Tanzania’s Population Profile Tanzania’s population is largely youthful with children 15 years making up 44 per cent of the total population. When young people aged 30 Population growth and momentum years and below are put together, they make up close to 73 per cent of the total population (NBS, A key development challenge for Tanzania is its 2002 census). high population growth rate. Tanzania’s population almost tripled during the 35 years between 1967 and 2002. The 2002 population and housing census placed the total population of Tanzania at 34,443,603 almost equally divided between males (49 per cent) and females (51 per cent). During the inter-censal period 1988 to 2002 the population increased 49 per cent (23.1 million to 34.4 million, respectively). The elderly, though currently a small segment of The current official projections show that the the population, is increasingly becoming a population as of mid-2009 is about 41.9 million conspicuous cohort not only in terms of their (NBS, 2009). caring capacity for HIV and AIDS orphans but also their health and social service needs. The size of the elderly population is increasing due to marginal increases in life expectancy. At a rate of 2.9 per cent the national average population growth rate ranks as one of the fastest In 2002 the number of old persons 65 years) in the world and translates to a net total of about was around 1.35 million. Elderly women are more 1.3 million people being added to the population vulnerable especially if they are widows. Many are annually. At this rate Tanzania’s population is informally employed and literacy rates are low. projected to reach 65.3 million in 2025 and 88.3 million by 2050 (NBS, 2009). Dependency burden As a measure for economic dependency, the age dependency burden is used to define the The growth rates show regional variations from adults (ages 15 to 64) relative to children below 2.0 per cent in Kilimanjaro region and Lindi under age 15 and the elderly 65 years and older. (1.4 per cent) to more than 4.8 per cent in Kigoma When there is a high dependency burden then and 4.3 per cent in Dar es Salaam. there are more people to support with the same income and assets. Tanzania has a high Age structure dependency ratio of 0.85 (Kenya at 0.84 and Uganda at 1.12).
Tanzania’s Population Profile Population growth and momentum A key development challenge for Tanzania is its high population growth rate. Tanzania’s population almost tripled during the 35 years between 1967 and 2002. The 2002 population and housing census placed the total population of Tanzania at 34,443,603 almost equally divided between males (49 per cent) and females (51 per cent). During the inter-censal period 1988 to 2002 the population increased 49 per cent (23.1 million to 34.4 million, respectively). The current official projections show that the population as of mid-2009 is about 41.9 million (NBS, 2009). At a rate of 2.9 per cent the national average population growth rate ranks as one of the fastest in the world and translates to a net total of about 1.3 million people being added to the population annually. At this rate Tanzania’s population is projected to reach 65.3 million in 2025 and 88.3 million by 2050 (NBS, 2009). The growth rates show regional variations from below 2.0 per cent in Kilimanjaro region and Lindi (1.4 per cent) to more than 4.8 per cent in Kigoma and 4.3 per cent in Dar es Salaam. Age structure Tanzania’s population is largely youthful with children 15 years making up 44 per cent of the total population. When young people aged 30 years and below are put together, they make up close to 73 per cent of the total population (NBS, 2002 census). The elderly, though currently a small segment of the population, is increasingly becoming a conspicuous cohort not only in terms of their caring capacity for HIV and AIDS orphans but also their health and social service needs. The size of the elderly population is increasing due to marginal increases in life expectancy. In 2002 the number of old persons 65 years) was around 1.35 million. Elderly women are more vulnerable especially if they are widows. Many are informally employed and literacy rates are low. Dependency burden As a measure for economic dependency, the age dependency burden is used to define the adults (ages 15 to 64) relative to children under age 15 and the elderly 65 years and older. When there is a high dependency burden then there are more people to support with the same income and assets. Tanzania has a high dependency ratio of 0.85 (Kenya at 0.84 and Uganda at 1.12).
UNFPA_Briefing_Paper_-_Population_dynamics_and_Poverty_Reduction_16102009_1_.docx