Quick answerDar es Salaam is the largest city of Tanzania, with 5,383,728 people inside the city limits in 2022. It is best known for the Largest city in East Africa, the Main port of Tanzania and the Kariakoo Market. Its official languages are Swahili and English, and its currency is the Tanzanian shilling.
Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's largest city, with about 5.4 million people (2022 census). It stands on the Indian Ocean coast in the east and is the country's main port, financial centre and commercial capital.
Key facts
| Country | Tanzania |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 5,383,728 (2022) |
| Time zone | Africa/Dar_es_Salaam |
| Language | Swahili, English |
| Currency | Tanzanian shilling (TZS, TSh) |
| Coordinates | 6.8161° S, 39.2803° E |
Overview
Dar es Salaam is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania, on the Swahili coast of the Indian Ocean in the east of the country. The 2022 census counted 5,383,728 people in the Dar es Salaam Region, which is the city itself, making it the largest city in East Africa and the fifth-largest in Africa. It was the national capital until 1996, when the capital officially moved to Dodoma, but it remains the seat of most government ministries, embassies and businesses.
The city grew around a natural harbour that Arab traders used for centuries, and it was developed as a port under German and then British rule, taking its name from the Arabic Dar es Salaam, 'haven of peace'. Its landmarks include the National Museum, the Askari Monument, the Azania Front Lutheran Church and St. Joseph's Cathedral, and the busy Kariakoo Market and Kivukoni Fish Market on the waterfront.
Today Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's main port, its financial centre and its fastest-growing city, with ferries to Zanzibar, the country's busiest airport and the start of the railway to Zambia. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and experts expect its population to pass 10 million before 2030.
What Dar es Salaam is known for
- Largest city in East Africa
- Main port of Tanzania
- Kariakoo Market
- Kivukoni Fish Market
- National Museum
- Ferries to Zanzibar
Landmarks
- National Museum of Tanzania
- Askari Monument
- Azania Front Lutheran Church
- St. Joseph's Cathedral
- Kariakoo Market
- Kivukoni Fish Market
- Coco Beach
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dar es Salaam?
About 5.4 million people live in Dar es Salaam (5,383,728 in the 2022 census), which counts the Dar es Salaam Region — the city itself. A 2023 estimate puts the wider urban area at about 7.8 million. That makes Dar es Salaam the largest city in Tanzania and in East Africa, and the fifth-largest city in Africa.
What is Dar es Salaam famous for?
Dar es Salaam is famous as Tanzania's biggest city, its main port and its financial centre, and as the gateway to Zanzibar, with ferries crossing to the islands several times a day. It is known for the National Museum, the Askari Monument, the Kariakoo Market and the Kivukoni Fish Market on the harbour.
Where is Dar es Salaam located?
Dar es Salaam is in eastern Tanzania, on the Indian Ocean coast, at the eastern end of the country. It is the capital of the Dar es Salaam Region and was Tanzania's national capital until 1996, when the capital moved to Dodoma. Its coordinates are 6.82° S, 39.28° E, and its time zone is East Africa Time.
Quick quiz
Three questions from the facts on this page. No sign-up, no score is saved.
Keep exploring
- Tanzania — the country Dar es Salaam is in
- Mwanza — another city in Tanzania
- Dodoma — another city in Tanzania
- Arusha — another city in Tanzania
- All cities in Tanzania
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.