Geita Region

Geita Region (Mkoa wa Geita in Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The region covers an area of 20,054 km² (7,743 sq mi)."Geita Region Size". The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Slovenia.^[4] Geita Region is bordered to the east by Lake Victoria, Mwanza Region and Shinyanga Region. The region is bordered by Tabora Region and Kigoma Region to the south and south west respectively. Lastly, Gieta is borders Kagera Region to the west.

Geita Region Mkoa wa Geita (Swahili)
Region
Ferry from Mwanza to Geita
Nickname(s):  The Gold Region, Golden State of Tanzania [1]
Location in Tanzania
Coordinates: 2°49′27.12″S 32°15′55.44″E
Country	Tanzania
Zone	Lake
Administrative Region	2012
Named for	Geita town
Capital	Geita
Districts	List Geita Urban Bukombe District Chato District Geita District Mbogwe District Nyang'hwale District
Government
• Regional Commissioner	Martin Reuben Shigela
• Assistant Administrator	Godius Walter Kayharara
Area
• Total	20,054 km2 (7,743 sq mi)
• Rank	21st of 31
Highest elevation (Mula)	1,519 m (4,984 ft)
Population  (2022 census)[2]: 11
• Total	2,977,608
• Rank	7th of 31
• Density	150/km2 (380/sq mi)
Demonym	Geitan
Ethnic groups
• Settler	Swahili & Sukuma
• Native	Zinza, Sumbwa & Haya
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)
Postcode	30xxx
Area code	028
ISO 3166 code	TZ-27
HDI (2021)	0.523[3] low · 17th of 25
Website	Official website
Symbols of Tanzania
Bird	African fish eagle
Butterfly	Graphium policenes
Fish	Christmas Fulu (Xystichromis phytophagus)
Mammal	Topi
Tree	Moringa stenopetala
Mineral	Gold

According to national census of 2022, the region had 2,977,608 inhabitants, and ranked among the top 5 regions with high population growth rate.^[5] The region's city (capital) is the town of Geita. The region is named after the town of Geita itself. The region is home to Tanzania's largest gold mining industries and was also home to Tanzania's fifth president, the late John Magufuli.^[6]

Geography

Geita Region covers an area of 20,054 km² (7,743 sq mi). The region lies between latitudes 2°8' and 3°28' South of the equator and longitudes 31° 15' and 32° 48' East of Greenwich, the Geita Region is situated in Tanzania's northern west. It shares borders with five other regions: Kagera Region to the west and north-west; Tabora and Shinyanga Regions to the south; Shinyanga Region to the south-east; Kigoma Region to the south and south-west; and Mwanza Region to the north and north-east. The region is 1,100 to 1,300 meters above sea level. In the north, the waters of Lake Victoria also encircle the area.^[7][8][9]

Climate

Geita region receives between 900 mm (35 in) and 1,200 mm (47 in) of rain each year. Between wet season and dry seasons the temperature varies between 22 °C (72 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F). The primary wet season is from February to May, with the smaller wet season between September and December. The dry season is from June to September.^[10]

History

The area was created in March 2012 from sections of the Shinyanga, Kagera, and Mwanza Regions. created were six councils total, one of which is the town council, and five districts from portions of the Shinyanga, Mwanza, and Kagera Regions.^[11][12][10]

Demographics

The area that is now Geita Region has been inhabited by Bantu peoples for thousands of years. The majority of the people are Basukuma and Sumbwa. There are additionally many Haya, Zinza, and Nyamwezi in the region. The area is the ancestral home to the Zinza people who live on the shore of Lake Victoria.^[13][9]

In 2016 the Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics report there were 1,932,230 in the region, from 1,739,530 in 2012.^{[2]: 11 [14]: 219}

Census	Population
2002	1,337,718
2012	1,739,530
2022	2,977,608

Economy

Geita's economy is dominated by the extraction industry especially the mining gold. The Geita Gold Mine is the largest mining operation located within Geita Region, 4 km west of the town of Geita. The mine is currently being owned and managed by AngloGold Ashanti. Other major industries in the region is agriculture and fishing.^[15][9]

Two paved trunk roads pass through the region from east to west: road T3 (from Kahama to the Rwanda border), passes through the south of the region, while road T4 (from Mwanza to Bukoba) passes through the north of the region.^[16]

Rubondo Island National Park is located on an island in Lake Victoria that is a part of Geita Region. It can be reached by ferry from Geita and Chato Districts.^[17]

Currently the Kigongo–Busisi Bridge is being built to connect the Mwanza Region to the Geita Region across the Gulf of Mwanza of Lake Victoria.^[18][19]

Administrative divisions

The region has 6 council districts, 122 wards, 474 villages, and 2,219 hamlets.^[10]

Districts

Geita Region is divided into six councils. One town council of Geita, and 5 districts councils:^{[20][12][2]: 11}

Districts of Geita Region
Map with main roads in green	District	Population (2016)[2]: 11
	Geita Town	192,541
	Bukombe District	249,416
	Chato District	405,575
	Geita District	704,542
	Mbogwe District	215,404
	Nyang'hwale District	164,750
	Total	1,932,230

Gallery

Geita Region

• 
  Geita Gold Mine
• 
  Rubondo Island in Geita
• 
  The old airstrip in Geita in 2005.
• 
  Rubondo Island and Lake Victoria, with hippos in the background.

Notable people from Geita Region

• John Magufuli - Tanzania's fifth president

References

1. "Geita Overview" (PDF). President's Office of Regional Administration and Local Government. 2019. p. 24. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
2. 2016 Makadirio ya Idadi ya Watu katika Majimbo ya Uchaguzi kwa Mwaka 2016, Tanzania Bara [Population Estimates in Administrative Areas for the Year 2016, Mainland Tanzania] (PDF) (Report) (in Swahili). Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: National Bureau of Statistics. 1 April 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
3. "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
4. 20,151 km² (7,780 sq mi) for Slovenia at "Area size comparison". Nations Online. 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
5. "Matokeo ya Mwanzo ya Sensa ya Watu na Makazi".
6. "Magufuli's short history". Citizen Tanzania. 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
7. "Geita Region Size".
8. "Geita geography" (PDF). President's Office of Regional Administration and Local Government. 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
9. Magalula, Magalula S. (2013). Geita Investment Profile 2013 (PDF). Geita Region (District Plan). Geita Region: Geita Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
10. "History". Mkoa wa Geita (in Swahili). Geita Region. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
11. "Geita Overview" (PDF). President's Office of Regional Administration and Local Government. 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
12. Staff (9 March 2012). "Tanzania: State Gazettes New Regions, Districts". Daily News. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012.
13. "The Zaramao". Oxford. 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
14. 2012 Population and Housing Census - Population Distribution by Administrative Areas (PDF) (Report). Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: National Bureau of Statistics. 1 March 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 March 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
15. "AngloGold Ashanti in Tanzania". AngloGold Ashanti. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
16. "Geita Roads Network" (PDF). Tanroads. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
17. "Rubondo Island National Park". Tanzania National Parks. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
18. Tanzania Invest (9 December 2019). "Construction of Kigongo-Busisi Bridge on Lake Victoria Start". Tanzania Invest. Dar es Salaam. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
19. Bridgeweb (16 December 2019). "Work begins on 3.2km bridge over Lake Victoria". Bridge Design & Engineering. United Kingdom. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
20. "Geita Postcodes" (PDF). Dodoma, Tanzania: Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.

External links

• Official website