Tanzania covers 945,234 sq. km with 942,832 sq. km for Tanzania mainland and 2,400 sq.km for Zanzibar. About 32.5 percent of the country's land area (307,873 Km2l is protected areas which are under the management of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
These include, 22 National Parks, 22 Game reserves, 29 Game Controlled Areas, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, 363 Forest Reserves, 20 Nature Reserves, 9 Coastal Forests, 23 Government Forest plantations, 14 bee reserves of which 8 have been gazette and 6 are in different stages of gazettement, 133 Cultural heritage sites, 7 Museums and 3 Ramsar Sites.
“Currently, there are 38 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) which are in various stages of establishment, of which 22 WMAs have been registered and gazette as Authorized Association (AA) and 16 WMAs are in the different stages of authorization. These areas are distributed in various ecological systems and differ in conservation status depending on the type of use of the respective area.”
Tanzania's natural and cultural resources are considered among the finest tourism attractions in the world. They include the Serengeti plains, the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, and Africa's highest Mountain Kilimanjaro - in the North. Mikumi, Ruaha National Parks and the Selous Game Reserve in the South. Amani, Magamba, Chome and Kalambo river nature reserves.
Other Areas of Interest/ Attractions of Tourism in Tanzania
Other additional natural attractions include the sandy beaches north and south of Dar es Salaam, the Spice Islands of Zanzibar and excellent deep-sea fishing at Mafia and Pemba Islands. Among the Indian Ocean islands are remains of ancient settlements.
Olduvai Gorge, in the interior Rift Valley, is the site of discoveries of the trace of earliest man. To the tourist, Tanzania also offers interesting culture and arts, notably the Maasai culture and art and the Makonde sculptures and carving done in ebony. Tanzanians are a warm, open, friendly people with a long traditional of generous hospitality and a wealth of intangible cultural heritage.