Mkuranga District Council () is one of eight administrative

districts 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 ...

Pwani Region Pwani Region () is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The Swahili word means 'coast'. With the town of Kibaha serving as the capital, the region borders the Tanga Region to the north, Morogoro Region to the west, Lindi Region to the ...

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

. The District covers an area of . It is bordered to the north by Dar es Salaam's

Kigamboni Kigamboni District, officially known as The Kigamboni Municipal Council (''Halimashauri ya Manispaa ya Kigamboni'', in Swahili language, Swahili) is one of five Districts of Tanzania, districts of the Dar es Salaam Region of Tanzania. The distri ...

Temeke Temeke District, officially the Temeke Municipal Council (''Halimashauri ya Manispaa ya Temeke'', in Swahili) is one of five districts of the Dar es Salaam Region of Tanzania. Temeke is bordered to the south by the Mkuranga District of the Pw ...

and Ilala Districts. To the east by the

Mafia Channel The Mafia Channel is a strait in the Pwani Region, Tanzania, Africa. Geography The Mafia Channel stretches in a roughly north/south direction between the Rufiji River estuary and Mafia Island. The deltas at the mouth of the Rufiji River extrude to ...

, to the south by Kibiti District, and to the west by Kisarawe District. The district is comparable in size to the land area of

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...

. The town of

Mkuranga Mkuranga District Council () is one of eight administrative Districts of Tanzania, districts of Pwani Region in Tanzania. The District covers an area of . It is bordered to the north by Dar es Salaam Region, Dar es Salaam's Kigamboni District, ...

serves as its administrative capital. The district is home to the

Vikindu Forest Reserve The Vikindu Forest Reserve (''Hifadhi ya Msitu wa Vikindu'', In Swahili language, Swahili) is a protected area located in Mkuranga District of Pwani Region in Tanzania that covers an area of . Vikindu Forest Reserve is situated on a plain betwee ...

, one of last remaining East African coastal forests. In 2016 the Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics report the population of Mkuranga District were 243,062 people in the district, from 222,921 in 2012.

Administration

The Mkuranga District Council has 18 wards, 121 registered villages, and 463 hamlets. It is organised into 4 administrative divisions. * Bupu * Kimanzichana * Kisiju * Kitomondo * Lukanga * Magawa * Mbezi * Mkamba *

* Mwalusembe * Nyamato * Panzuo * Shungubweni * Tambani * Vikindu * Kiparang'anda * Njianne * Vianzi

Geography

The Mkuranga district has a total area of 2,432 km2 (243,200 ha), of which 1,985 km2 (198,500 ha) is on the mainland and 447 km2 (44,700 ha) is covered by the Mafia Channel. The area of the mainland that is covered by natural reserves is 51 km2 (5,100 Ha). 1,934 km2 (193,400 ha) of land is suitable for cultivation, whereas 1662.3 km2 (166,230 ha), or 86% of the

arable land Arable land (from the , "able to be ploughed") is any land capable of being ploughed and used to grow crops.''Oxford English Dictionary'', "arable, ''adj''. and ''n.''" Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013. Alternatively, for the purposes of a ...

, is under cultivation. The district is known for growing both

cash crop A cash crop, also called profit crop, is an Agriculture, agricultural crop which is grown to sell for profit. It is typically purchased by parties separate from a farm. The term is used to differentiate a marketed crop from a staple crop ("subsi ...

s like

cashew Cashew is the common name of a tropical evergreen tree ''Anacardium occidentale'', in the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to South America and is the source of the cashew nut and the cashew apple, an accessory fruit. The tree can grow as t ...

nuts,

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...

es, pawpaw,

watermelon The watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Cucurbitaceae, that has a large, edible fruit. It is a Glossary of botanical terms#scandent, scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, and is plant breeding ...

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a Tropical vegetation, tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been culti ...

jackfruit The jackfruit or ''nangka'' (''Artocarpus heterophyllus'') is a species of tree in the Common fig, fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). The jackfruit is the largest tree fruit, reaching as much as in weight, in length, and in d ...

, and

passionfruit ''Passiflora edulis'', commonly known as passion fruit, is a vine species of passion flower native to the region of southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. It is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its ...

as well as food crops like

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...

sweet potato The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of ...

es, and

legume Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...

s, owing to its nickname "the fertile coast".

Livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...

is on limited basis, cattle, goats, and chickens are raised. There are five islands in Mkuranga: North Fanjove Island, Kwale Island, Koma Island, and Pemba Juu Island. Coastal

Savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...

, Miyombo woodland, coastal forest,

mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...

s, and swampy vegetation are among the types of vegetation found in the district. The district's water resources include one permanent river, Kogamimba River, many seasonal rivers, including Mbezi, Mzinga, and Uvuteni (Luhute), as well as natural lakes, including Misasa, Manze, and Nyamato. At the villages of Kisiju and Nganje, there are small sea ports where trade is conducted between residents of Dar es Salaam,

Mafia "Mafia", as an informal or general term, is often used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the Sicilian Mafia, original Mafia in Sicily, to the Italian-American Mafia, or to other Organized crime in Italy, organiz ...

, and Mkuranga, involving the export of

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

, coconuts, and import of industrial goods.

Climate

The climate in Mkuranga District Council is

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

in nature but modified. With an annual average temperature of 280C, it is typically warm and humid. The drier months of October through March are the warmest, whereas May through August are comparatively moderate with temperatures about 25C. The two rainy seasons are the short rainy season (''Vuli'') from November to December and the long rainy season (''Masika'') from March to June. 800 to 1000 millimetres of rain fall annually on average. In the mornings, there is about 96% humidity, while in the afternoons, 67%. The southwest

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

winds, which blow from April to October, and the northeast monsoon winds, which blow from November to March, both have an impact on the climate.

Forests

Masanganya Forest Reserve, Vikindu Forest Reserve, Malenda Forest Reserve, and Mangrove Forest Reserve, along the Indian Ocean coast are among the four national forest reserves that make up Mkuranga District Council's 51km2 (or roughly 51,000 Ha) of total forest cover. While general land woods occupy 43,000 hectors, these natural forest reserves take up 8,000 hectors. Tree species include

tectona grandis Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panic ...

, newtonia, pterocarpos, brachystefia spp., Jubernadis, chlorophora, and others. Timber, charcoal, firewood, catchment values, and pharmaceuticals are examples of forest products.

Economy

The Mkuranga district's economy is largely dependent on

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

. The district's primary industry is agriculture, and 85% of the population is dependent on

fisheries Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life or, more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a., fishing grounds). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farm ...

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...

, and agricultural cultivation. The second-largest economic activity carried out by the 1,500 fishermen found along the coast is fishing. Mkuranga District's (Coast Region) per capita income is 360,000 TZS, or 276.9 USD (0.75 USD per day).

Infrastructure

The District is home to 2 protected springs, 133 rainwater collection systems, 14 rivers, 477 shallow wells, and 154 deep wells. The council is making a lot of effort to enhance community access to clean and safe water by at least 21% from the current 51%. These initiatives would be carried out with the aid of the fast wins funds and other partners in District council development, like AMREF, which has started water projects in the District. Additionally, the District is carrying out 10 water supply projects in 10 chosen villages in the Bupu and Nyamato wards under the

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...

-donated Water Sector Development Programme.

Water

Water resources are abundant in the Mkuranga District, however diseases connected to water and sanitation are also frequent, as is water contamination. Mkuranga is one of the worst districts in Tanzania for access to piped or protected water sources, with only 9% of households having access to potable water (United Republic of Tanzania, 2005). Less than 40% of homes had latrines in 2002 due to the challenging construction of latrines in sandy collapsing soil for poor households. Adopted in 2002, a District Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) Action Plan acknowledges that one of the main problems is that people use the beach as a place to use the lavatory and dump their trash. Regulations and bylaws governing public health and sanitation are not consistently enforced.

Agriculture

Maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, and other leguminous crops make up the majority of the food crops planted in the Mkuranga area, while cashew nuts, coconuts, and tropical fruits such

oranges The orange, also called sweet orange to distinguish it from the bitter orange (''Citrus × aurantium''), is the fruit of a tree in the family Rutaceae. Botanically, this is the hybrid ''Citrus'' × ''sinensis'', between the pomelo (''Citrus m ...

, pineapples, mangoes, passion fruit, and watermelon are grown for commercial purposes. Agriculture is the only pre-occupation for almost 80% of the people. 48,000 households, on average, are thought to be involved in agriculture. Cassava is the most significant major reserve food crop planted in the district and is one of the key agricultural crops that are generally grown there. The government officials emphasise the cultivation of this crop since it can endure the current unfavourable weather conditions; at times of low rainfall, cassava ( drought resistant crop) becomes the sole significant food source for the community. After cassava, rice is the second most significant grain crop grown by native people. It is cultivated in marshy and irrigated places with the help of rivers, particularly in Yavayava Village. Paddy farmers employ native seed varieties. The district has 17,150 hectors, or 0.7% of its total area, suitable for growing paddy. However, only 254 of those hectors are currently being used for agriculture, leaving 99% of the available irrigation-ready land underutilized. The community raises cattle, goats, sheep, and chickens as its livestock. Due to the work of (HPT) Heifer Project Tanzania, which gave dairy cattle to farmers and then paid the help back by giving young calves to others, dairy farming is becoming increasingly prevalent in the Mkuranga district. Additionally, this network provides farmers with dairy goats and vaccinations.

Trade

The Mkuranga District Council is home to a variety of small and medium sized businesses, including

wholesalers Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In g ...

, retailer stores, milling equipment, restaurants, butchers, pharmacies, garages, gasoline stations, guest rooms, local bars, salt farms, hardware stores, slaughterhouses, and bars especially in the wards bordering Dar es Salaam region.Other food crops grown in the district include peanuts, sweet potatoes, yams, and fruit (including watermelon, mangoes, oranges, lemons, and

tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in colour, that is considered either a variety of the mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), or a closely related species, under the name ''Citrus tangerina'', or yet as a hybrid (''Citr ...

s). Small-scale farmers cultivate them, and the crops are sold in the ward markets and in Dar es Salaam.

Tourism

The district does not currently have any National Parks or Game Reserved Areas. However, the District is home to many

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

families,

crocodile Crocodiles (family (biology), family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large, semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term "crocodile" is sometimes used more loosely to include ...

s that live in waterlogged places,

hippos A hippo or hippopotamus is either of two species of large African mammal which live mainly in and near water: * Hippopotamus * Pygmy hippopotamus Hippo or Hippos may also refer to: Toponymy * The ancient city of Hippo Regius (modern Annaba, Alg ...

that live in areas with stagnant water bodies, and other small creatures. Additionally, the district has an animal corridor that leads from the

Selous Game Reserve The Selous Game Reserve, now renamed as Nyerere National Park (in-part), is a protected nature reserve and wilderness area in southern Tanzania, East Africa. It covers a total area of , with additional buffer zones, as well. It was designated a ...

, where wild animals can occasionally be observed crossing.However the district's most visited location is the Vikindu Forest Reserve, home to Plain-baked sunbird and the Red forest duiker, both of which are unofficial district symbols.

Fishing

Mkuranga district has a large fishing industry, which also serves as a crucial supply of affordable and nutrient-rich protein for the community. The shoreline of Mkuranga, which stretches from the Temeke to the Rufiji districts, is around 90 kilometres long. The district is blessed with

coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in group ...

s, mangrove forests, and healthy fish stocks, much like much of coastal Tanzania. Shungubweni, Mpafu, Kerekese, Kisiju, Pwani, Mdimni, Magawa, and Kifumangao are the seven coastal communities where fishing predominates. Mkuranga has five islands that are part of the district fishing fleet; Kwale Island Koma Island, Pemba Juu Island, Chokaa Island and North Fanjove Island. As a result, Mkuranga now boasts a number of locations that are popular for fishing. The major landing place for fisheries is in Kisiju Pwani, one of the district's ten recognised landing sites. The sole location where fish landings are documented is here. Approximately 98% of the district's total catches are caught by

artisan An artisan (from , ) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand. These objects may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative art, sculpture, clothing, food ite ...

al fishermen who fish for a living. Due to the limited range of fishing craft and vessels, fishing activities are concentrated in shallow waters close to shore.

Demographics

The Mkuranga district is the historical homeland of the Ndengereko and

Zaramo The Zaramo people, also referred to as Dzalamo or Saramo (''Wazaramo'', in Swahili language, Swahili), are a Bantu peoples, Bantu ethnic group native to the central eastern coast of Tanzania, particularly the Dar es Salaam Region and Pwani Regio ...

people. According to the 2002 National Population Census, there are 187,428 people living in the District, with 91,714 men and 95,714 women. Based on the current District Growth Rate of 3.5% annually, the District's expected population is 246,369, of which 118,257 (48%) are men and 128,112 (52%) are women.

Health and education

Health

There are 35 health facilities in the Mkuranga District Council, including 1 hospital, 2 health centres, 32 dispensaries, 22 of which are controlled by the government, 5 by faith-based organisations, and 5 by the private sector.

Malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...

is a major source of morbidity and mortality for both outpatients and inpatients; the rate of baby and maternal mortality is 161/100,000 and 15/1000, respectively. 8% of the population is affected by HIV/AIDS.

Education

There are 108 primary schools in the district overall, of which 104 are public schools and 4 are private schools. 50174 students are enrolled in primary school across the district, in both public and private institutions.There are 31 secondary schools overall in the Mkuranga District Council. Whereas, 10 private schools and 21 public (government) schools were created as a result of community self-initiative.Ngonyani, Humphrey. The impact of visual aids on students’ academic performance: a case of Mkuranga district secondary schools. Diss. The Open University of Tanzania, 2018.

References

{{Authority control Districts of Pwani Region