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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Julius Nyerere International Airport

Dar es Salaam, Dar-es-Salaam Region (Tanzania)

IATA: DAR ICAO: HTDA

Longest Active Runway

9,843 ft

3,000 meters

Field Elevation

182 ft

55 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

-6.8735°, 39.2073°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#634 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#1165 of 7558

Top 15.9% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Tanzania)

#4 in TZ

#5 of 21 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

-1.6%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Julius Nyerere International Airport's longest active runway measures 9,843 ft (3,000 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #634. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #1165 worldwide (Top 15.9%) and #4 nationally in Tanzania.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Julius Nyerere International Airport is Tanzania's premier international gateway. Its 9,842 ft runway easily accommodates long-haul widebodies operated by Air Tanzania, KLM, and Gulf carriers connecting the nation to global destinations. With the opening of Terminal 3, DAR elevated passenger processing capacity to over 6 million passengers annually while supporting regional Indian Ocean cargo links.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Two intersecting runways: primary Runway 05/23 (9,842 ft / 3,000 m) and secondary Runway 14/32 (3,280 ft / 1,000 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in 1954 as Dar es Salaam International Airport; renamed in 2006 in honor of Tanzania's founding father Julius Nyerere. Commissioned the expansive new Terminal 3 in 2019.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Tanzania's commercial capital hub, positioned 39 NM south of Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume (ZNZ) and 240 NM southeast of Kilimanjaro (JRO).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Coastal tropical Indian Ocean climate at 182 ft elevation; monsoon seasons bring intense convective showers requiring weather radar vectoring on final approach.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Tanzania National Civil Aviation Authority · State Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) & ICAO Annex 14 Standards

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4D / 4E Heavy Intercontinental

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Lowland / Coastal Basin Aerodrome

Julius Nyerere International Airport operates at a surveyed field elevation of 182 ft (55 m MSL) in Dar es Salaam. Situated in low-lying coastal terrain, the aerodrome benefits from dense ambient atmospheric pressure, maximizing turbine engine thrust and wing lift efficiency across all departure vectors.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Tanzania's commercial capital hub, positioned 39 NM south of Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume (ZNZ) and 240 NM southeast of Kilimanjaro (JRO). Within a 100 NM radius, the facility coordinates airspace flows with 1 qualifying commercial aerodromes, with Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) located 39.1 NM away.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 9,843 ft (3,000 m)

Julius Nyerere International Airport's active flight strips comprise 05/23 (9,843 ft), 14/32 (3,280 ft). With a longest active threshold of 9,843 ft (3,000 m), the primary runway accommodates transcontinental twin-engine widebodies and long-range narrowbody airliners at standard operational weights.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
05/23	9,843 ft (3000m)	151 ft (46m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
14/32	3,280 ft (1000m)	98 ft (30m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	❌ Unlighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (Zanzibar)	`ZNZ`	39.1 NM (72.4 km)	9,915 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/dar.json ↗