Mara Region (Swahili: Mkoa wa Mara) occupies the north-eastern corner of Lake Victoria, on the Kenyan border. The 2022 census recorded a population of 2,372,015, and Musoma on the lakeshore is the regional capital. The northern section of Serengeti National Park lies inside Mara Region, and Butiama, the birthplace of Julius Nyerere, gives its name to one of the region’s districts.
Districts of Mara Region
Mara Region is administered through nine councils: one municipal council, two town councils and six district councils. Populations are from the 2022 census.
| District | Council type | Population (2022 census) |
|---|---|---|
| Bunda Rural | District council | 243,822 |
| Bunda Town | Town council | 182,970 |
| Butiama | District council | 281,656 |
| Musoma Municipal | Municipal council | 164,172 |
| Musoma Rural | District council | 266,665 |
| Rorya | District council | 354,490 |
| Serengeti | District council | 340,349 |
| Tarime Rural | District council | 404,848 |
| Tarime Town | Town council | 133,043 |
Towns and Villages in Mara Region
The settlements below are grouped by district. The main centres are Musoma, Tarime, Bunda, Mugumu in Serengeti District, Sirari on the Kenyan border and Shirati in Rorya.
Musoma Municipal Council
- Busamba
- Morembe
- Muisenge
- Musoma
Musoma Rural District
- Bukumi
- Bulinga
- Busekera
- Busumi
- Bwassi
- Bwayi
- Kamboni
- Kanderema
- Kasoma
- Kikaru
- Kiriba
- Kome
- Kurugee
- Kurwaki
- Kwikuba
- Makojo
- Masmono
- Mrangi
- Mugango
- Mugunyu
- Muhoji
- Musanja
- Nyambono
- Nyambui
- Nyamwiru
- Nyangombe
- Rusoli
- Saragana
- Suguti
- Tegeruka
Butiama District
- Bisariye
- Buhemba
- Bukiroba
- Bumangi
- Buruma
- Busegwe
- Butiama
- Butuguli
- Bwassi
- Etaro
- Ibisu
- Igenge
- Ikungu
- Kiabakari
- Kiagata
- Kigumu
- Kihemba
- Kirege
- Kisangwa
- Kisisi
- Kwigutu
- Kyamsambeta
- Magana
- Masurura
- Mmuhare
- Muganza
- Mukirengo
- Mumazami
- Munguru
- Mwibagi
- Nyabangi
- Nyakanga
- Nyasaunga
- Nyasirori
- Nyegina
- Ruamugabo
- Wegero
- Zanaki
Bunda District and Bunda Town
- Bariri
- Bitaraguru
- Bunda
- Buzimbwe
- Bweni
- Guta
- Handajega
- Hunyari
- Igundu
- Ikizu
- Iramba
- Kalukekele
- Kasahunga
- Kasuguti
- Kenkombya
- Kibara
- Kigaga
- Kiroreri
- Kisorya
- Masahunga
- Mugala
- Mugeta
- Mukoko
- Mwiseni
- Mwitende
- Namalebe
- Namibu
- Namuhura
- Nansimo
- Nyabirundo
- Nyakatuba
- Nyambitilwa
- Nyamuswa
- Ragata
- Ushashi
Rorya District
- Bugire
- Burieri
- Busarihu
- Buturi
- Irenyi
- Iringo
- Kinesi
- Kirugu
- Kirumi
- Kowak
- Lyagoro
- Masonbiti
- Nyamhunda
- Ochuna
- Randa
- Ruhu
- Ryagoro
- Saye
- Shirati
- Sonjo
- Tatwe
- Utegi
Tarime District and Tarime Town
- Bwiregi
- Gamasara
- Isebania
- Ketaigwa
- Kibuma
- Kitandu
- Kiterere
- Magena
- Magoma
- Matongo
- Mutana
- Nyamougo
- Nyamtiro
- Nyamwaga
- Nyamwigura
- Nyanungu
- Rabwire
- Remangwe
- Rosana
- Sirari
- Tarime
Serengeti District
- Banagi
- Borenga
- Fort Ikoma
- Ikorongo
- Iramba
- Issenye
- Kilima Fedha
- Kisaka
- Maji Moto
- Mugumu
- Nata
- Ngoreme
- Nyabogati
- Nyabwitagi
- Nyamatoke
- Nyansurura
- Nyiboko
- Nyigati
- Robanda
- Ruhogo
- Seronera
Other localities
- Buguma
- Bukima
- Kaboni
- Kitafubu
- Lukungu
- Nyinja
- Rugezi
- Seme
- Sikiro
Geography
Mara Region covers 21,760 km2, water included. Lake Victoria forms the western edge, with Kagera Region on the far shore. Kenya lies to the north and north-east, Arusha Region to the south-east, and Mwanza and Simiyu Regions to the south. The Mara River enters from Kenya, crosses the region and reaches the lake through the Mara Bay wetlands; it is the river the wildebeest cross on the Serengeti migration.
The lakeshore is low and indented, with bays, peninsulas and small islands off Musoma and Rorya. Inland the ground rises into hills towards Tarime, which sits in the wetter highlands near the Kenyan border. The eastern half of the region is protected land: Serengeti National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, plus the Ikorongo and Grumeti game reserves along its northern boundary. Mugumu, the Serengeti District headquarters, is the main gateway town on this side of the park.
Economy and Local Life
About four in five working people farm. Cotton, cassava, maize, sorghum, coffee and finger millet are the standard crops, and roughly 500,000 of the region’s 2.5 million hectares are under cultivation. Cattle are kept across the drier districts and are central to Kuria and Luo custom in the north.
Fishing on Lake Victoria supports the shoreline settlements from Kirumi and Kinesi in Rorya round to Kisorya and Nansimo in Bunda, with Nile perch, tilapia and dagaa landed at beach markets. Gold mining is the other large employer: the North Mara mine at Nyamongo in Tarime District is one of Tanzania’s biggest gold operations, and small-scale mining continues around it.
Tourism money arrives through Serengeti District, where the park draws around 150,000 visitors a year and supports lodges, guiding work and vehicle hire around Mugumu, Robanda and Fort Ikoma. Cross-border trade runs through Sirari, on the main road into Kenya at Isebania.
Getting There
Trunk road T4 runs north from Mwanza through Bunda and Musoma to the Kenyan border at Sirari, where it meets the Isebania crossing and the road to Kisii and Kisumu. A branch road climbs east from the T4 to Tarime. Another road runs east from Bunda and Musoma to Mugumu and on into Serengeti National Park through the Ikoma gate.
Musoma has an airport with scheduled flights to Mwanza and Dar es Salaam, and several airstrips serve the Serengeti lodges. Lake Victoria ferries link Musoma and the Rorya and Bunda shorelines with Mwanza and Ukerewe Island; the Kisorya ferry crosses to Ukerewe from Bunda District.
FAQ
How many districts are in Mara Region?
Mara Region is administered through nine councils: Bunda Rural, Bunda Town, Butiama, Musoma Municipal, Musoma Rural, Rorya, Serengeti, Tarime Rural and Tarime Town.
What is the population of Mara Region?
The 2022 census recorded a population of 2,372,015, up from 1,743,830 in 2012.
What is the capital of Mara Region?
Musoma, a lakeside town on the eastern shore of Lake Victoria. Musoma Municipal council had a population of 164,172 at the 2022 census.
What villages are in Mara Region?
The list above sets out around 180 towns and villages by district, including Kiabakari and Bumangi in Butiama, Utegi and Shirati in Rorya, and Nata and Robanda near the Serengeti boundary.
Which part of the Serengeti is in Mara Region?
Serengeti District covers the northern Tanzanian section of the park, entered from Mugumu through the Ikoma gate. Seronera, the park’s central base, also falls within the district.