Tabora Region Mkoa wa Tabora (Swahili) | |
|---|---|
   From top to bottom: Tabora Railway Station, Avenue in Tabora and historic Tabora Hotel | |
| Etymology:Sweet potatoes | |
| Nickname: The Honey region | |
 Location in Tanzania | |
| Coordinates:5°2′33″S32°49′10.92″E / 5.04250°S 32.8197000°E /-5.04250; 32.8197000 | |
| Country |  Tanzania |
| Zone | Central |
| Named after | The town of Tabora |
| Capital | Tabora |
| Districts | |
| Area | |
• Total | 72,150 km2 (27,860 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 1st |
| Highest elevation (Mpunde) | 1,627 m (5,338 ft) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 3,391,679 |
| • Rank | 3rd |
| • Density | 47/km2 (120/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Taboran |
| Ethnic groups | |
| • Settler | Swahili,Arabs |
| • Native | Nyamwezi &Sukuma |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
| Postcode | 45xxx |
| Area code | 026 |
| ISO 3166 code | TZ-24 |
| HDI (2018) | 0.482[1] low ·25th of 25 |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols of Tanzania | |
| Bird |  |
| Butterfly | _on_elephant_dung_..._(46904462332)%2c_crop.jpg) |
| Fish | Malagarasi sardine |
| Mammal |  |
| Tree |  |
| Mineral |  |
Tabora Region (Mkoa wa Tabora inSwahili) is one ofTanzania's 31 administrativeregions located in mid-western part of Tanzania. The regional capital is the municipality ofTabora. Tabora is bordered byShinyanga to the north,Singida to the east,Mbeya andSongwe to the south. lastly,Katavi,Kigoma andGeita, border Tabora to the west. Tabora is by far the largest region in Tanzania by area. Most of the population in the region is concentrated in the north inNzega district. According to the 2022 national census, Tabora Region had a population of 3,391,679.[2][3]
The name "Tabora" (Nyamwezi language:Matoborwa) meaning sweet potatoes, a common food ingredient among theNyamwezi people. Foreigners corrupted the world "matoborwa" intoTobora and later turned it to Tabora, the name of the region today.[4]
Tabora Region is located on the central plateau of at the latitude between 4 and 7 degrees south of the equator,with majority of its land area lying between 1000m to 1500 m above sea-level. Tabora Region has an area of 76,151 square kilometres (29,402 sq mi),[5] the region is slightly larger than the Central American country ofPanama (75,417 square kilometres (29,119 sq mi)).
Tabora Region is in the central-western part of the country. The highest point in Tabora Region is Wumbo peak at 1395m located in easternSikonge District. The most prominent mountain is MountKizuge located in northern Tabora inNzega District.[6]
The longest river in Tabora Region is theUgalla River which feeds in to thelake Tanganyika drainage basin. Other major rivers in Tabora territory are theMalagarasi River which forms the western border with Kigoma Region, in the north is theWembere River and in the north is theGombe River.[4] Another prominent river is theManonga River which drains east intolake Eyasi inArusha Region. However, most of rivers in Tabora dry up during thedry season. The Malagarasi swamp is the largest Swamp in Tabora Region and one of the largest in Tanzania. Tabora borders a small eastern part ofLake Sagara.
Forest reserves cover 34,698 square kilometres (13,397 sq mi) (46% of the region), andgame reserves cover 17,122 square kilometres (6,611 sq mi) (22% of the region).[7] As of 2019, Two national Parks are now located in parts of Tabora Region.[8]Ugalla River National Park is located in South western Tabora shared with northeast Katavi Region.Kigosi Game Reserve, which is officially a national park is located in north western Tabora, shared with southern Geita Region. The vegetation in Tabora is mostlyMiombo woodland. however, there is a thick impenetrable shrub-land area in the northeast called the Itigi thicket. Tabora is home to birds like theWhite-browed coucal, which is also the regional bird.
Tabora Region has a tropical savanna climate with theKöppen climate classification of Aw. The total average annual precipitation in Western Tabora is 1010mm.[9] While its 700mm or less in east Tabora towards the Singida border. The daily mean temperature is 23 degree Celsius.
According to the 2012 national census, the region had a population of 2,291,623, which was lower than the pre-census projection of 2,539,715 .[3]: page 2 For 2002–2012, the region's 2.9 percent average annual population growth rate was the ninth-highest in the country.[3]: page 4 It was also the 24th-most-densely-populated region with 30 people per square kilometre.[3]: page 6 The region's average household size of 6.0 persons was the third-highest in the country.[3]: page 8
| Census | Population[10] |
|---|---|
| 1978 | 817,907 |
| 1988 | 1,036,150 |
| 2002 | 1,710,465 |
| 2012 | 2,291,623 |
| 2022 | 3,391,679 |
Despite being the largest region in the country by area, Tabora Region was the11th largest economy in Tanzania with a regionalGDP ofTSh 4.7 trillion in 2018,contributing 3.7% to the national economy.[11] Tabora has a GDP per capita of US$2,185 (PPP), ranking 19/23 on the mainland.
Tabora Region's largest employer is agriculture at 64% of the economic activities in the region, mainly in commercial and food crops, together with livestock.[12] Major crops grown in Tabora aremaize, mainly for domestic consumption. Major cash crops aregroundnuts,cassava,beans,tobacco,rice,sunflower oil and cotton.Cattle herding is not a major part of Tabora's economy, but a part of the resident's traditional lifestyle. Most of the cattle are the localZebu breed, that is drought resistant and pest resistance compared to the imported European breeds in other regions. Lack of permanent rivers and lakes have further hindered the development of efficient agriculture in the region. However, Mwamapuli provides water forIgunga district and Igombe Dam provides water for Tabora City.
Tabora is home to some of the largest miombo forests in Africa and the largest forest reserve in Tanzania. The region is one of the largest supplier of natural timber and the largesthoney producer in Tanzania, producing 13,5000 tons in 2008. Tabora has a very productive bee keeping industry in the region, thus earning the nick name the honey region.[13] Tabora produces half of all honey products in Tanzania. Tanzania is the second largest honey producer in Africa producing 27,000 tons in 2008, after Ethiopia which produces 44,000 Tons. Tabora produces unprocessed honey which is exported toArusha City andDar es Salaam City to be processed for export and domestic use.[13] The Companies in Tabora honey production are Jempem Enterptises Ltd and Tabora Pure Honey.[14]
As of 2021, the regional commissioner of Tabora isBatilda Buriani.
Tabora Region is divided into sevendistricts, each administered by a council:
| Districts of Tabora Region | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Map | District | Population (2012) | Population (2022)[15] | |||
 | Igunga District | 399,727 | 546,204 | |||
| Kaliua District | 393,358 | 678,447 | ||||
| Nzega District | 502,252 | 699,691 | ||||
| Sikonge District | 179,883 | 335,686 | ||||
| Tabora Municipal | 226,999 | 308,741 | ||||
| Urambo District | 192,781 | 260,322 | ||||
| Uyui District | 396,623 | 562,588 | ||||
| Total | 2,291,623 | 3,391,679 | ||||
