A report on Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, East African Community and Swahili language

Swahili in Arabic script—memorial plate at the Askari Monument, Dar es Salaam (1927)
Although originally written with the Arabic script, Swahili is now written in a Latin alphabet introduced by Christian missionaries and colonial administrators. The text shown here is the Catholic version of the Lord's Prayer.
View of Leopoldville Station and Port in 1884
From left to right: President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, and President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania during the eighth EAC summit in Arusha, November 2006.
Swahili in Arabic script on the clothes of a girl in German East Africa (ca. early 1900s)
A 1.8-million-year-old stone chopping tool discovered at Olduvai Gorge and on display at the British Museum.
1908 photograph of a married Christian couple.
EAC heads in 2009. From left to right: Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Mwai Kibaki (Kenya), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Jakaya Kikwete (Tanzania), Pierre Nkurunziza (Burundi).
Loxodonta africana elephants frolic in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, 2012.
Force Publique soldiers in the Belgian Congo in 1918. At its peak, the Force Publique had around 19,000 Congolese soldiers, led by 420 Belgian officers.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame at the 2006 EAC summit. Rwanda joined the EAC on 1 July 2007.
A 1572 depiction of the portuguese city of Kilwa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The leader of ABAKO, Joseph Kasa-Vubu, first democratically elected President of Congo-Léopoldville
Three EAC countries border Lake Victoria.
Patrice Lumumba, first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Congo-Léopoldville, was murdered by Belgian-supported Katangan separatists in 1961
Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest peak, located in Tanzania.
Battle during the Maji Maji Rebellion against German colonial rule in 1905.
Mobutu Sese Seko and Richard Nixon in Washington, D.C., 1973.
Diani Beach, Kilifi County, Kenya.
The Arusha Declaration Monument
Mobutu with the Dutch Prince Bernhard in Kinshasa in 1973
{{flagicon|Burundi}} Burundi
Wildebeest migration in the Serengeti
Belligerents of the Second Congo War
{{flagicon|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tanzania map of Köppen climate classification
Refugees in the Congo
{{flagicon|Kenya}} Kenya
The Masai giraffe is Tanzania's national animal
People fleeing their villages due to fighting between FARDC and rebel groups, North Kivu, 2012
{{flagicon|Rwanda}} Rwanda
The semi-autonomous Zanzibar Archipelago
Government troops near Goma during the M23 rebellion in May 2013
{{flagicon|South Sudan}} South Sudan
Regions of Tanzania
DR Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi with neighbouring Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso in 2020; both wear face masks due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
{{flagicon|Tanzania}} Tanzania
Tanzanian ambassador to Russia Jaka Mwambi presenting his credentials to the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
The map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
{{flagicon|Uganda}} Uganda
Tanzanian Embassy in West End, Washington, D.C., USA
Democratic Republic of the Congo map of Köppen climate classification
FIB Tanzanian special forces during training
Ituri Rainforest
A proportional representation of Tanzania exports, 2019
Mount Nyiragongo, which last erupted in 2021.
Historical development of real GDP per capita in Tanzania, since 1950
Salonga National Park.
Tea fields in Tukuyu
Masisi Territory
Nyerere Bridge in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam
Lake Kivu in North Kivu province
The snowcapped Uhuru Peak
Bas-Congo landscape
One of the main trunk roads
An Okapi
Zanzibar harbour
A male western gorilla
Domestic expenditure on research in Southern Africa as a percentage of GDP, 2012 or closest year. Source: UNESCO Science Report: towards 2030 (2015), Figure 20.3
Hippopotami
A Tanzanian woman cooks Pilau rice dish wearing traditional Kanga.
Joseph Kabila was President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from January 2001 to January 2019.
Farmers using a rice harvester to harvest rice in Igunga District, Tanzania
President Joseph Kabila with U.S. President Barack Obama in August 2014
Example of a World Food Programme parcel
FARDC soldiers on patrol in Ituri province
Researchers (HC) in Southern Africa per million inhabitants, 2013 or closest year
A group of demobilized child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Scientific publications per million inhabitants in SADC countries in 2014. Source: UNESCO Science Report (2015), data from Thomson Reuters' Web of Science, Science Citation Index Expanded
A proportional representation of Democratic Republic of the Congo exports, 2019
The Hadza live as hunter-gatherers.
Change in per capita GDP of Congo, 1950–2018. Figures are inflation-adjusted to 2011 International dollars.
A carved door with Arabic calligraphy in Zanzibar
Rough diamonds ≈1 to 1.5 mm in size from DR Congo.
Nkrumah Hall at the University of Dar es Salaam
DR Congo's Human Development Index scores, 1970–2010.
Development of life expectancy
Collecting firewood in Basankusu.
Tanzanian woman harvest tea leaves
Train from Lubumbashi arriving in Kindu on a newly refurbished line.
Judith Wambura (Lady Jaydee) is a popular Bongo Flava recording singer.
Map of rail network
A Tingatinga painting
Major Bantu languages in the Congo
National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Kongo youth and adults in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
St Joseph's Catholic cathedral, Zanzibar
Amani festival in Goma
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha
Family in Rutshuru, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
East African Legislative Assembly in Arusha
The population pyramid of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tanzanian Ngoma group
Our Lady of Peace Cathedral in Bukavu
A classroom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Development of life expectancy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Population fleeing their villages due to fighting between FARDC and rebels groups, Sake North Kivu 30 April 2012
A Hemba male statue
Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa.
The Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Lubumbashi

The East African Community (EAC) is an intergovernmental organisation composed of seven countries in the Great Lakes region of East Africa: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republics of Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda.

- East African Community

It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to the south; Zambia to the southwest; and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west.

- Tanzania

The DRC is located in sub-Saharan Africa, bordered to the northwest by the Republic of the Congo, to the north by the Central African Republic, to the northeast by South Sudan, to the east by Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, and by Tanzania (across Lake Tanganyika), to the south and southeast by Zambia, to the southwest by Angola, and to the west by the South Atlantic Ocean and the Cabinda exclave of Angola.

- Democratic Republic of the Congo

Due to concerted efforts by the government of Tanzania, Swahili is one of three official languages (the others being English and French) of the East African Community (EAC) countries, namely Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

- Swahili language

It is a member of the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, African Union, East African Community, COMESA, Southern African Development Community, and the Economic Community of Central African States.

- Democratic Republic of the Congo

The country does not have a de jure official language, although the national language is Swahili.

- Tanzania

Kiswahili, English and French are designated as the official languages of the EAC, with Swahili designated for development as the lingua franca of the community.

- East African Community

Tanzania is a member of many international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), East African Community (EAC), and Southern African Development Community (SADC) among many others.

- Tanzania

Approximately 242 languages are spoken in the country, of which four have the status of national languages: Kituba (Kikongo), Lingala, Tshiluba, and Swahili.

- Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Uganda

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Landlocked country in East Africa.

Landlocked country in East Africa.

A caesarean section performed by indigenous healers in Kahura, in the Empire of Kitara (present-day Uganda) as observed by medical missionary Robert William Felkin in 1879. This incident was recorded long before the arrival of the European missionary doctors and clinics. The kingdom performed a highly developed surgical procedure, the first-ever cesarean section technique that saved both the mother and child.
Flag of the Uganda Protectorate
Construction of the Owen Falls Dam in Jinja.
The Uganda printers building on Kampala Road, Kampala, Uganda
Grey Crowned Crane - a symbol of Uganda.
Belligerents of the Second Congo War. On 19 December 2005, the International Court of Justice found against Uganda, in a case brought by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for illegal invasion of its territory, and violation of human rights.
Uganda map of Köppen climate classification.
U.S. President George W. Bush met with President Yoweri Museveni in Entebbe, Uganda, 11 July 2003.
Protests in New York City against Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
Graphical depiction of Uganda's product exports in 28 color-coded categories.
Change in per capita GDP of Uganda, 1950–2018. Figures are inflation-adjusted to 2011 International dollars.
Coffee fields in southwestern Uganda
Workers at a textile factory in Jinja
Entebbe International Airport
Road to Murchison
Mobile operators offer money sending, receiving services, bill payments among many more services.
Students in Uganda
Development of life expectancy
Rwenzori mountains in Uganda
An ethnolinguistic map of Uganda
Cultural celebrations in Northern Uganda
Woman in Rwenzori – Western Uganda
Mandela National Stadium in Kira Town.
Side view of Victoria Nile
Saint Mary's Cathedral Rubaga, is the parent cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala.

The country is bordered to the East by Kenya, to the North by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania.

The official languages are English and Swahili, although the Constitution states that "any other language may be used as a medium of instruction in schools or other educational institutions or for legislative, administrative or judicial purposes as may be prescribed by law."

Uganda is a member of the East African Community (EAC), along with Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

Rwanda

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Landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge.

Landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge.

A reconstruction of the ancient King's Palace at Nyanza
Juvénal Habyarimana, president from 1973 to 1994
Human skulls at the Nyamata Genocide Memorial
Rwandan President Paul Kagame
Chamber of Deputies building
Provinces of Rwanda
The Kagera and Ruvubu rivers, part of the upper Nile
Lake and volcano in the Virunga Mountains
Volcanoes National Park is the home of the largest population of Mountain Gorillas in the world.
Giraffe in Akagera National Park
Estimated development of real GDP per capita in Rwanda, since 1950
Coffee beans drying in Maraba. Coffee is one of Rwanda's major cash crops.
Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park
Rural water pump
Rural children
Children in a Rwandan primary school, using laptops supplied by the One Laptop Per Child program
Butaro Hospital at Burera, Northern Province
Historical development of life expectancy in Rwanda
Roman Catholic church in Rwamagana
Traditional Rwandan intore dancers
Rwandan woven agaseke basket
Adrien Niyonshuti, "one of the most famous people in Rwanda", competing in the cross-country mountain biking event at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Topography of Rwanda
Graphical depiction of Rwanda's product exports.
Rwanda produced 2.6 million tons of banana in 2019, its largest cash crop.
Rwanda electricity production by source
A plate of ugali and cabbage.

Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The country is a member of the African Union, the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, COMESA, OIF and the East African Community.

Swahili, the lingua franca of the East African Community, is also spoken by some as a second language, particularly returned refugees from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and those who live along the border with the DRC.

Image of the region between Lake Victoria (on the right) and Lakes Edward, Kivu and Tanganyika (from north to south) showing dense vegetation (bright green) and fires (red).

East Africa

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Eastern subregion of the African continent.

Eastern subregion of the African continent.

Image of the region between Lake Victoria (on the right) and Lakes Edward, Kivu and Tanganyika (from north to south) showing dense vegetation (bright green) and fires (red).
The Bab-el-Mandeb crossing in the Red Sea: now some 12 miles (20 km) wide, narrower in prehistory.
Early Iron Age findings in East and Southern Africa
Map of British East Africa in 1911

Due to the historical Omani Empire and colonial territories of the British East Africa Protectorate and German East Africa, the term East Africa is often (especially in the English language) used to specifically refer to the area now comprising the three countries of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan are members of the East African Community. The first five are also included in the African Great Lakes region. Burundi and Rwanda are at times also considered to be part of Central Africa.

With its original speech community centered on the coastal parts of Tanzania (particularly Zanzibar) and Kenya—a seaboard referred to as the Swahili Coast—the Bantu Swahili language contains many Arabic loan-words as a consequence of these interactions.

Burundi

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Flag of the Kingdom of Burundi (1962–1966).
Independence Square and monument in Bujumbura.
Belligerents of the Second Congo War. Burundi backed the rebels.
View of the capital city Bujumbura in 2006.
Pierre Nkurunziza, President of Burundi in 2005–2020.
Embassy of Burundi in Brussels
Map of Burundi.
Hippos at Kibira National Park in the Northwest of Burundi
A proportional representation of Burundi exports, 2019
Historical development of GDP per capita
Graphical depiction of Burundi's product exports in 28 colour-coded categories in 2009.
Fishermen on Lake Tanganyika.
Bujumbura International Airport terminal in Bujumbura
Bicycles are a popular means of transport in Burundi
Men in colourful dresses and drums
Children in Bujumbura, Burundi
Drums from Gitega.
Football in Burundi.
Carolus Magnus School in Burundi. The school benefits from the campaign "Your Day for Africa" by Aktion Tagwerk.

Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi (Repuburika y’Uburundi, ; Swahili: Jamuhuri ya Burundi; French: République du Burundi, or ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley where the African Great Lakes region and East Africa converge.

It is bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and southeast, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west; Lake Tanganyika lies along its southwestern border.

In addition, Burundi, along with Rwanda, joined the East African Community in 2007.

Southern African Development Community

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Inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana.

Inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana.

Flag of the SADCC

In August 2019 SADC adopted Swahili as its fourth working language, alongside English, French and Portuguese.

Its original members were Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with Malawi and Seychelles joining later.

Of the 15 SADC member states, only Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo are not yet participating, however Angolan trade minister Joffre Van-Dúnen Júnior said in Luanda that his ministry is working to create conditions for Angola's accession to the SADC Free Trade Area in 2019.

On Wednesday 22 October 2008, SADC joined with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the East African Community to form the African Free Trade Zone, including all members of each of the organizations.