Morogoro Region (Swahili: Mkoa wa Morogoro) lies in eastern Tanzania, between the coast and the southern highlands, and covers 70,624 km². The 2022 census recorded a population of 3,197,104, making it the fourth most populous region in the country. Morogoro Municipality, at the foot of the Uluguru Mountains, is the regional headquarters and sits 195 km west of Dar es Salaam on the highway to Iringa and Zambia.
Districts of Morogoro Region
The region is divided into nine councils: seven district councils, one municipal council at Morogoro and one town council at Ifakara. Populations are from the 2022 census.
| District | Council type | Population (2022 census) |
|---|---|---|
| Kilosa | District council | 617,032 |
| Morogoro Municipal | Municipal council | 471,409 |
| Mvomero | District council | 421,741 |
| Morogoro Rural | District council | 387,736 |
| Mlimba | District council | 292,536 |
| Ifakara Town | Town council | 290,424 |
| Gairo | District council | 258,205 |
| Ulanga | District council | 232,895 |
| Malinyi | District council | 225,126 |
| Morogoro Region | — | 3,197,104 |
Gairo was split from Kilosa, Malinyi from Ulanga, and Ifakara Town and Mlimba between them replaced Kilombero District. Village records made before those splits still use the older district names.
Towns and Villages in Morogoro Region
Below are the towns and villages recorded across the region, grouped by district. Where newer councils were split from an older district, both are listed under one heading, because most village records still carry the parent name.
Gairo
- Chakwale
- Chogowale
- Geiro
- Kibedya
- Kilama
- Kisitwe
- Lomodian
- Mkumburu
- Nongwe
- Rubeho
Ifakara Town and Mlimba (Kilombero valley)
- Boma ya Ulanga
- Chamanga
- Cherachimu
- Chisawe
- Chita
- Chombe
- Gagaganga
- Idete
- Ifakara
- Ihango
- Ikurumi
- Ikwambe
- Irole
- Kiberege
- Kidatu
- Kigora
- Kilosa kwa Mtemera
- Kisawasawa
- Lipungi
- Lugoda
- Lukamanga
- Lumumwu
- Makufwa
- Manani
- Mangula
- Masagati
- Matonera
- Mbasa
- Mbingu
- Merera
- Mfriga
- Mgawsi
- Mgeta
- Mifama
- Mija
- Mkusi
- Mlange
- Mlimba
- Mofu
- Mpanga
- Msolwa
- Mtimba
- Mwala
- Mwaya
- Ndevi
- Nganga Wala
- Njagi
- Pombwe
- Ruipa
- Solulu
- Sonjo
- Tanganyika
- Taveta
- Tongora
- Ulambo
- Utengule
Kilosa
- Chanzuru
- Dumila
- Isanga
- Isega
- Kidai
- Kidete
- Kidodi
- Kikoboga
- Kilangali
- Kilosa
- Kimamba
- Kisanga
- Kivungu
- Ledingombe
- Lomango
- Lumbiji
- Madizini
- Magole
- Maguha
- Malolo
- Malui
- Mamboya
- Masanze
- Mauzi
- Mbamba
- Mbuyuni
- Mfirisi
- Mgogozi
- Mgunda
- Mikumi
- Miyombo
- Mkata
- Msowero
- Muhenda
- Mvumi
- Mwali
- Mwandi
- Mwasa
- Nyinga
- Riva
- Ruaha
- Rudewa
- Ulanga
- Ulaya
- Vidunda
- Zombo
Morogoro Municipal
- Mgolole
- Morogoro
- Mzinga
Morogoro Rural
- Bamba
- Bungu
- Bwakira Chini
- Bwakira Juu
- Dakawa
- Dutumi
- Kasanga
- Kibadagi
- Kibembawe
- Kidanagwa
- Kidugallo
- Kikundi
- Kilengezi
- Kilengwe
- Kimero
- Kingalamila
- Kingolwira
- Kinole
- Kinonko
- Kiroka
- Kisaki
- Kisanga
- Kissio
- Kitomondo
- Kiungule
- Kiwisa
- Kiziwa
- Kolero
- Koloni
- Kumba
- Kwaba
- Luhungiro
- Lukangazi
- Lukosi
- Lumba Chini
- Madamu
- Magogoni
- Makanga
- Mangulubwida
- Marendele
- Matombo
- Matuli
- Matuli-Lamba-Gongoni
- Mbagalala
- Mfumbwe
- Mguzi
- Mikese
- Miunguni
- Mkoya
- Mkulazi
- Mkuyuni
- Mngazi
- Mombani
- Msigisi
- Msumbisi
- Mtamba
- Mtego wa Simba
- Mtombozi
- Mvuha
- Mwaraza
- Mwina
- Mzinge
- Ngagama
- Ngerengere
- Nghese
- Nkulukulu
- Nyalala
- Pangawe
- Rubwe
- Ruyoma
- Sangasanga
- Semakwede
- Singiza
- Tombaza
- Tulo
- Tununguo
- Ukwama
- Vikatala
- Visaraka
- Yasiro
- Zongomero
Mvomero
- Bunduki
- Bwage
- Chazi
- Chenzema
- Dakawa
- Digobuke
- Doma
- Hangula
- Hembeti
- Isauke
- Kanga
- Kibati
- Kibuko
- Kikeo
- Kinyenzi
- Kipera
- Kisomo
- Kombola
- Kwabeko
- Kwadihinda
- Kwadihombo
- Kwadole
- Kwelikwiji
- Liwale
- Lubata
- Lubungo
- Lusonge
- Lusungi
- Madizini
- Mafiga
- Magunga
- Maguruwe
- Mahazi
- Maloa
- Mapagano
- Masimba
- Masimbu
- Matale
- Matomondo
- Mbesegera
- Melela
- Mgeta
- Mkundi
- Mkuyuni
- Mlaguzi
- Mlali
- Mongota
- Mruaraka
- Msaga
- Msangazi
- Msongozi
- Muheza
- Mvomero
- Mzegeni
- Mzumbe
- Ndole
- Nduguto
- Pandambili
- Pemba
- Rundi
- Rusente
- Sagasa
- Sazima
- Tangeni
- Tengero
- Turiani
- Ululu
- Vitonga
- Womba
Ulanga and Malinyi
- Biro
- Butu
- Chakano
- Chera
- Chihi
- Chilombola
- Epanko
- Fimbo
- Idunda
- Ifema
- Igata
- Igaua
- Iguloka
- Igwachu
- Ihango
- Ikwacho
- Ilonga
- Inanga
- Ipera
- Iragua
- Itete
- Kaporoma
- Kataketa
- Kazimoto
- Kichingani
- Kigombe
- Kikalala
- Kilosa kwa Mpepo
- Kiswago
- Kitonga
- Kivukoni
- Kotakota
- Kwa Moyo
- Libali
- Luhombero
- Lupiro
- Madabadaba
- Mahenge
- Makalakatu
- Malinyi
- Mavimba
- Mbangala
- Mbingu
- Mbuga
- Mdambati
- Milemba
- Mkasu
- Mohamed Goha
- Mongo
- Msenga
- Msita
- Mtimbira
- Mwaya
- Nawigo
- Ngalimira
- Ngombi
- Ngombo
- Ngongwa
- Ngoulanga
- Njogonjwa
- Nyamhanga
- Omari Nyama
- Ruaha
- Rufiri
- Sali
- Sofi
- Sofi Majiji
- Tanga
Other localities
- Humbi
- Kirimbiro
- Lumuma
- Magindu
- Masagura
- Mwakimindo
Geography
Morogoro borders Manyara and Tanga regions to the north, Pwani and Lindi to the east, Ruvuma to the south, and Iringa, Njombe and Dodoma to the west. Two mountain blocks dominate it. The Uluguru Mountains rise directly behind Morogoro town to the Lukwangule plateau at 2,656 m, and the Udzungwa Mountains form the south-western wall of the Kilombero valley. Both are part of the Eastern Arc, a chain of old forested massifs with plants and animals found nowhere else.
Between them runs the Kilombero valley, a broad seasonal floodplain and one of the largest freshwater wetlands in East Africa. The main rivers are the Kilombero, the Great Ruaha, the Wami and the Ngerengere. Mikumi National Park sits on the highway west of Morogoro, Udzungwa Mountains National Park protects the escarpment above Mang’ula, and much of the south-east of the region falls inside Nyerere National Park. Rainfall runs from about 600 mm in the drier north to 1,800 mm in the mountains.
Economy and Local Life
Farming employs most of the workforce. Maize, rice, cassava, beans and bananas are the staples, and the region produces a large share of Tanzania’s cocoa, grown on the wet eastern slopes of the Ulugurus. Rice from the Kilombero valley is sold across the country, and Ifakara, Mlimba and Mbingu are the collection points.
Estate agriculture matters here more than in most regions. Kilombero Sugar mills cane at Msolwa and Ruembe near Kidatu, and Mtibwa Sugar does the same at Turiani in Mvomero. Sisal is still cut around Kilosa and Ngerengere. Kidatu carries a hydropower station on the Great Ruaha. Morogoro town has textile, leather and food plants, and Sokoine University of Agriculture, the national agricultural university, is based there. Market days pull traders into Gairo, Dumila, Mikumi and Kilosa from the surrounding villages.
Getting There
The Dar es Salaam–Morogoro–Iringa highway is the main route, and it carries all traffic heading for Mbeya, Malawi and Zambia. It runs straight through Mikumi National Park, where speed limits are enforced because of animals crossing. A second trunk road turns north-west at Melela for Dodoma, and a third leaves Kilosa for Gairo and the Dodoma plateau.
Two railways serve the region. The Central Line runs through Morogoro and Kilosa on its way to Dodoma and Tabora, with a branch to Kidatu. The TAZARA line to Zambia crosses the south through Kisaki, Ifakara and Mlimba, and remains the practical way into the lower Kilombero valley during the rains. Buses run all day from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro, and daily to Ifakara, Mahenge and Malinyi.
FAQ
How many districts are in Morogoro Region?
Nine: Gairo, Ifakara Town, Kilosa, Malinyi, Mlimba, Morogoro Municipal, Morogoro Rural, Mvomero and Ulanga.
What is the population of Morogoro Region?
The 2022 census recorded a population of 3,197,104, up from 2,218,492 in 2012.
What is the capital of Morogoro Region?
Morogoro Municipality, at the foot of the Uluguru Mountains, with 471,409 residents at the 2022 census.
What towns and villages are in Morogoro Region?
The main towns are Morogoro, Kilosa, Ifakara, Turiani, Mikumi, Kidatu, Mlimba, Mahenge, Gairo, Dumila and Msowero. Several hundred villages sit behind them; the full list is grouped by district above.
What is grown in the Kilombero valley?
Rice and sugarcane, mainly. The valley floods each year, and the silt left behind supports smallholder rice as well as the Kilombero Sugar estates near Kidatu.