The Geographical Names Standardisation Act

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CHAPTER 186
THE GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES
STANDARDISATION ACT
[PRINCIPAL LEGISLATION]
Arrangement of Sections
Section Title
1. Short title.
2. Interpretation.
3. Establishment of Committee.
4. Functions of Committee.
5. Relevant considerations.
6. Secretary.
7. Implementation of Committee’s recommendations.
8. Meeting.
9. Working parties.
10. Decisions of Committee.
SCHEDULE

t considerations.
6. Secretary.
7. Implementation of Committee’s recommendations.
8. Meeting.
9. Working parties.
10. Decisions of Committee.
SCHEDULE

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1. This Act, may be cited as the Geographical Names
Standardisation Act. 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
“Committee” means the Geographical Names Standardisation
Committee established by section 3;
“member” means a member of the Committee and includes
the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Committee;
“Minister” means the Minister responsible for matters relating
to land surveys and mapping;
“Ministry” means the Ministry responsible for matters relating
to land surveys and mapping. 3.–(1) There is hereby established a Committee to be known as
the Geographical Names Standardisation Committee. (2) The provisions of the Schedule to this Act shall have
effect as to the constitution and proceedings of, and otherwise
in relation in the Committee. (3) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette,
amend the Schedule to this Act. 4.

roceedings of, and otherwise
in relation in the Committee. (3) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette,
amend the Schedule to this Act. 4.

The functions of the Committee shall be to-
(a) call for or receive and decide upon proposals from
public authorities and members of the public generally
Short title
Interpretation
Establishment
of Committee
Functions
of Committee
CHAPTER 186
THE GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES
STANDARDISATION ACT
An Act to establish a National Geographical Names Standardisation
Committee, to provide for the standardisation of geographical names and
for connected matters. [1st May, 1983]
[GN. No. 52 of 1983]
Act No. 23 of 1982

Committee, to provide for the standardisation of geographical names and
for connected matters. [1st May, 1983]
[GN. No. 52 of 1983]
Act No. 23 of 1982

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THE GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES STANDARDISATION ACT [CAP. 186 R.E. 2023]
on matters related to the standardisation of geographical
names in Tanzania;
(b) assume responsibilities for the standardisation of
geographical names in Tanzania;
(c) co-operate with other national names authorities and
national cartographic agencies to carry out research in
and to promote the proper use of geographical names
on existing modern maps;
(d) keep record and publish in the Gazette standardised
names and design methods to ensure their prompt and
wide use;
(e) keep a glossary of all geographical names in Tanzania;
(f) give advice on such matters as may be requested by the
government, public authorities and individuals with
respect to standard geographical names. 5.

give advice on such matters as may be requested by the
government, public authorities and individuals with
respect to standard geographical names. 5.

In carrying out the functions outlined in section 4, the
Committee shall have regard to the need-
(a) for carrying out proper research for the purposes of
providing and synchronizing such information as-
(i) spelling on old maps;
(ii) spelling on modern maps;
(iii) spelling in cadastral documents and in registers;
(iv) the written and spoken form of the name and its
meaning according to the local inhabitants, where
possible providing for the recording of the name
in precise phonetic notation;
(b) for the decisions on names of individual geographical
entities to be based on broad general principles clearly
stated and widely observed or deducted from the
habits and attitudes of indigenous people towards
geographic names;
(c) to have a systematic treatment in producing standard
forms more cheaply, quickly and uniformly where
names are yet to be standardised;
Relevant
considerations

a systematic treatment in producing standard
forms more cheaply, quickly and uniformly where
names are yet to be standardised;
Relevant
considerations

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.THE GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES STANDARDISATION ACT [CAP. 186 R.E.

ts reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.THE GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES STANDARDISATION ACT [CAP. 186 R.E.

2023]
276
(d) to take appropriate measures to reduce the use of the
same name for several geographical entities and to
formulate a statement of the degree of duplication that
is considered tolerable;
(e) to ensure that where names have already been fixed by
law, the process of assigning new names or of changing
existing names provides for consultation with the
Committee;
(f) to consult members of the general public affected by
the standard use of a name or spelling that differs from
that in local usage;
(g) to establish the exact feature when standardising the
names of physical features;
(h) to specify, where appropriate, the names of the entities
to which a collective name refers when standardising
collective names such as those referring to an
agglomeration of inhabited places;
(i) to ensure certainty of optional names where existing
names have optional parts;
(j) to ensure that the standardisation procedure does
not suppress generic terms that are used locally or
regionally;
(k) to include a glossary of the generic terms occurring in
the names to be published by the Committee;
(l) to define the standard to be adopted where names
occur in parallel syntactical or grammatical forms;
(m) to set up standards for use of abbreviations of elements
in geographical names;
(n) to set up standards for expressing the location of
geographical entities within their boundaries to a
degree of precision commensurate with unambiguous
identification whether the location stated in terms
of geographic co-ordination by reference to other
established points or both;
(o) to include in the Gazette such information on geographic
names as gender, number, definite and indefinite

nce to other
established points or both;
(o) to include in the Gazette such information on geographic
names as gender, number, definite and indefinite

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THE GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES STANDARDISATION ACT [CAP. 186 R.E. 2023]
forms, position of stress, tone and pronunciation where
such information will make the names more readily
understood and usable nationally and internationally. 6.–(1) There shall be a Secretary of the Committee who shall
be appointed by the Minister, among public officers dealing
in matters related to land surveys and mapping on such terms
and conditions as the Minister may determine. (2) Where the Secretary is not a member of the Committee,
he shall have no right to vote at any meeting of the Committee. (3) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Secretary
shall have such functions as may be conferred upon him by
the Committee. 7. The department of the government responsible for land
survey and mapping shall be responsible for the implementation
of the recommendations of the Committee which are accepted
by the Government. 8. The Committee shall meet at least twice in every year.

implementation
of the recommendations of the Committee which are accepted
by the Government. 8. The Committee shall meet at least twice in every year.

9.–(1) The Committee may set up working parties in various
districts and regions to perform such functions as may be
assigned to them by the Committee. (2) Each working party shall consist of such number of
members, some of whom may be members of the Committee,
as the Committee may direct. (3) In appointing members of a working party the
Committee shall have regard to the need to provide for a wide
geographical representation and possession of the necessary
skill and knowledge to enable them to make useful contribution
to the deliberations of the working party. (4) Subject to its terms of reference, every working party
may regulate its own procedure. Secretary
Implementation
of Committee’s
recommendations
Meeting
Working parties

erms of reference, every working party
may regulate its own procedure. Secretary
Implementation
of Committee’s
recommendations
Meeting
Working parties

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278
10.–(1) A decision of the majority of the members present
and voting at a meeting of the Committee shall constitute a
decision of the Committee. (2) A decision of the Committee shall be communicated to
the Minister in the form of a recommendation. (3) There shall be taken such action in respect of the
recommendations of the Committee as the Minister may direct.

r in the form of a recommendation. (3) There shall be taken such action in respect of the
recommendations of the Committee as the Minister may direct.

SCHEDULE
(Made under section 3(2))
CONSTITUTION AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE
1.–(1) The Committee shall consist of-
(a) a Chairman who shall be appointed by the Minister;
(b) such other members not exceeding seventeen as may, by
notice published in the Gazette, be appointed by the Minister-
(i) one member representing the Ministry responsible for
education;
(ii) one member representing the Ministry responsible for
planning;
(iii) one member representing the National Swahili Council
established under the National Swahili Council Act;
(iv) one member representing the Ministry responsible for
minerals;
(v) one member representing the Prime Minister’s Office;
(vi) one member representing the Ministry responsible for
foreign affairs;
(vii) five members from the University of Dar es Salaam rep-
resenting the disciplines of geography, research in land
use, history and language respectively;
(viii) five other members appointed by the Minister repre-
senting such institutions in Zanzibar as the Minister
may determine;
(ix) one member representing a professional association of
surveyors;
(x) one member representing the Ministry responsible for
land surveys and mapping.

x) one member representing a professional association of
surveyors;
(x) one member representing the Ministry responsible for
land surveys and mapping.

(2) A member of the Committee shall, unless his appointment is sooner
terminated by the Minister or he otherwise ceases to be a member, hold
office for such period as the Minister may specify in his appointment or,
Decisions
of Committee
Constitution
of Committee
Cap. 52

o be a member, hold
office for such period as the Minister may specify in his appointment or,
Decisions
of Committee
Constitution
of Committee
Cap. 52

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THE GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES STANDARDISATION ACT [CAP. 186 R.E. 2023]
if no such period is specified, for a period of three years from the date of
his appointment and he shall be eligible for re-appointment. (3) A member of the Committee may at any time resign by giving
notice in writing to the Minister and from the date of the receipt by the
Minister of the notice he shall cease to be a member of the Committee. (4) If any member of the Committee is without permission absent
from more than four consecutive meetings of the Committee or without
such permission is absent from the United Republic for a period
exceeding two years, he shall cease to be a member of the Committee. 2. Where a member of the Committee ceases to be a member before the
expiration of his term of office, the Minister, after consulting the Com-
mittee, may appoint another person in his stead to hold office until such
time as the first-named person’s term of office would have expired had
he not ceased to be a member as aforesaid. 3.

s stead to hold office until such
time as the first-named person’s term of office would have expired had
he not ceased to be a member as aforesaid. 3.

The Committee shall elect amongst its members a Vice-Chairman who
shall hold office for one year but shall be eligible for re-election. 4.–(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Committee shall meet at
such times and places as may be necessary expedient for the transaction
of business. (2) At any meeting of the Committee nine members shall constitute
a quorum. (3) The Chairman shall preside at any meeting of the Committee,
or in the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall preside
and if both the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman are absent from any
meeting, the members present at the meeting shall elect one of their
number to preside at that meeting. (4) In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting
shall have a casting vote in addition to his deliberative vote. (5) Minutes in proper form of each meeting of the Committee shall
be kept and shall be confirmed by the Committee at the next meeting
and signed by the Chairman of that meeting. 5.

each meeting of the Committee shall
be kept and shall be confirmed by the Committee at the next meeting
and signed by the Chairman of that meeting. 5.

Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4 relating to quorum, the
Committee may act notwithstanding any vacancy in the membership
and no act or proceeding of the Committee shall be invalid by reason
only of some defect in the appointment of any member or of the atten-
dance by a person who purports to be a member thereof. Casual vacancies
Vice-Chairman
Quorum and
procedure
Vacancies not
to invalidate
proceedings

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