When Tanganyika became independent in 1961, the people were elated to be finally united behind a widely backed party, and looked toward growing with a relatively promising economy. The young state then merged with Zanzibar becoming the United Republic of Tanzania, thus demonstrating to the world a rare example of African unity. Today's mood is much less euphoric thn during the heyday of early independence, but Tanzania may now be embarking on a more realistic course of economic and political development. The Dictionary provides a brief overview of the history of the region from prehistoric times to the present, supplementing the narrative with a chronology of important dates. The alphabetically arranged entries cover important people, events, political parties, languages, society, economy and culture. Extensive cross-references assist the user in finding related information. Maps, appendixes, and a bibliography round out the volume.