Transport:

Transport sector has an effective role in contributing to social and economic development of Tanzania. The sector performance has continued to grow due to both government efforts and private sector investment in road rehabilitation, expansion of telecommunications services, modernization of port services, and improvement in marine, railway and air transport services.

Railway transport

Two railway systems operate in Tanzania. The Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) has two lines; the central line that runs from Dar es Salaam to Tabora with two branches; one to Kigoma in the west along lake Tanganyika, hence providing freight cargo transportation to the west of the country as well as the land-locked countries of Burundi, Rwanda and eastern part of Peoples Democratic Republic of Congo. The second branch runs from Tabora to Mwanza port on Lake Victoria, also providing transportation services to north and north-western part of the country including landlocked Uganda. The other line runs from Ruvu northward to Korogwe and then branches to Tanga port on the Indian ocean, another branch north-west to Moshi and connecting to Kenya railway system.

The second railway system is the Tanzania - Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA). This is a two country joint railway system. TAZARA links the port of Dar es Salaam with Zambia and handling freight cargo for the countries of Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Both the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) and Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) are up for privatization.

Marine transport

The Tanzania Harbours Authority (THA) operates ports of Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Mtwara, and minor ports of Kilwa, Lindi and Mafia on the Indian ocean. Dar es Salaam is the main port with capacity of dry break bulk cargo of 3.1 million tonnes of containerized cargo and 6.0 million tonnes of bulk liquid.

There is also lake transport managed by the Marine Division of the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC). There are freight cargo and passenger transport services on lake Victoria (linking Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda), lake Tanganyika (linking Tanzania, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia), and on lake Nyasa (linking Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique).

Air transport

Tanzania has three international airports in Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. In addition there are aerodromes and airstrips spread all over the country.

The national airline, Air Tanzania Corporation (ATC) is the major provider of domestic air travel linking all major towns in the country. Private companies have also started operating, and several charter service. ATC has also services to neighbouring countries and the Middle East. There are international airlines operating flights in and out of Tanzania with daily flights to Europe, India, the Middle East and Southern Africa.

Road transport

The geography of Tanzania, its size, diversity and dispersion give roads a special position in integration of the national economy'. In particular roads serve rural areas (where the majority of the people live) more effectively than any other mode of transport. 

National networks (under the Ministry of Works) face lack of sufficient fund for rehabilitation and upgrading due to increased traffic (e.g. the proposed Urgent Roads Rehabilitation Programme - URRP) and for routine maintenance, low capacity' of the local construction industry and low participation of the private sector.

However, the Government has rationalised and streamlined the institutional framework for management of the road sector so as to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and accountability. An autonomous executive agency, the Tanzania Roads Agency (TANROADS), responsible for the management of trunk road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance has been established. A National Road Board guides its activities with representation from the private sector/road users and the Government. The Government has also established a Road Fund whose funding is ring-fenced field user charge as the main source of finance for road maintenance. The local authorities under the Ministry of Regional Administration and Local Government are responsible for the district, urban and feeder roads (the local roads network) for opening up existing and potential rural productive areas for agriculture, small-scale mining and rural tourism.