Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa, roughly twice the size of California (just over 360,000 sq miles). But with only 40 million in population, it has among the lowest population densities. This is because of vast tracks of wilderness, mostly uninhabitable delta, but also poorly watered high plateaus. In these wilderness areas and their near peripheries is found some of the prime game viewing areas of the world.

The country's economy depends upon agriculture (mostly coffee, tea and cut flowers), mining (mostly gold) and tourism, in that order. The country's rich agricultural land is a mostly unexploited resource. The second largest streak of gold on earth lies near Lake Victoria, and big game tourism is world famous. This includes the Serengeti National Park and Africa's highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro. But a large portion of the tourism revenue includes neither game viewing or mountain climbing, but rather, beach combing on the exceptional Indian Ocean beaches of the mainland and Zanzibar island.