Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam is the largest city in East Africa and a vital financial hub for Tanzania.

It serves as the capital of the Dar es Salaam Region on the Swahili coast. The city sits on a natural harbour along the Indian Ocean.

With over 7 million residents, it is the fifth-largest city in Africa. Experts predict the population will exceed 10 million before the year 2030. This rapid growth makes it one of the fastest-growing cities globally.

The city is organized into five distinct administrative districts.

Kinondoni is the most populated district in the north. It contains several high-income suburbs like Masaki and Oyster Bay. Ilala sits in the centre and acts as the city's transportation hub.

This district houses the Julius Nyerere International Airport and the Central Railway Station. To the south lie the districts of Ubungo and Temeke.

Temeke is the main industrial zone and contains the country's largest port. Finally, Kigamboni is a beachfront suburb located on a peninsula to the east.

Residents reach this area via ferry or the Kigamboni Bridge.

The history of the city began with a coastal fishing village called Mzizima.

In 1865 or 1866, Sultan Majid bin Said of Zanzibar founded a new city nearby. He named it Dar es Salaam, which translates from Arabic as "abode of peace." The city declined after the Sultan's death in 1870. However, it was revived in 1887 by the German East Africa Company. The construction of the Central Railway Line in the early 1900s fueled further industrial expansion. During World War I, British and Empire forces captured the territory from Germany.

The German colonial authorities surrendered the city on 3 September 1916.

Political changes shaped the city's role throughout the 20th century. After World War II, Dar es Salaam experienced a period of rapid growth. Tanganyika gained independence from colonial rule in December 1961. The city remained the capital when Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form Tanzania in 1964. In 1973, the government decided to move the capital to Dodoma.

This relocation process was officially completed in 1996. Although Dodoma is the capital, most government offices remain in Dar es Salaam. In 1967, the ujamaa policy introduced socialism to Tanzania. This policy encouraged people to stay in socialist villages rather than moving to cities. This slowed urban growth until the liberalisation policies of the 1980s.

Today, the city is a major centre for finance, media, and the arts.

The skyline is defined by many tall buildings. The TPA Tower is the tallest building in the country.

The 35-storey PSPF Tower was also completed in 2015. The port is essential for entrepot trade. This means it serves as a middle point for goods moving to landlocked countries. These include Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, and parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange also supports the growing economy.

Local life is centered around busy commercial and residential areas.

The Kariakoo Market is a major supply point for food. It is unique because it contains the only underground section in the city. In the Ilala district, the Askari Monument marks the exact centre of the city.

The city also features historical landmarks like the Old Boma and St. Joseph's Cathedral.

Many residents use the Dar Rapid Transit (DART) bus system to travel.

This system connects various urban nodes across the districts.

The climate in Dar es Salaam is tropical and very warm. It is located near the equator and sits by the warm Indian Ocean. This creates hot and humid weather throughout much of the year. The city follows a tropical savanna climate pattern. There are two distinct rainy seasons. The "long rains" occur in April and May. The "short rains" occur in November and December.

Scientists are monitoring how climate change might affect the region. A 2019 paper suggested that by 2050, the climate could become even warmer. This would change the annual temperature patterns for the city.