TABORA REGIONAL PROFILE

History tells us that during the era of slave in East Africa; Tabora was the famous camp for the slave masters namely the Arabs. The slave route starting from Ujiji in Kigoma Region passed through Tabora, down to the coastal area up to the stopping over town of Bagamoyo. In this relation Tabora Region is highly important for historical legends.

The Region is found in the Central Western part of Tanzania and is endowed with substantial social economic resources. Tabora Municipality is the Regional capital and the biggest central railway terminal linking Shinyanga, Mwanza, Kigoma, Mpanda and the capital city of Dar es Salaam.

The area is heading in the whole country for the production of Virginia Tobacco which is among the export crops. It is the largest producer of groundnuts and is famous in the beekeeping industry hence producing in plenty honey and beeswax flooding in local and international markets.

In addition to that is blessed with an abundance of both hard and soft wood forests. The Wanyamwezi people are the highly populated tribe in the Region who rank as the second largest tribe in the country. Most of the residents of Tabora are very courteous, warm hearted and charming people with whom new comers to this Region enjoy their Company.

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

A.1 Location

Mid-western part of Tanzania on central plateau between latitude 4o-7o south and 31o - 34o East.

A.2 Land Frontiers

North: Shinyanga
East: Singida Region
South: Mbeya and Rukwa Regions
West: Kigoma Region

A.3 Land Area

Land area is 76,151 sq km or 9% of Tanzania Mainland area.

A.4 Climate, Soil and Vegetation.

- Warm climate, daily mean 23oc. Seasonal rainfall totals from over 1000mm. In the west to 700mm or less in the east.

- Soil vary widely ranging from sandy looms in the South, centre and west to heavy (black/fark brown) soils brown soils especially in the North.

- Vegetation: woodland, bush land thicket grassland.

B. Population and Area facts.

B1 Population census 1988:
Total is 1,036,293
Sex ratio 96.7
Growth Rate 2.4
Population Density = 13.6 per km2
Average Household size = 14.7%
Urbanization 14.7%
Net lifetime Migration 66370

B2 Population projections AD 2000 - 1.407051

C. Regional and District Administration

- Six administration District of Igunga, Nzega, Tabora Municipality, Tabora Rural, Sikonge and Urambo.

2. Infrastructure

(a) Economic Infrastructure.

- Truck Roads
- Regional Roads
- District Roads
- Rural Roads

(b) Telecommunications.
- Telephone - STD 026 Tabora Municipal
- STD 026 Nzega District
- Mobiles, Fax lines, Telex lines
- Operators Services - Available in all District and in rural areas.
- Radio Calls - Available in all District HQT
- Television - Tabora Broad Casting, ITV
- Newspaper - Available daily
- Full Post Offices and sub Post Offices.

(c) Air Communication.

- Major Airport at Tabora Municipal
- Other airstrips at Nzega, Nkinga, Urambo and Kaliua.

(d) Railways.

Services are provided by Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) Central line.
i.e Tabora --- Dar es Salaam
Tabora --- Kigoma
Tabora --- Mwanza
Tabora --- Kaliua - Mpanda

3. Logisticts.

(a) Hotels - Tabora Hotel P.O. Box 147, Tel. No. 5177/5430
- Wilca Hotel P.O. Box 1328, Tel. 2604261
- Golden Eagle P.O. Box 546
- Sivat Hotel P.O. Box TABORA

(b) Transport within the area.
- Railways, roads and air services

(c) Health facilities:
- Regional Hospital located in Tabora Municipality
- District Hospital one in each District
- Private Hospital available in the Municipality, Districts and Rural areas.

4. Financial Institution
(a) Banks:
- National Micro Finance Bank (NMB) Ltd
There are 4 branches in the Region i.e Mihayo Branch
Tabora, Igunga, Nzega and Sikonge

- National Bank of Commerce 1997 Ltd
- Only one branch in the Tabora Municipality
- CRDB (1996) Ltd - One Branch at Tabora Municipality
- Tanzania Postal Bank - 4 branches
i.e Tabora Municipality, Urambo, Nzega and Igunga Districts.

(b) Credit System:
- Pride Africa Ltd
- Uamuzi Tailoring Co-op. Society
- SIDO
- AFRI-CARE

(c) Investment Opportunities.

- Agriculture
- Timbers
- Beekeeping (Honey and Beeswax)
- Meat processing
- Oil processing
- Minerals and gemstones

5. Economic activities:

- Trade, Industry, timbers, Beekeepers
- Fisheries, farming
- Transportation

6. Investment Potentials

- Oil mills - Small Scale Industries
- Flour Mills - Timber Industries
- Gunneries - Mining
- Tobacco/Cigarettes Industry
- Textiles Industries - (not operating)

7. Development Problems:

- Little circulation's of money
- Non availability of Credit facilities
- Regular power cut
- Heavy tariffs
- No durable roads
- Very high charges of electricity water and telephones
- Non existence of expert personnel
- Less committed altitude of high ranking personnel
- Little supervision