, from 26.2% in 2019 to 27% in 2021. A minor reduction in the overall poverty rate is anticipated in 2022. The recent Tanzania Economic Update published by the World Bank noted that reversing this pandemic effect could prove challenging amidst considerable development and reform challenges that have been exacerbated by the pandemic shock and spillovers from the war in Ukraine.

In 2022, a relatively stable exchange rate, coupled with fuel subsidies, helped contain consumer price inflation to just 4.8%, well below the regional average of 10%. Global food prices rose sharply , and a severe drought damaged domestic food production, pushing cumulative food-price inflation to 6.6% during the first nine months of 2022. Transportation accounted for 14% of the consumer price basket, and mounting fuel costs increased transportation prices by 7.9% (year-on-year). Elevated food and fuel prices undermined consumption among lower-income households.

The initial results of the 2022 Population and Housing Census indicate that Tanzania’s population stood at 61.7 million in August 2022. According to the census results, the population increased by 37% between 2012 and 2022, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 3.2%, the third highest population growth rate in the world. The census indicates population in Zanzibar grew from 1.30 million in 2012 to 1.88 million in 2022, a 45% increase reflecting an average annual growth rate of 3.78%.

Last Updated: Mar 24, 2023

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Tanzania: Commitments by Fiscal Year (in millions of dollars)*

*Amounts include IBRD and IDA commitments

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Country Office Contacts

Main Office Contact
50 Mirambo Street
P. O. Box 2054
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
+255-22-216-3200
For general information and inquiries
Loy Nabeta
External Affairs Officer
+255 22 216 3256
For project-related issues and complaints