Tanzania inspires a fierce loyalty among old Africa hands. Its great game parks--Tarangire, the Serengeti ("a warm ocean of life," Beryl Markham called it) and the astounding Ngorongoro Crater--are quintessentially, beguilingly African. And perhaps most endearingly, its people are wonderfully gentle and forthcoming.

• TOTAL AREA: 945,087 sq km

• LAND AREA: 886,037 sq km

• WATER AREA: 59,050 sq km

• POPULATION: 37,445,392

• RELIGIONS: mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

• LANGUAGES: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages

• GOVERNMENT TYPE: Republic

• CAPITAL CITY: Dar es Salaam

• OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

• TIME ZONE: GMT/UTC + 3