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, to the south west by Dodoma Region and to the west by Babati Rural District. The district headquarters are located in

Orkesumet Orkesumet is a town and a ward in 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 Great Lakes region. It b ...

. According to the 2022 Tanzania National Census, the population of Simanjro District was 291,169. Simanjiro District is endowed with gemstones, being the only location on the planet that has tanzanite. Simanjiro was also where the first tsavolite was discovered.

Administrative subdivisions

As of 2012, Simanjiro District was administratively divided into 17

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 ...

Demographics

The

2012 Tanzanian Census 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

reported that the district had a population of 178,693, with an average household size of 4.6 people. The 2002 Tanzanian Census reported that the district had a population of 141,676, with an average household size of 4.3 people. Many of the district's inhabitants are ethnic

Maasai Maasai may refer to: * Maasai people *Maasai language * Maasai mythology * MAASAI (band) See also * Masai (disambiguation) * Massai Massai (also known as: Masai, Massey, Massi, Mah–sii, Massa, Wasse, Wassil or by the nickname "Big Foot" Mas ...

. Many of the district's Maasai population are illiterate, have no formal education, and are practicing Christians.

Economy

The area is home to the national gem of Tanzania, tanzanite. A rare gem only found in Mererani hills in Merereani ward in with Simanjiro District, Manyara Region. Masai millionai based in Arusha region, Saniniu Laizer made headlines in 2020 after mining three stones and selling them for approximately $5.4 million. Simanjiro's economy revolves around mining of tanzanite, however the district has not been able to reap the economic benefits of such a lucrative industry Due to the district's predominant

population the second largest industry is beef

pastoral A pastoral lifestyle is that of shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasture. It lends its name to a genre of literature, art, and music (pastorale) that depicts ...

, with a 1994 report states that 71,531 Maasai in the district practice pastoralism. There are a significant number of

extension agent Agricultural extension is the application of scientific research and new knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education. The field of 'extension' now encompasses a wider range of communication and learning activities organized for r ...

s in the district who sell agricultural information.

Media

Orkonerei FM Radio, a Maasai language radio station is located in the town of

Terrat Terrat is a ward and village in the Simanjiro district about 80 km from Arusha in Tanzania. The population in the area is Maasai people, Maasai who regularly gather in the village for its market where animals, cloths, kitchen utensils etc. ar ...

References

Districts of Manyara Region {{coord, 4, 24, 36, S, 37, 10, 48, E, type:adm2nd_source:itwiki, display=title