Country background

Tanzania exhibits many demographic similarities with other African countries, by having a youthful population, declining fertility rates, declining infant and under-5 mortality rates, and a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The latest estimates of core poverty indicators suggest that a high proportion of people live in poverty in Tanzania Mainland.

Demographics

The latest Population and Housing Census (PHC) of 2002 found that the population of Tanzania Mainland was 33,584,607, of which 44 per cent of the population was aged 15 and under, and 4 per cent over 64. It is projected that the population will increase by 70% between 2002 and 2020 in Tanzania Mainland.  In 2002, the youth dependency ratio was 0.853 and the elderly dependency ratio was 0.076.

Labour Market

According to the Integrated Labour Force Survey (ILFS) for 2005/2006, 94.1 per cent of people were working in the informal sector: a major challenge to the extension of social protection coverage. Importantly, according to ILFS 2005/2006, agriculture is the main sector of employment as it represents 74.2 per cent of total employment. Female labour force participation has increased significantly in recent years.

Overall employment-to-population ratios are high: more than 85 per cent of all of those aged 15 and older were employed, with the ratio being higher in rural areas. Almost 30 per cent of children aged 14 years old and less were recorded in the survey as employed, the majority of them working as unpaid family workers in agriculture or in domestic or other household activities. The effect of the lack of income security in old age can be seen in the high employment rates for older people: 73 per cent of older people are working mainly on their own farms.

 

Social security schemes and programs by branch