Babati Rural District is a

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

Manyara Region Manyara Region (''Mkoa wa Manyara'' in Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The regional capital is the town of Babati. According to the 2012 national census, the region had a population of 1,425,131, which was lower than the ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

, East Africa. The administrative capital of the district is

Babati Babati, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is a town in Babati Urban District of Manyara Region of Tanzania. It is the administrative capital of Babati Urban District and Babati Rural District and also the administrative capit ...

town, south of

Arusha Arusha City is a Tanzanian city and the regional capital of the Arusha Region, with a population of 416,442 plus 323,198 in the surrounding Arusha District Council (2012 census). Located below Mount Meru on the eastern edge of the eastern bran ...

. The district covers an area of , a large proportion (640 km²) of which is covered by the water bodies of

Lake Babati Lake Babati is a lake in Tanzania known for its population of hippos. Recent droughts have led to a drop in the number of sightings of hippos, causing concern for local hoteliers. The lake is located near Babati town, in the Babati Urban District ...

, Lake Burunge and

Lake Manyara Lake Manyara is a lake located in Monduli District of Arusha Region, Tanzania and is the seventh-largest lake of Tanzania by surface area, at . It is a shallow, alkaline lake in the Natron-Manyara-Balangida branch of the East African Rift. The n ...

. The district is bordered to the north by

Arusha Region Arusha City is a Tanzanian city and the regional capital of the Arusha Region, with a population of 416,442 plus 323,198 in the surrounding Arusha District Council (2012 census). Located below Mount Meru (Tanzania), Mount Meru on the eastern e ...

, to the south east by

Simanjiro District Simanjiro District is one of the six districts of the Manyara Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the north by Arusha Region, to the north east by Kilimanjaro Region, to the south east by Tanga Region, to the south by Kiteto District Kiteto ...

, to the south by

Dodoma Region Dodoma Region (''Mkoa wa Dodoma'' in Swahili language, Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative Regions of Tanzania, regions. The regional capital is the city of Dodoma. The region is located in central Tanzania, it is bordered by Singid ...

, to the south west by

Hanang District Hanang District is one of the six districts of the Manyara Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the north by the Mbulu District and Babati Rural District, to the southeast by the Dodoma Region and to the southwest by the Singida Region. Mount Ha ...

, and to the north west by

Mbulu District Mbulu District is one of the six districts of the Manyara Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the north by the Arusha Region and Lake Eyasi, to the east by the Babati Rural District, to the south by the Hanang District, and to the west by the S ...

Babati Urban District Babati Urban District (or Babati Town Council) is one of the six districts of the Manyara Region of Tanzania. Babati Urban District is surrounded by Babati Rural District. The administrative capital of the district is Babati town. According to t ...

is located within the district. Babati District was established by dividing the then Hanang District into two districts - Babati and Hanang. The decision produced Babati District, which was officially documented in the Government Official Gazette No. 403 on 1 October 1985. Babati District became autonomous in July 1986 as a District Council. According to the 2012 Tanzania National Census, the population of the Babati District was 312,392. The District Commissioner of Babati District is Hadija R.R. Nyembo.

Geography and agriculture

Babati District is located below the Equator between latitude 3° and 4° South and longitude 35° and 36° E. The land surface is characterized by a number of undulating hills and mountains as part of the

East African Rift The East African Rift (EAR) or East African Rift System (EARS) is an active continental rift zone in East Africa. The EAR began developing around the onset of the Miocene, 22–25 million years ago. In the past it was considered to be part of a ...

Valley Highlands. Babati District is divided by the Dabil-Dareda escarpment of the Rift Valley, providing diverse climatic and agro-ecological conditions due to a wide range of altitudes from 950 m asl. to 2450 m asl. Most of the soils are of volcanic origin and range from sand loam to clay alluvial soils. In the lower flat lands, like around Lakes Babati and Manyara, alkaline soils predominate. Five agro-ecological zones characterize the district. About 90% of the population of Babati District live in the rural areas and depend on agriculture and livestock for their livelihood. They are mostly small-scale farmers or agro-pastoralists practicing a semi-traditional farming system characterized by low use of farm inputs. Mixed crop-livestock, mostly maize-based systems are widely found in the district that are intercropped with varying species, such as common beans, pigeon peas and sunflowers, according to altitude and rainfall availability. In the lowlands, paddy rice is cultivated where irrigation is available. Livestock comprise local breeds of cattle, sheep, goats, chickens and cows. Cattle are widely used for draught, for example pulling carts or ploughing fields.

Public health

Only 44% out of the 96 villages have health facilities, such as dispensaries or health centers, whereas the other villages are covered by mobile and outreach services, especially for mother and child care/services.

Administrative subdivisions

Babati District is administratively divided into 4 divisions, 21 wards and 96 villages.

Divisions

Babati, Gorowa, Mbugwe and Bashnet.

Wards

The 21

wards Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...

are: *

Arri The Arri Group () is a German manufacturer of motion picture film equipment. Based in Munich, the company was founded in 1917. It produces professional motion picture cameras, lenses, lighting and post-production equipment. Hermann Simon menti ...

* Ayasanda * Bashnet * Boay * Dabil * Dareda * Duru * Endakiso * Gallapo * Gidas * Kiru * Madunga * Magara * Magugu * Mamire * Mwada * Nar *

Nkaiti Nkaiti is an administrative ward in the Babati district of the Manyara Region of Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African ...

* Qash * Riroda * Ufana

Notes

External links

*
KEFW Babati Link Group website
* {{Authority control Districts of Manyara Region