TANZANIA

Buoyage System

The IALA Buoyage System (Region A) is in effect. See Chart No. 1 for further IALA Buoyage System information.

Currency

The official unit of currency is the Tanzanian shilling, consisting of 100 cents.

General

Tanzania, consisting of Tanganyika and the off-lying islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, is located on the E coast of Africa between the great lakes of the central part of the continent and the Indian Ocean. It is bounded on the NE by Kenya; on the NW by Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; on the W by Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire); on the SW by Zambia and Malawi; and on the S by Mozambique.

The mainland consists of a low-lying coastal area, a high central plateau, and several scattered mountainous zones. Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa, stands in the NE part of Tanzania, near the Kenyan border, and is 5,895m high.

Zanzibar is the largest and most important of the many islands lying off the E coast of Africa. This island is undulating, fertile, and has a harbor on its W side. Pemba, a low island, lies 24 miles NE of Zanzibar.

The climate varies from tropical along the coast to temperate in the highlands.

Government

Flag of Tanzania

Tanzania is a republic. The country is divided into 25 regions.

Tanzania is governed by a directly-elected President serving a 5-year term. The Prime Minister and the cabinet are named by the President from members of the National Assembly. The

unicameral 274-member National Assembly consists of 232 directly-elected members, 37 female members appointed by the President, and five members from the Zanzibar House of Representatives; all members serve 5-year terms.

Zanzibar has its own directly-elected President, as well as a directly-elected 50-member House of Representatives, serving 5-year terms; they enact laws that apply only to Zanzibar.

The legal system is based on English common law.

The official capital is Dodoma. Dar es Salaam is the chief port and former capital.

Holidays

The following holidays are observed:

Islamic holidays, which are subject to the appearance of the moon, include Eid-il-Fitr (End of Ramadan), Eid-il-Hajj (End of Pilgrimage), and Maulid.

Industries

The major industries include food processing, diamond mining, petroleum and chemical products, cement, textiles, fertilizer, and wood products.

The principal mainland agricultural crops are cotton, coffee, millet, sorghum, sugar, maize, and sisal. The islands of Zanzibar and Pemba provide the greater part of the world’s supply of cloves.

Languages

English and Swahili are the official languages. English is the principal language of commerce, administration, and higher education.

Swahili, the principal language of communication and primary education, is widely used by numerous ethnic groups. There are many tribal languages.

Navigational Information

The maritime territorial claims of Tanzania are, as follows:

Regulations

Vessels are advised that it is prohibited to transmit on HF or MF frequencies when anchored in or navigating within 15 miles of Tanzanian ports. Only VHF transmissions are allowed unless prior permission has been obtained from the Chief Marine Radio Inspector, Maritime Communications Division, P.O. Box 2260, Dar es Salaam.

Search and Rescue

The Tanzania Harbor Authority is responsible for search and rescue operations within the coastal waters of Tanzania.

Time Zone

The Time Zone description is CHARLIE (-3). Daylight Savings Time is not observed.

U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Embassy is situated at 140 Msese Road, Kinodoni District, Dar es Salaam.

The mailing address is P.O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam.

U. S. Embassy Tanzania Home Page

http://usembassy.state.gov/tanzania

bounded on the W by Burma (Myanmar), on the E by Laos and Kampuchea (Cambodia), and on the S by Malaysia.

The terrain consists of a central plain, with a plateau in the E part and mountains elsewhere.

The climate is mostly tropical. It is rainy and warm during the Southwest Monsoon, from mid-May to September. It is dry and cool during the Northeast Monsoon, from November to mid-March. The S part is always hot and humid.

Buoyage System

The IALA Buoyage System (Region A) is in effect. See Chart No. 1 for further IALA Buoyage System information.

General

Thailand, formerly Siam, is located in Southeast Asia and borders the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. It is

Currency

The official unit of currency is the baht, consisting of 100 satang.

Flag of Thailand

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. The country is divided into 76 provinces.

Thailand is governed by a King. The Prime Minister is appointed by the King. The bicameral National Assembly consists of a directly-elected 200-member Senate and a directly-elected 500-member House of Representatives serving 4-year terms.

The legal system is based on civil law, with influences of common law.

The capital is Bangkok.

Holidays

The following holidays are observed:

Other holidays, which vary from year to year depending on the appearance of the moon, are Magha Puja Day, Chakri Day, Songkran Day, Visakha Bucha Day, Ahsalaha Bucha Day, Kao Pansa Day, and Chulalongkorn Day.

Industries

The major industries include agricultural processing, textiles, cement, wood products, tin and tungsten ore mining, tourism, and light manufacturing (jewelry, appliances, integrated circuits, and plastics).

The principal crops include rice, maize, sugarcane, tobacco, tapioca root, soybeans, rubber, opium, and cotton. Teak, yang, and other woods, and charcoal are the main forestry products.

Thai is the official language. There are also several ethnic and regional dialects. English is used widely by the elite and in commerce.

Navigational Information

The maritime territorial claims of Thailand are, as follows:

* Claims the inner Gulf of Thailand to 12˚35'25''N as a historical bay.

Regulations

General

The laws relating to the production, possession, distribution, and use of narcotic drugs are extremely severe in Thailand. Penalties for infringement range from prison sentences and fines to life imprisonment and even execution.

Crew members, when on shore leave, must not carry sheath knives or other dangerous weapons.

Signals

Thailand requires that vessels preparing to leave port or Thai waters shall fly the International Code flag “P” indicating that the vessel is about to proceed to sea. If the vessel is to depart in the morning, this flag is to be flown in the afternoon of the previous day. If departure is in the afternoon, the flag is to be flown in the morning.

The vessel shall notify the harbormaster at least 6 hours before the expected time of departure.

Within Thai territorial waters, merchant vessels may be signaled by Thai naval craft to stop, or to proceed in a certain direction, for the purpose of a search.

By day, signals from the International Code will be used by naval patrol craft. By night, repeated short and long flashes will be made by naval patrol craft, or a rocket, from which a red flare is ejected, will be fired. Vessels that do not stop in answer to these signals will be fired on.

Thai naval aircraft will make the appropriate signal from the International Code. They will fly low round the vessel and then proceed towards a certain direction indicating that the vessel must proceed in that direction. Vessels ignoring this signal will be warned by a burst of machine-gun fire directed ahead of the vessel.

Search and Rescue

Search and rescue operations in Thailand are coordinated by the Department of Aviation at Krung Thep (Bangkok) Rescue Coordination Center with the Royal Thai Navy, the Thai Marine Police Division, and the Harbor Department. A network of coast radio stations maintain a continuous listening watch on international distress frequencies.