Kagera Region (Swahili: Mkoa wa Kagera) is in the far north-west of Tanzania, on the western shore of Lake Victoria and against the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. The 2022 census recorded a population of 2,989,299, up from 2,458,023 in 2012. The regional capital is Bukoba, a lake port and the centre of one of the country’s largest coffee-growing areas.
Districts of Kagera Region
Kagera Region has eight districts, each run by its own council. Bukoba is split between a municipal council for the town and a district council for the surrounding countryside. Muleba is the largest by population, Bukoba Municipal the smallest.
| District | Council type | Population (2022 census) |
|---|---|---|
| Biharamulo | District council | 457,114 |
| Bukoba | Municipal council | 144,938 |
| Bukoba Rural | District council | 322,448 |
| Karagwe | District council | 385,744 |
| Kyerwa | District council | 412,910 |
| Missenyi | District council | 245,394 |
| Muleba | District council | 637,659 |
| Ngara | District council | 383,092 |
| Total | 2,989,299 |
Towns and Villages in Kagera Region
The settlements below are grouped by district, drawn from the GeoNames gazetteer of populated places. Besides Bukoba, the larger towns include Biharamulo, Bugarama, Nshamba, Kamachumu, Katerero, Rulenge, Nsunga, Kabanga, Ngara, Nyakahanga, Kyaka, Katoro, Muleba and Bugene.
Biharamulo
- Biharamulo
- Bikoni
- Buhimba
- Burigi
- Burindima
- Butemere
- Butimore
- Butungo
- Ikurugushi
- Itimba
- Iyengamulino
- Kabinde
- Kabiso
- Kafuha
- Kahafe
- Kalenge
- Kamanza
- Kangara
- Kango
- Kaniha
- Kanyoni
- Karuduma
- Kasato
- Kasilo
- Kasuno
- Katok
- Kayanza
- Kibale
- Kigeruka
- Kikale
- Kikomakoma
- Kimanga
- Kinyongi
- Kirehe
- Kitengwa
- Lu Hama
- Lusahunga
- Malinde
- Mihongoro
- Mihunda
- Missenyi
- Mkona
- Mukashorogo
- Mulanda
- Mutala
- Mwasa
- Nkoronto
- Ntumago
- Ntungamo
- Nyaagozi
- Nyabugombe
- Nyakahura
- Nyakaliba
- Nyakanazi
- Nyakasonga
- Nyakayenza
- Nyakirunde
- Nyamahanga
- Nyamahuna
- Nyamatutu
- Nyamigere
- Nyamisibeye
- Nyamizi
- Nyanatakara
- Nyansalala
- Nyantama
- Nyantwiga
- Nyanza
- Nyarambugu
- Nyarubungo
- Nyaruvanga
- Nyonga
- Rubondo
- Ruboroga
- Rugesa
- Ruhuma
- Rukora
- Runazi
- Rusabya
- Ruyenze
Bukoba Municipal
- Bukoba
- Itawa
- Kitendaguro
- Nyakato
Bukoba Rural
- Bibainja
- Buhendengabo
- Bushasha
- Butakia
- Ibwera
- Kaagya
- Kabale
- Kabaruka
- Kabirizi
- Kahororo
- Kaibanja
- Kalema
- Kanazi
- Kanyangereko
- Kanyiragwa
- Karabagaine
- Kashozi
- Katerero
- Kato
- Katoma
- Katoro
- Kemondo Bay
- Kibali
- Kikomelo
- Kishanje
- Kishogo
- Kitwe
- Kolekero
- Kyamuraire
- Maruku
- Minazi
- Ntoija
- Ntoma
- Rubafu
- Rubare
- Ruhunga
- Rwagati
Karagwe
- Ahakachwamba
- Ahakishake
- Amugongo
- Bashebi
- Bisheshe
- Biyungu
- Bugene
- Bujuruga
- Burangare
- Bweranyange
- Chabuhora
- Chamchuzi
- Chamtonya
- Chikanzi
- Chonyonyo
- Ihanda
- Ihembe
- Ihembe I
- Ihembe II
- Kabale
- Kabezi
- Kabwera
- Kafunjo
- Kafuro
- Kagutu
- Kajumbura
- Kajunguti
- Kakuraijo
- Kamagambo
- Kamisi
- Kanyamisa
- Karagwe
- Karaize
- Karehe
- Kashambi
- Kayanga
- Kayunga
- Kibogoizi
- Kibombo
- Kibondo
- Kibugu
- Kimisi
- Kiruruma
- Kisasa
- Kishao
- Kishoju
- Kitambi
- Kitungole
- Kituntu
- Kyabale
- Kyerunga
- Lujebe
- Lukare
- Lwandare
- Migera
- Mizo
- Mugakorongo
- Muguruka
- Mulengo
- Mwibalie
- Ngoma
- Nsheshe
- Nyabirongo
- Nyabuyonza
- Nyaishozii
- Nyakabanya
- Nyakahanga
- Nyakaiga
- Nyakakika
- Nyakasana
- Nyakatolyo
- Nyakayanja
- Nyakihilingita
- Nyarugamba
- Omuruyanza
- Rugale
- Rujoka
- Rukajage
- Rukangara
- Rukore
- Rutungura
- Rwambaizi
Kyerwa
- Bigenyi
- Bugara
- Businde
- Bwere
- Chamunyana
- Chanyangabwa
- Chemuli
- Chimpisi
- Dyanyawonga
- Ibare
- Isingiro
- Itera
- Kabale
- Kabusa
- Kagenyi
- Kaisho
- Kakanja
- Kalambi
- Kamuli
- Karenge
- Karere
- Karo
- Karukwanzi
- Kashani
- Kasharara
- Kashenyi
- Katera
- Kayanga
- Kibare
- Kibimba
- Kibingo
- Kigarama
- Kigorogoro
- Kihinda
- Kijumbura
- Kikanga
- Kikukuru
- Kilehe
- Kimuli
- Kiraguju
- Kiruruma
- Kitoma
- Kitwe
- Kitwechenkula
- Kyamutaga
- Kyerwa
- Kyerwa Syndicate
- Mabira
- Masheshe
- Mtagata
- Mugaba
- Mukiyonza
- Mukunyu
- Murambi
- Murongo
- Mwenge
- Nkwenda
- Nkwera
- Nyabikurungu
- Nyabishenge
- Nyakakoni
- Nyakatera
- Nyakatuntu
- Nyamihanga
- Nyamilima
- Nyamiyaga
- Nyamweza
- Nyarugongo
- Nyarutuntu
- Nyaruzumbura
- Omukagando
- Rubare
- Rubwera
- Ruendizi
- Rugasha
- Rukuraijo
- Rutunguru
- Ruvongo
- Rwabukagate
- Rwabumuka
- Rwabushoga
- Rwabwere
- Rwakiniha
- Rwanyango
- Rwazi
- Rwengaga
- Rwenkende
- Rwensinga
- Usongore
Missenyi
- Amushenye
- Bugandika
- Bugorora
- Bulembe
- Bulifani
- Bunazi
- Buyango
- Bwanjai
- Gera
- Igayaza
- Ishozi
- Itara
- Kabwoba
- Kakindu
- Kakunyu
- Kanyigo
- Kashala
- Kashambya
- Kayanga
- Kibumbiro
- Kigarama
- Kitobo
- Kyaka
- Kyakakera
- Kyebisagazi
- Minziro
- Mtukula
- Mugana
- Mutukula
- Ndwaniro
- Nkurungu
- Nsunga
- Nyakanyasi
- Ruzinga
Muleba
- Bihata
- Biirabo
- Bumbire
- Chansangi
- Ibuga
- Iremela
- Izigo
- Kagoma
- Kagondo
- Kahengere
- Kakoma
- Kamachumu
- Karambi
- Kashasha
- Kasindaga
- Katoke
- Katunguru
- Kisana
- Kishanda
- Kishoyu
- Kitoko
- Kitundu
- Kiziramuyaga
- Kyamnyorwa
- Kyoto
- Mbatama
- Mikoni
- Mubunda
- Muhutwe
- Muleba
- Mushasha
- Nolage
- Nshamba
- Nyakakiri
- Nyakutokwa
- Nyameshere
- Nyamiranda
- Nyantungu
- Rubungo
- Rubya
- Rukindo
- Rushambya
- Rushwa
Ngara
- Bihonzi
- Bugarama
- Buhororo
- Bukiriro
- Bukiro
- Busoro
- Ibugo
- Kabanga
- Kanazi
- Kanyinya
- Kasherazi
- Kasulo
- Katimba
- Keza
- Kibimba
- Kiginga
- Kumubuga
- Kumuvanike
- Lukokorome
- Mabawe
- Mbuba
- Mu Buhenge
- Mu Kafigiri
- Mu Kalinzi
- Mu Kikomero
- Mu Rukurazo
- Mu Rurama
- Mu Rusagamba
- Muganza
- Mugoma
- Muhweza
- Mukolera
- Murutabo
- Musumbo
- Mwivuza
- Ndeke
- Ngara
- Ntungamo
- Nyakasanza
- Nyakisasa
- Nyakiziba
- Nyamahale
- Nyamala
- Nyamiyaga
- Nyanzoyu
- Nyinampigwe
- Ruganzo
- Rugarama
- Rulenge
- Rusumo
- Rususu
- Rwinyana
- Shanga
- Yagaba
Geography
Kagera covers 35,686 km². Water accounts for 10,173 km² of that, about 27 per cent, so more than a quarter of the region is lake or river. Land area is 25,513 km².
Uganda lies to the north, Rwanda and Burundi to the west. To the east and south are Lake Victoria and the Tanzanian regions of Mwanza, Mara and Geita. The Kagera River forms the western boundary and gives the region its name.
Behind the lakeshore the land rises in ranges of hills running parallel to the water. Elevation runs from 1,135 m at Lake Victoria to 1,917 m at Katerere peak. Inland lakes include Burigi, Ikimba and Ngono. Annual rainfall ranges from 500 mm to 2,000 mm and falls in two seasons, March to May and October to November. Temperatures stay between 20°C and 28°C.
The region sits on the Kivu Rift branch of the East African Rift and records significant seismic activity. A magnitude 5.9 earthquake on 10 September 2016 killed 17 people. Protected land includes Burigi-Chato, Rumanyika-Karagwe and Ibanda-Kyerwa National Parks, plus the Biharamulo Forest Reserve.
Economy and Local Life
Farming carries the region. Cereals take up 42.8 per cent of the total area planted, root crops 17.8 per cent and cash crops 2.1 per cent. Maize is the main cereal.
Coffee is the cash crop Kagera is known for, and the region ranks among Tanzania’s largest producers. Bukoba Rural district plants the most, at 39 per cent of the region’s coffee area. Lake Victoria fishing supports the shoreline villages of Bukoba Rural, Missenyi and Muleba, and the lake ports handle produce moving to Mwanza.
Before colonial rule the area was organised into nine kingdoms, and those older units still shape how people describe where they come from. The 1978-79 war with Uganda, fought partly on this ground, is why the former West Lake Region was renamed Kagera.
Getting There
The T4 trunk road runs from Mwanza west to Bukoba along the top of Geita Region and into Kagera. From Bukoba the road continues north to the Mutukula crossing into Uganda, one of the busiest border posts on this side of the country.
Southbound traffic uses the corridor through Biharamulo and Lusahunga, where roads split towards Kahama and Nzega in the east and towards Kigoma in the south. Ngara district carries the Rusumo Falls crossing into Rwanda; Kabanga in the same district is the crossing into Burundi. Kyerwa district has a further Uganda crossing at Murongo.
Bukoba Airport serves the region with flights to Mwanza and Dar es Salaam. Lake Victoria ferries connect Bukoba with Mwanza across the lake, an overnight run that remains the cheapest way to move goods and people between the two.
FAQ
How many districts are in Kagera Region?
Eight: Biharamulo, Bukoba Municipal, Bukoba Rural, Karagwe, Kyerwa, Missenyi, Muleba and Ngara. Each has its own council.
What is the population of Kagera Region?
The 2022 census recorded a population of 2,989,299. That was up from 2,458,023 at the 2012 census.
What is the capital of Kagera Region?
Bukoba, on the western shore of Lake Victoria. Bukoba Municipal Council had a population of 144,938 at the 2022 census.
Which countries border Kagera Region?
Three: Uganda to the north, Rwanda to the west and Burundi to the south-west. Border crossings operate at Mutukula, Murongo, Rusumo and Kabanga.
What villages are in Kagera Region?
The district lists above name more than 400 towns and villages, from Nyakanazi and Lusahunga in Biharamulo to Nkwenda and Murongo in Kyerwa.