Kilwa Masoko or Masoko is an administrative ward in

Kilwa District Kilwa District (''Wilaya ya Kilwa'' in Swahili) is one of six administrative districts of Lindi Region in Tanzania. The District covers an area of . The district is comparable in size to the land area of the nation state of East Timor. Kilwa d ...

Lindi Region Lindi Region (''Mkoa wa Lindi'' in Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The region covers an area of . The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Sri Lanka. The regional capital is the m ...

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 ...

. The ward covers an area of , and has an average elevation of . The ward is also the capital of Kilwa District. According to the 2012 census, the ward has a total population of 13,601.

History

For over a millennia the Kilwa Masoko area was originally inhabited by the

Mwera people __NOTOC__ The Mwera people are a Bantu peoples, Bantu ethnic and linguistic group. They are native to Kilwa District in southeast Lindi Region. However they have also settled in northern Mtwara Region, and eastern Ruvuma Region of Tanzania, as well ...

. However, in the 10th to 16th century the area was part of the Swahili city states that spanned along the East African coast based at the prosperous Swahili city of

Kilwa Kisiwani Kilwa Kisiwani (English: ''Kilwa Island'') is an island, national historic site, and hamlet community located in the township of Kilwa Masoko, the district seat of Kilwa District in the Tanzanian region of Lindi Region in southern Tanzania. Ki ...

across the Kilwa sound. The name Masoko means "markets" in the

Swahili language Swahili, also known by its local name , is the native language of the Swahili people, who are found primarily in Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique (along the East African coast and adjacent litoral islands). It is a Bantu language, though Swahili ...

. The town of Kilwa Masoko as we know today was established as the seat for Kilwa district after the British in 1918 and they built a deep water port at the site for their vessels. When Tanganyika became independent in 1961, the government chose to keep Kilwa Masoko as the district seat. In 2008, the town got its own government from a ward to a township authority.

Geography

The town of Kilwa Masoko is located at the tip of the Kilwa Peninsula 300 km south of

Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam (; from ar, دَار السَّلَام, Dâr es-Selâm, lit=Abode of Peace) or commonly known as Dar, is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania. It is also the capital of Dar es Salaam Region. With a population of over s ...

. Across east from the Kilwa sound is the Island of

. To the south of the peninsula is the

Mavuji River Mavuji River is located in entirely in Kilwa District of Lindi Region, Tanzania. It begins in Nanjirinji ward and drains on the Indian Ocean on the shore of Mandawa Mandawa is a town in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan in India. It is part ...

Demographics

According to the 2012 Tanzania National Census, the population of the Kilwa Masoko was 13,601 of which 6,462 were male and 7,139 were female. Most residents of Kilwa district practice

Sunni Islam Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagre ...

. Kilwa Masoko has one of the smallest household sizes in Kilwa district with 3.9 people per household.

Economy

The economy of Kilwa Masoko is primarily based on government administration and

Cultural tourism Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/produ ...

. On nearby

island there are ancient Swahili ruins which were declared a

UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

in 1981, and is only accessible by boat through from the port of Kilwa Masoko. Other economic activities include fishing and small scale urban agriculture within the town. The town hosts a few number of hotels for guests and tourists.

Arts & Culture

The culture of Kila Masoko is mostly

Swahili culture Swahili culture is the culture of the Swahili people inhabiting the Swahili coast. This littoral area encompasses Tanzania, Kenya, and Mozambique, as well as the adjacent islands of Zanzibar and Comoros and some parts of Malawi. They speak Swah ...

with a mix of traditional Mwera customs and values.

Historic Buildings

See:

Historic building located within Kilwa Masoko Township include

Great Mosque of Kilwa The Great Mosque of Kilwa is a congregational mosque on the island of Kilwa Kisiwani, in Kilwa Masoko in Kilwa District in Lindi Region of Tanzania. It was likely founded in the tenth century, but the two major stages of construction date to th ...

, a rapidly deteriorating mosque built using

Swahili architecture Swahili architecture is a term used to designate a whole range of diverse building traditions practiced or once practiced along the eastern and southeastern coasts of Africa. Rather than simple derivatives of Islamic architecture from the Arabic ...

in the Middle Ages in the height of Swahili civilization. Husuni Kubwa is a palace in ruins that once hosted the sultan of Kilwa.

Kilwa Fort Kilwa Kisiwani (English: ''Kilwa Island'') is an island, national historic site, and hamlet community located in the township of Kilwa Masoko, the district seat of Kilwa District in the Tanzanian region of Lindi Region in southern Tanzania. Kil ...

, a fort built by the portuguese after the sacking of Kilwa. Husuni Ndogo is a small fort with the exact use for it remain unknown. More buildings are at Songo Mnara Island, that are yet to be uncovered.

Government & Infrastructure

Kilwa Masoko is a town that is governed by town authority structure with a Township Executive Officer (TEO). The Kilwa Masoko township authority is divided administratively into 9 hamlets: # Mpara # Lupedile # Mkwanyule # Kisangi # Muchomalo # Mnazi Mmoja # Miembe-miwili # Masoko # Kisiwani

Transportation

Kilwa Masoko is served by a deep water port located at the southern tip of the town. The town is served by air through the

Kilwa Masoko Airport Kilwa Masoko Airport is an airport serving the town of Kilwa Masoko in the Lindi Region of Tanzania. Its one of three airports in Lindi Region and the one that serves northern Lindi. Airlines and destinations See also * * *List of airports i ...

(KIY) and is connected to the National Highway B2 through Kilwa road. Also Kilwa is served by major regional buses to and from

and

Mtwara Mtwara (Portuguese: ''Montewara'') is the capital city of Mtwara Region in southeastern Tanzania. In the 1940s, it was planned and constructed as the export facility for the disastrous Tanganyika groundnut scheme, but was somewhat neglected when t ...

Education & Health

Schools located in Kilwa Masoko Township Authority: # Mnazi Mmoja Primary School # Kilwa Secondary School # Kilwa Primary School # Masoko Primary school # Kilwa Islamic Secondary School # Iyahi Koranic Middle School (

) # Kilwa Masoko Adult Education Training Center # Ukombozi Primary school Healthcare centers located in Kiswal masoko Township Authority: # Masoko Urban Health Center # The Kilwa Masoko BAKWATA Dispensary.

External links

World Monuments Fund Project Page for KilwaTanzanian NGO working in Kilwa promoting scientific researchMpingo Conservation & Development InitiativeFree resource for tourists on Kilwa

References

Wards of Kilwa District {{Lindi-geo-stub