The Beautiful City Of Dar es Salaam

Have you ever been to Dar es Salaam?

Dar es Salaam is the largest city in Tanzania...

The name Dar es Salaam or Dar as Salaam in Arabic literarilly mean “the abode of peace”.

Dar es salaam was formerly known as ’Mirizma’. It is Tanzania’s largest city with a population of over 4.3millions as at 2012.Dar es Salaam has administrative province, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: northern Kinondoni, central Ilala, and southern Temeke. Though Dar es Salaam lost its status as capital city to Dodoma, it remains the locus of the permanent central government bureaucracy, and as the capital of the region.

Geography

Dar es Salaam is at 6°48' South, 39°17' East (−6.8000, 39.2833), on a natural harbour on the eastern coast of Africa, with sandy beaches in some areas.

Administratively, the Dar es Salaam region is divided into three districts: Ilala, Kinondoni, and Temeke

Climate 

Dar es Salaam is closer to the equator and the warm Indian Ocean, the city experiences generally tropical climatic conditions, typified by hot and humid weather throughout much of the year. It has atropical wet and dry climate. Annual rainfall is approximately 1,100 mm (43 in), and in a normal year there are two rainy seasons: "the long rains" in April and May and "the short rains" in October and November.
climate. Annual rainfall is approximately 1,100 mm (43 in), and in a normal year there are two rainy seasons: "the long rains" in April and May and "the short rains" in October and November.

Climate data for Dar es Salaam
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	31 (88)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	29 (84)	30 (86)	31 (88)	29.6 (85.2)
Average low °C (°F)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	23 (73)	22 (72)	20 (68)	19 (66)	19 (66)	19 (66)	21 (70)	22 (72)	24 (75)	21.9 (71.4)
Precipitation mm (inches)	66 (2.6)	66 (2.6)	130 (5.12)	290 (11.42)	188 (7.4)	33 (1.3)	31 (1.22)	25 (0.98)	31 (1.22)	41 (1.61)	74 (2.91)	91 (3.58)	1,066 (41.96)
Avg. rainy days	8	6	12	19	15	6	6	7	7	7	9	11	113
Mean monthly sunshine hours	248	196	217	150	217	210	217	279	270	279	240	248	2,771

 

 

Economy & Infrastructure

Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's most important city for both business and government. The city contains high concentrations of trade and other services and manufacturing compared to other parts of Tanzania, which has about 80 percent of its population in rural areas. Downtown includes many small businesses, many of which are run by traders and proprietors whose families originated from the Middle East and Indian sub-continent—areas of the world with which the settlements of the Tanzanian coast have had long-standing trading relations.

Dar es Salaam has a problem with slums. According to a United Nations estimate, 70 percent of the city's population lives in informal settlements. The poorer residents crowd into downtown areas or large slums, many without running water or basic services.^] The more wealthy live in beachside mansions in the city's northern districts.

On a natural harbour on the Indian Ocean, it is the hub of the Tanzanian transportation system as the main railways and several highways originate in or near the city.

Dar es Salaam has had, in the past few years^] a major construction boom. The Benjamin William Mkapa Pension Tower with more than 21 stories is the tallest building in the city and the country. Dar es Salaam has major infrastructural problems, including an outdated transport system and occasional power rationing. 

Transportation

The Julius Nyerere International Airport is the principal airport serving the country. Tanzania Railways operates the Central Line from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma. The TAZARA Railway connects Dar es Salaam to Zambia. Most intracity transport is by the dala dala (minibus) or Dar es Salaam commuter rail. The bus rapid transit system under construction will be operated by the Dar Rapid Transit Agency (DART),^] a government entity, and is expected to open at the end of 2014. DART is being sponsored by the World Bank. Dala dala minibuses are involved in many road accidents, accounting for a large percentage of the 4000+ yearly road deaths.

Dala dalas are cheap and often overcrowded. They are operated by a driver and a conductor: the conductor collects the fare and signals the driver to leave. They tend to be overcrowded, with passengers sometimes hanging outside the door

 

Culture

Dar es Salaam has heavy traffic during the daytime, but after sunset the area is relatively quiet as much of the city's nightlife is located in more residential districts away from the city's mainly commercial centre.

The sprawling suburbs furthest from the city centre are generally populated by Tanzanians of African descent, with the exception of Oyster Bay, where there is a large population of foreign expatriates. The edges of Dar es Salaam are spreading rapidly, severely taxing the transportation network (which aside from ferries, lacks any kind of mass transit facilities) and raising the prospect of future urban overcrowding.
 

Food

Due to the growth of the expatriate community and the increasing importance of tourism, the number of international restaurants has risen very rapidly over recent years. The city now offers a rich and internationalized diversity of cuisine, ranging from traditional Tanzanian Barbecue style options such as Nyama Choma (Roasted meat—served with rice or ugali) and Mishkaki (Shish kebab—usually barbecued and served with salt, hot peppers,chapati, fries, and rice on the side), and the long-established traditional Indian and Zanzibari cuisine, to options from all corners of the globe includingChinese, Thai, Turkish, Italian, and Japanese food. People who prefer neither fast food nor traditional restaurants buy their food from street vendors, who usually sell food at low prices. Samosas are common street food items within the city.

Ugali with beef & sauce

Tourism

Dar es Salaam has two of the five museums comprising the National Museum of Tanzania consortium, namely the National Museum proper and the Village Museum. The National Museum is dedicated to the history of Tanzania; most notably, it exhibits some of the bones of Paranthropus boisei that were among the findings of Louis Leakey at Olduvai. The Village Museum, located in the outskirts of the city on the road to Bagamoyo, showcases traditional huts from 16 different Tanzanian ethnic groups. There are also examples of traditional cultivations, and traditional music and dance shows are held daily.

Close to the National Museum are also the botanical gardens, with some specimens of tropical plants and trees.

There are beaches on the Msasani peninsula north of Dar es Salaam and in Kigamboni to the south where residents and tourists alike frequently visit. Trips to the nearby islands of the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve are a popular daytrip from the city and a favourite spot for snorkeling, swimming and sunbathing. In addition to that, Bongoyo Island can be reached by boat from the Msasani Slipway.

A village museum

Art

Dar es Salaam (and specifically the area of Oyster Bay) is home to the popular Tingatinga painting style. The Nyumba ya sanaa ("House of Art") is a well-known cultural centre, workshop and shop dedicated to Tanzanian art, showcasing and promoting Tanzanian craftmanship. Prominent Tanzania sculptor George Lilanga has contributed to the centre some of his works, including decorations of the building's main entrance.

Music

There is also a lively music scene in Dar es Salaam which is divided between several styles. The longest standing segment is live dance music (muziki wa dansi) bands such as DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra. Taarab which was traditionally strong in Zanzibar has also found a niche but remains small compared both to dance music and "Bongo Flava", a broad category that represents the Tanzanian take on Hip Hop and R&B, which has quickly become the most popular locally produced music. Traditional music, which locally is used to refer to tribal music is still performed but typically only on family oriented occasions such as weddings.

This rap scene has been present and growing for the past ten years as city life has drawn much of the youth in surrounding areas have made the trek into a more urban lifestyle in search of a new better beginning.

In the 1970s, the Ministry of National Youth Culture aimed to create a national culture, which stressed the importance of music. Dar es Salaam became the new music center in Tanzania, with the local radio exposing new bands and dominating the music and cultural scene. With this ujamaa, or family, mentality governing culture and music a unified people’s culture was created. Dar es Salaam became a center of city crime, gangs, and violence, which led to the rise of hip hop music.^[14] Throughout the years, the radio in Dar es Salaam has played a major role in the dissemination of music because many people don’t have televisions and cassettes are used over CDs.

 

Education

Dar es Salaam is also the educational centre of Tanzania. The city is home to many Educational Institutions

Universities In Dar es Salaam

·         The University of Dar es Salaam is the oldest and 2nd largest public university in Tanzania after University of Dodoma. It is located in the western part of the city, occupying 1,625 acres (6.58 km²) on the observation hill, 13 km (8 mi) from the city centre. The university has approximately 16,400 undergraduate and 2,700 postgraduate students.

·         Ardhi University had 2,457 undergraduate and 156 postgraduate students in 2010/2011. The university offers two-year diploma programmes in the fields of land surveying and land management and valuation. A three-year diploma program in urban and rural planning has been introduced.

·         Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences has two campuses; Muhimbili Campus and Mloganzila Campus. Muhimbili Campus is situated in Ilala Municipality, in Upanga along United Nations Road. Mloganzila Campus is still new and in the process of development and it occupies 3,800 acres (15 km²) and is located 3 km (2 mi) off Dar es Salaam-Morogoro highway, 25 km (16 mi) from Dar es Salaam.

·         The Open University of Tanzania is a fully fledged and accredited public institution of higher learning, mandated to conduct academic programmes leading to certificates, diplomas, undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. Since it was founded, the university has enrolled students from Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Namibia, Hungary, Burundi, Libya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Lesotho, Botswana and most of Tanzania. As of 2008, the total enrollment at the university was 44,099, the majority of whom wereTanzanian.

·         The Hubert Kairuki Memorial University is a private institution located on plot No. 322 Regent Estate in the Mikocheni area, some 7-km from the Dar es Salaam City centre, off Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Old Bagamoyo roads.

·         The International Medical and Technological University is a privately owned institute of higher education institution operating in Dar es Salaam.

·         The Kampala International University—began operations in 2009 operating from Quality Plaza along Pugu road.Currently, the University Centre is situated on a 60 acres (240,000 m²) of land, at Gongo la Mboto area in Ilala District, 7 km (4 mi) from Mwalimu Julius Nyerere International Airport along Pugu road

Sports

Dar es Salaam is the sports center of Tanzania. Dar es Salaam hosts the second largest stadium in East and Central Africa (National Stadium), which can accommodate up to 60,000 people. The city is home of the most famous and rival soccer clubs, The Simba Sports Club (Simba) and Young Africans Sports Club (Yanga). Apart from the National Stadium, Dar es salaam is home to the Uhuru Stadium (used mainly for local tournaments and political gatherings), Karume Memorial Stadium (the home of Tanzania Football Federation (TFF)), the Gymkhana Golf Courses (between the city center and the shores of theIndian Ocean), and also has tennis courts, squash courts, and a Fitness club. Outside the metropolitan districts, there is the Lugalo Military Golf Course(located in the Lugalo Military Barracks).

Dar es Salaam is also blessed with beatiful environment, a sure destination for tourists. Some pictures of the city can be seen below...

Ten Unusual Hotels In The Word

1. CasAnus CasAnus is a giant sculpture of a human intestine that is located in Kemzeke, Belgium. CasAnus was created by Joep Van Lieshout. It contains a double bed, heater, shower, and toilet. CasAnus is run by a couple of Belgian art collectors. While it might not look especially appealing from the outside, except for being in the middle of nature, the inside of the room is as comfy as any place else. 2. Das Park Hotel Das Park Hotel located in Linz, Austria is actually a number of repurposed drainpipes that have been turned into rooms. Each room contains a bed, light, and power. These rooms are in the park and bathroom facilities and cafes are close by. 3. Palacio de Sal This hotel is in Bolivia and is made entirely from salt. The floors, walls, and ceiling are made from salt. Even the bed and chairs are made of salt. Each room has a private bath. The Palacio de Sal is located at the eastern shore of the Great Salar de Uyuni. 4. Dog Bark Park Inn If you’re a dog lover, this hotel is for you. Located in Cottonwood, Idaho, this hotel is actually in the shape of a dog. The room contains a full bath, a microwave, air conditioning, books, games, and puzzles, but no television or telephone. When you stay you’ll also be treated to a continental self-serve breakfast. 5. The Hobbit Motel The Hobbit Motel can be found in Woodlyn Park, New Zealand. If you’re a fan of the books of J.R.R. Tolkien, this is a place you should visit.

6. Null Stern Hotel The world’s first zero star hotel is located in Teufen, Appenzellerland, Switzerland. Their catch-phrase is “the only star is you.” The hotel was built in a cold war bunker and there are no windows. The bathrooms are shared, and there is a lounge, and two large rooms for 14 people. 7. Capsule Hotels In Japan capsule hotels are quite popular. They are small measuring only 1 x 2 meters. Many of the capsule hotels do offer television and wireless internet, but usually don’t allow eating inside the capsule. Bathrooms are shared and there are restaurants. They are very basic and quite cheap to rent running approximately $25-50/night, i.e about 4,000-8,000 naira or more. 8. Ice HotelIf you’re looking for a unique experience, the IceHotel is a must. This hotel in Lapland, Sweden is rebuilt every winter. IceHotel is the original. The IceHotel has 65 rooms with beds made of ice. While the temperature inside will be a chilly -5 Celsius, it’s warmer than the -15 Celsius outside. 9. V8 Hotel Are you a car fanatic? The V8 Hotel in Meilenwerk, Germany may be your cup of tea. Each room has an automotive theme. You can sleep in a bed made from a white Mercedes or sleep in the workshop room where your car bed is actually lifted up on jacks. 10. Forest Hut Hotel In Kolarbyn, Sweden you can stay in a hut in the forest and fend or yourself. If you would rather not forage for your own food, you can have food dropped to your site. If you’re looking for a new and unique experience, one of these hotels might be a nice change of pace and give you a once in a lifetime experience. Source: http://bigalphabets.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/ten-world-weirdest-hotels/

The Richest Countries In The World

Exchange rates alone can not be used to determine how rich a country is. The cost of living, standard of living, inflation rates and other figures include saving such as national wealth (not just income) and populations are additional indices of determining the wealth of a nation. The most commonly accepted method of determining the wealth of countries and comparing generalized differences in living standards on a whole between nations is to use GDP per capita on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis in current international dollars. If only GDP is used, those factors were surely not taken into consideration. In a lay man understanding, it means a country where you can enjoy highest standard of living per person. Some country have very less GDP in-spite of large population, on the other hand some have high GDP in spite of the small population. The Richest Countries In The World In Numbers 1. Qatar – Richest Country in the World and in Asia GDP (PPP): $106,283.96 Capital City: Doha 1 USD = 3.64105 QAR  With a population of around 1.9 million and GDP equal to $182 Billion, Qatar is the world’s richest country. It lies in the Persian Gulf and it is a peninsula. It lies in the Middle East and is richest Arab country in the world. Saudi Arabia lies to its south. The economy of this country is entirely dependent on Petroleum as it contributes nearly 85% of export earnings. Banking and Tourism are other areas where Qatar generates money. It is also the richest country in Asia. Its competitively open trade policies with the US have made Qatar the wealthiest nation in the world. The country charges no income tax to its citizens and other taxes are also very minimal. The current GDP of Qatar surpasses all the other countries in the world and is $102,768.69. Thus we can see that the size of the country does not matter when it comes to wealth and that even a small a nation can aspire to be the richest in the world.

2. Luxembourg – Richest Country in EuropeGDP (PPP): $79,649.49 Capital City: Luxembourg 1 USD = 46 Luxemburg francs Holding the title of the wealthiest country in Europe, Luxembourg is much famous as a tax heaven. Many billionaires from around the globe reside in this country to save themselves from taxes in their homeland. It is the second richest country in the world. With a population of just around half million, it has striking contrast of green pastures of land alongside the industrialized city. It lies in Europe and is headed by a Grand Duke. Banking, Steel Industry and telecommunications contribute heavily to its wealth.

3) Singapore GDP (PPP): $61,046.96 Currency: SGD/USD = 1.2743 Capital City: Singapore Located in Southeast Asia and comprising of 63 islands, Singapore is a fully island country. On this list of top 10 wealthiest nations, it ranks third. It is one of the largest financial centers in the world and along with Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea, it forms the Four Asian Tigers. Its population is around 5.5 millions with majority of them practicing Buddhism.

4) Norway GDP (PPP): $54,479 Capital City: Oslo NOK/USD = 6.0521 A country with roughly 5 million people, Norway, coupled with high GDP and comparatively low population, it is one of the richest countries on Earth. Sharing its border with Finland, Sweden and Russia, it is a developed country. The economy of this rich nation depends on oil and natural gas reserves which is found around it.

5) Hong Kong SAR GDP (PPP): $50,716 Currency: HKD/USD = 7.7500 Another fifth world's richest nation Lying on China’s South coast, Hong Kong is the fifth country in this list based on per capita income. It has a high GDP and it is a leading financial destination in the world as well as in Asia. It is a specially administrated region with its own currency but defense services from China.

6) Brunei Darussalam GDP (PPP): $50,440 Capital: Bandar Seri BegawanLocated in Southeast Asia, Brunei generates its revenues from crude oil and natural gas exports. Revenues from petroleum contribute around 90% of its GDP. With a small population of less than half-a-million, Brunei is one of the least densely populated country in the world. Its sultan is one of the richest people in the world.

7) United States of America GDP (PPP): $49,601 Capital: Washington DC Currency: USD This country needs no introduction. The most powerful country in the world and the most powerful economy in the world, United States (US) leads the globe in science and technology and nearly in every research field which can be thought of. It is the largest exporter of weapons and also other goods and services. This rich country in the world has a GDP of around 15 trillion US Dollars which makes it the richest and biggest economy in the world. It is one of the wealthiest economy on planet Earth. On the American continent, this country is second to none. Thus it is also the richest country in the American continent (North as well as South America). This country is also the largest manufacturer in the world and the leading financial nation.

8) United Arab Emirates (UAE) GDP (PPP): $48,434 Capital: Abu Dhabi Capital: Washington DCAnother wealthy country in the Middle-East, United Arab Emirates consists of seven independent Emirates which are ruled by their individual monarchs. It is the second richest Arab country. Its GDP is third largest in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia and Iran. It generates wealth from its oil and natural gas exports along with dried fish and dates. With the depletion of oil reserves, the UAE has started diversification of its businesses. This country now plans to make the UAE a big tourist destination and a leading financial market.

9) Switzerland GDP (PPP): $44,015 Capital: BernLying in the continent of Europe is this eight wealthiest nation. Switzerland has a diverse economy and it has one of the most stable economies of the world. The economy of this wealthy country depends on banking, Tourism, Industries and Agriculture. Switzerland is also a leading exporter of high-end watches in the world. It is one of the financial havens for those seeking to hide their cash. On our ranking of top 10 world’s richest countries, it ranks ninth.

10) Kuwait – Rich Arab Country GDP (PPP): $43,773 Capital: Kuwait City Kuwait is an Arab country in the western region of Asia. It is one of the world’s leading oil producing countries. Kuwait is the world’s fifth largest oil producing country. Apart from the fact that it holds the key to something that has more worth than gold, i.e. oil, its economy is thriving on the very fact that the country has a monarchy system of governance. Its rich monarchs provide the country with all the necessary funds and money. This makes sure that the economic conditions of the country are always favorable, regardless of the world’s economic conditions. The current GDP of Kuwait is $43,846.72. Source: http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/world-top-ten-richest-countries-map.html http://www.techscio.com/the-richest-country-in-the-world/ http://www.clicktop10.com/2013/05/top-10-richest-countries-in-the-world-in-2013/