DodomaCapital
Tanzania · Country profile
Dodoma is the official capital of Tanzania, the younger inland city that the republic chose to move its seat of government to, away from the old coastal capital. It sits in the dry central plateau of the country, a city of wide avenues, acacia trees and red-earth grounds, where the parliament buildings, the ministries and the diplomatic quarters of the new capital stand among the older streets of the prosperous interior town. The great mosque and the underground cathedral of the city, and the wineries of the mission of the nearby hills, give the capital its small distinguishing landmarks, while the monument of the region, a rock common to the central plateau, frames the setting. Calm, clean and deeply unhurried, it is the resting capital of a great country, at once a real seat of power and a remarkably quiet town.
About Dodoma
Dodoma is the capital of Tanzania. The city's documented population is around 410,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) and Swahili and English are spoken; the dialling code is +255.
The Resting Capital of the Red Plateau of the Centre
Dodoma is a calm, spacious and genuinely quiet capital, chosen mostly for its climate and its central position, and it makes a restful and easy stop on the inland routes. The visitor sees the parliament quarter, the mosque and the fantastic cathedral carved into the rock of the earth, walks the easy grid of the centre and enjoys the wines and the fruit of the local market. It is the natural pause for the travellers crossing the centre of the country by train or by road, with the great parks of the west beyond. Honest, friendly and entirely without the crowds, it gives a plain, pleasant slice of the working life of Tanzania.
The Dry Golden Months, the Shilling and the Slow Railway Life
The plateau climate is hot and dry, with the clear innings of the sunny months and the short rains of the green season, and the golden light of the dry half of the year is the kindest for the travel. The Tanzanian shilling is the currency, the Swahili and the English the languages, and the cards of the busy centre cover the stays. The essentials are the parliament, the underground cathedral, the mosque and the market, and the wineries of the nearby mission make the pleasant cause of the extra day. The city is safe and easy, and the bus station of the town connects the capital to the great inland routes with the ease of the district centre.
The Parliament Quarter, the Rock Cathedral and the Market of the Grain
The great mosque of the capital, among the largest of the country, and the incredible church of the parish of the underground, carved directly into the living rock below the city, are the two unforgettable landmarks of the new capital. The monument of the region, a great rock dome on the skyline, and the central market with its fruit and its grain anchor the everyday, while the wineries and the mission vineyards of the nearby hills give the strange pleasure of the viticulture of the cloudless plateau. The slow train and the long-haul buses that stop at the town carry the travellers onward to the wonders of the west of the country.
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- Country
- Tanzania
- Population
- 410,000
- Capital
- Dodoma
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Tanzanian Shilling (TZS)
- Languages
- Swahili, English
- Calling code
- +255
- Country code
- TZ
Entry requirements for Tanzania
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Tanzania for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dodoma the capital of Tanzania?
Yes — Dodoma is the capital of Tanzania.
What currency do I need in Dodoma?
The local currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS). Languages spoken in Tanzania include Swahili and English.
What is the dialling code for Tanzania?
The international dialling code for Tanzania is +255.
Do I need a visa to visit Tanzania?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Australia (e-visa), Canada (e-visa), France (e-visa), Germany (e-visa) and India (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Dodoma? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.