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People
Tanzania's 100 or more different tribal groups are mostly of Bantu
tribal origin. The Arab influence on Zanzibar and Pemba islands
is evident in the people, who are a mix of Shirazia (from Persia),
Arabs, Comorians (from the Comoros Islands) and Bantu from the mainland,
though the latter predominate.
Asians are a significant minority especially in the towns and cities.
Europeans (either by descent or expatriate) are a smaller minority.
The major non-Bantu people on the mainland are the Masai (Nilotic
speakers) who inhabit the north-eastern section of the country.
Language
Swahili and English are the official languages, with English the
principal language of commerce.
There are also many local African tongues, reflecting the tribal
diversity of the country.
Religion
The two main religions are Christianity and Islam, with Hindus making
up about a quarter of the population. The majority of Muslims are
concentrated along the coast and in the islands.
Compared to Islam, Christianity took a long time to make an impact,
and even then (during the 19th century) it was practiced mainly
among tribes of the interior.
There are still many tribes who follow neither of the big-name religions
and instead worship the ancient spirit of their choice.
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