Tanzania history
Prehistory
The excavations of Louis and Mary Leakey in the Olduvai Gorge in 1959bring to light the "Nutcracker Man"-a virtually complete hominid cranium 1.8 million years old, later named Australopithecus boisei. Anthropologists are fairly certain today that the Rift Valley is the cradle of humanity.
13th-15th centuries
Settlers from the Persian Gulf (Shirazis) gradually colonize the region. They integrate with the African population and from this union arises the Swahili culture. In 1498, Vasco de Gama rounds the Cape of Good Hope and reaches East Africa.
18th century
Swahili traders penetrate the interior in search of precious commodities: white gold (ivory) and black gold (slaves). Their culture spreads all along the caravan routes.
20th century
After its defeat in World War I, Germany loses Tanganyika. Great Britain is given an administrative mandate, but the country is too poor in natural resources to excite great interest.
In 1961, the territory obtains its independence in a painless transition, and Julius Nyerere takes charge of the new state and directs it along a collectivist path. At the end of 1963, Zanzibar-still under British control-also becomes independent. Only one month later a bloody revolution drives out the sultan and unification is announced: Tanganyika and Zanzibar merge to form the new Tanzania.
Nyerere finally relinquishes power in 1985. His successor, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, one of his peers in the CCM (the only party), tries to steer Tanzania towards economic and political liberalization, but Nyerere's shadow still lies over the land. In 1993 Zanzibar causes constitutional controversy by deciding unilaterally to join the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). It later withdraws its membership. The first free elections held in October 1995-in chaos-bring Benjamin William Mkapa to power. He is re-elected in 2000 and the country seems relatively stable.
