Kigoma Region is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The regional capital is the city of Kigoma. According to the 2012 national census, the region had a population of 2,127,930, which was higher than the pre-census projection of 1,971,332. For 2002-2012, the region's 2.4 percent average annual population growth rate was tied for the fourteenth highest in the country. It was also the sixteenth most densely populated region with 57 people per square kilometer. With a size of, the region is slightly smaller thanEstonia.
Geography
Kigoma Region resides in the northwestern corner of Tanzania, on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika. The region lies at about 5° south and 30° east of Greenwich. The region is bordered to the north by both Burundi and the Kagera Region. To the east, it is bordered by the Shinyanga and Tabora regions, to the south by the Rukwa Region, and to the west by Lake Tanganyika, which forms a border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The region's total area is, of which is land and is water. The region's total area is just less than that of Estonia., approximately 20,000 square kilometres was in forests and 12,000 square kilometres was suitable for grazing or farming. Kigoma Region is on a plateau that slopes from the northeast at about 1,750 meters down to 800 meters at the shore of lake Tanganyika. The topography in the north and east is gently rolling hills that gradually become steeper as they get closer to the Albertine Rift margin. The most important river is the Malagarasi, with the Luiche and the Ruchugi being the two other major rivers draining the region.
History
In precolonial Africa the region was a source of ivory and slaves. Tabora and Ujiji were Arab staging areas for shipments to the coast. It was visited by the early European explorers Richard Burton, John Speke, David Livingstone, and Henry Morton Stanley. In fact, Stanley met Livingstone in Ujiji on the shores of Lake Tanganyika on 27 October 1871. In colonial times, the Kigoma area was known as the Western Region and the capital was Tabora.
Districts
The region is administratively divided into eight districts:
Demographics
Kigoma region has a total population of 2,127,930. Ha people are the largest ethnic group living here. Other major populations are those of Wamanyema, Watongwe and Wavinza, Sukuma and Haya. People from neighboring countries mostly Burundi and Congo may be present but are mostly engaged in business.
