brevity only a short overview is included in the main report; pertinent details are however included in appropriate sections. In brief, Tanzania has an estimated population of 37 million, of whom approximately 19 million are under 18 years of age. 1 Improved economic management and progress with reform have improved the resilience of the Tanzanian economy and there has been an average annual growth in GDP of 6 per cent over the past five years. However, significant socio-economic disparities remain and more than one third of the population lives below the basic needs poverty line in Tanzania Mainland; while in Zanzibar 49 percentage of population live below the basic need poverty line (HBS, 2004/05). Social sector spending remains low and the country remains one of the poorest in the world, ranked 164th in the Human Development Index. It is promising that six of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets could be met: income poverty; under-five mortality; universal primary education; gender parity in primary education; malaria; and access to essential drugs. 1 Based on 2005 projections from the 2002 Population and Housing Census. 2