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38-576: Some sources use the names Kipengere Range or Livingstone Mountains to describe the entire range, while others distinguish the Livingstone Mountains as the southwest-facing escarpment which runs along the shore of Lake Malawi, and the Kipengere Range as the high ridge that defines the northeastern edge of the Kitulo Plateau. From the town of Mbeya the range runs south-east and forms part of

76-528: A growing number of secondary schools, Mbeya has some institutes of higher learning education. Among the better known ones are the following five: Mbeya has a subtropical highland climate ( Cwb , according to the Köppen climate classification ), with humid summers and dry winters. The general range of temperature is between −6 °C or 21.2 °F during highlands mornings and 29 °C or 84.2 °F during lowland afternoons. The weather from June until October,

114-480: A looking glass into the traditional cultures of the local surrounding communities. The city also has a significant number of transit passengers heading towards Lusaka / Malawi from Dar es Salaam Port that often make a stop in the city for overnight lodging or food. The city is represented in the Tanzanian Premier League by Mbeya City FC that is owned by Mbeya City Council and Prisons FC , owned by

152-543: A series of ridges and valleys generally parallel to its axis. The ridge nearest the lake (Mount Jamimbi or Chamembe, at 9° 41′ S), rises to an absolute height of 2,400 metres (7,900 ft), falling 1,900 metres (6,200 ft) almost sheer to the water, the same steep slope continuing beneath the surface. Northeast of Buanyi, as in the eastern half of the range generally, table-topped mountains occur, composed above of horizontally bedded quartzites , sandstones and conglomerates. The Poroto Mountains are volcanic in origin, and in

190-546: A trunk up to 1.5–2 m (5– 6 + 1 ⁄ 2  ft) diameter and a broadly conical to rounded or irregular crown. The leaves are of two forms, juvenile needle-like leaves 8–15 millimetres ( 3 ⁄ 8 – 5 ⁄ 8  in) long on seedlings, and adult scale-leaves 0.5–3 mm long on older plants, arranged in decussate pairs or whorls of three. It is largely dioecious with separate male and female plants, but some individual plants produce both sexes. The cones are berry-like, 4–8 mm in diameter, blue-black with

228-812: A whitish waxy bloom, and contain 2–5 seeds ; they mature in 12–18 months. The male cones are 3–5 mm long, and shed their pollen in early spring. Juniperus procera is native to the Arabian Peninsula (in Saudi Arabia and Yemen ), and northeastern, eastern, west-central, and south tropical Africa (in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Republic of the Congo , Djibouti , Eritrea , Ethiopia , Kenya , Malawi , Mozambique , Somalia , Somaliland , Sudan , Tanzania , Uganda , Zambia , and Zimbabwe ). It

266-480: Is collected by women and girls, from the wooded valleys and mountainsides. Bamboo is naturally abundant in the forests, and there are plans to teach local people about this versatile plant and its many uses. Some gold is still mined in the rural Chunya District, by artisan miners. Mbeya is considered to be heading the Southern Highlands Regions, that's why there is a Mbeya Referral Hospital which serves

304-529: Is dry and cold. The heaviest rainfall occurs during the months of December to April, and annual rainfall averages approximately 900 millimetres or 35 inches. The area around Mbeya town (especially in Tukuyu) enjoys abundant and reliable rainfall which stimulates abundant agriculture on the rich volcanic soils. The area around Mbeya has been called the " Scotland of Africa". The hills are clad in heather and bracken , but botanically they are more closely related to

342-464: Is situated at an altitude of 1,700 metres (5,500 ft), and sprawls through a narrow highland valley surrounded by a bowl of high mountains. The main language is colloquial Swahili , and the English language is extensively taught in schools. Following the 1906 gold rush, Mbeya was founded as a gold mining town in the 1920s. The TAZARA railway later attracting farming migrants and small entrepreneurs to

380-404: Is the only juniper to occur south of the equator , and is thought to be a relatively recent colonist of Africa; the species shows very little of the variability associated with a long period of evolution. It is closely related to Juniperus excelsa from southwestern Asia, probably deriving from a common ancestor with that species in southwestern Asia. According to Tropicos, Juniperus procera

418-447: Is the wettest month. There is a May to October dry season, with nightly frosts common between June and August. Temperate crops can be raised with success. The range is generally covered in montane grassland. The grasslands are home to 350 species of plants, including numerous ground orchids, geophytes , and other afro-alpine plants. During the wet season the montane grasslands are carpeted with numerous flowers. Many species are limited to

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456-557: Is within Mbeya region and not in the new Songwe region. The airport is about 25 kilometers from Mbeya City center and about 2-3 kilometers from Mbeya and Songwe regions boundary which is Songwe river. The rains normally start in October and end around May, followed by a dry and cold spell between June and September. Conventional tourism is not a major contributor to the local economy and there are no visible months with peak tourism. The city lies in

494-543: The Fynbos (fine bush) of South Africa's Western Cape Province than the Highlands of Scotland . The nearest mountain to Mbeya is Loleza Mountain , which rises over and behind the town. Mbeya Peak is visible but some distance away. Mount Rungwe is the highest mountain in the wider Mbeya region and it dominates the skyline for several kilometers around. It is composed of ten or more dormant volcanic craters and domes. Rising above

532-515: The Poroto Mountains , south-east of Mbeya. In 2005, a completely new species of large monkey, the Kipunji , was discovered living in the southern highlands to the south-west of Mbeya. The Mbeya region has not yet been closely studied by scientists. The Kitulo Plateau, famous for its orchids and display of native flora is now within the designated Kitulo National Park . Forests in the area, even in

570-592: The Rift Valley and is considered Csb by the Köppen-Geiger system. The cooler and mountainous climate in the town attracts mainly locals from other parts of the country and foreigners for the game watching and trout fishing . The local government has begun trying to widen tourism beyond animal and wild game viewing, and have invested in producing better mapping and developing a local tourist center. Well-defined hiking trails have been established to enable hikers to reach

608-710: The Tanzanian Prisons Service based in Mbeya and they play their home matches at the Sokoine Stadium . Ihefu is a club from Ubaruku , Mbarali district that was promoted to the Tanzanian premier league at the 2020–2021 season and currently play their home matches at the Highland Estate Stadium. 08°54′S 33°27′E  /  8.900°S 33.450°E  / -8.900; 33.450 Juniperus procera Juniperus procera (known by

646-620: The A-7 highway from Dar es Salaam , There are paved roads which connects Mbeya city with the other towns like Tukuyu through Uyole, Tunduma via TANZAM highway and Chunya to Tabora through Isanga. Mbeya connects to the rest of Tanzania by air through Songwe International Airport which was opened in December 2012. It is one of four major airports available in Tanzania. Auric Air and Tropical Air fly from Songwe to Dar es Salaam. Songwe International Airport

684-531: The Kipengere Range and nearby highlands, and three – Brachystelma kituloensis, Impatiens rosulata and Pterygodium ukingense – are limited the Kitulo Plateau. Montane evergreen forests occur in river valleys and hollows. The south-facing slopes at the northwestern end of the range, which were formerly the Livingstone Forest Reserve and are now part of Kitulo National Park, have the most extensive areas of montane evergreen forest. The Ndumbi forest, at

722-496: The Madenge (1,146 ha), Mdando (5,140 ha), Msiora (315 ha) and Sakaranyumo (840 ha) forest reserves. 9°30′S 34°10′E  /  9.500°S 34.167°E  / -9.500; 34.167 Mbeya Mbeya is a city located in south west Tanzania , Africa, with an urban population of 649,000 in 2023. Mbeya is the capital of the surrounding rural Mbeya region (population, with Mbeya, totals approx. 2 million). Mbeya

760-552: The Safwa, Nyakyusa, Nyiha and Ndali all being agricultural peoples. Mbeya also boasts as one of the regions that form the bread basket of Tanzania. Local government is administered via the Mbeya Urban District authority and a Regional Commissioner. Mbeya has weather with enough rainfall and fertile soil which enable it to be the largest producer of maize, rice, bananas, beans, potatoes (Irish & sweet), soya nuts and wheat in

798-477: The area. Mbeya and its district were administered by the British until 1961. Mbeya Region was created in 1961. Mbeya City is now a growing metropolis and business centre for the southern regions and the neighbouring countries of Malawi, Zambia and Congo. The city is well connected with an all-weather road that forms part of the "Great North Road" running from Cape Town to Alexandria. The city has several tribes including

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836-570: The common English names African juniper , African pencil-cedar , East African juniper , East African-cedar , and Kenya-cedar ) is a coniferous tree native to mountainous areas in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula . It is a characteristic tree of the Afromontane flora. Juniperus procera is a medium-sized tree reaching 20–25 metres (66–82 feet) (rarely 40 m or 130 ft) tall, with

874-640: The east as well as to the west. Most of the range lies above 2000 meters elevation. The northern end is well marked in 8° 50′ S by an escarpment falling to the Usangu Plains , the eastern branch of the East African Rift and the basin of the Great Ruaha River . Southwards the range terminates in the deep valley of the Ruhuhu River in 10° 30′ S, the first decided break in the highlands that is reached from

912-500: The eastern escarpment of the East African Rift , extending about 100 km down the north-eastern shore of the lake to the Ruhuhu River . The volcanic Poroto Mountains form a north-western extension of the range. In parts the range presents more the character of a plateau than of a true mountain range, but the latter name may be justified by the fact that they form a comparatively narrow belt of country, which falls considerably to

950-409: The eastern end of Kitulo National Park, has montane evergreen and East African cedar ( Juniperus procera ) forests. Thickets of bamboo ( Yushania alpina ) can be found between the upper montane forests and the high altitude grasslands. The range is surrounded at lower elevations by miombo woodland — Eastern miombo woodlands to the north, east, and south, and Central Zambezian miombo woodlands to

988-478: The elevated areas and bio-diverse highlands, although the trails need to be properly mapped . For self-sufficient hikers , there are various routes in the Poroto Mountains around the small town of Tukuyu . Some notable local tourist attractions in the area include: The city also has various rock and cave painting sites. Many of the rock sites have still been undocumented by the Antiequits department and provide

1026-440: The entire country. Tanzania has a free market in agricultural produce, and Mbeya transports vast amounts of its maize to other areas of Tanzania. There is also extensive animal husbandry, with dairy cattle predominating. Mbeya is also the biggest producer of high-value export and cash crops in Tanzania; those crops are coffee (arabica), tea, cocoa, pyrethirum and spices. There is some smallholder cultivation of tobacco. Firewood

1064-399: The lake. The Nyakyusa , Kisi , and Manda people live along the shore of Lake Malawi along the southwestern escarpment of the range. The Wanji , Magoma , Kinga , Pangwa , Ngoni and Nena people live in the interior of the range. Geologically the range is formed of ancient Precambrian rocks. A zone of gneiss runs along the southwestern face of the range overlooking Lake Malawi, in

1102-510: The north along the east coast of Lake Malawi. Towards the south the range appears to have a width of some 20 miles only, but northwards it widens out to about 40 miles, though broken here by the depression, drained towards the Great Ruaha, on the south side of which is Mtorwe (2961 m), the highest known summit of the range. The Kitulo Plateau , formerly the Elton Plateau, is a high plateau in

1140-634: The northern part of the range, defined by tall ridges running northwest–southeast. Mtorwe and Ishinga (2688 m) overlook the Great Ruaha River valley, while Chaluhangi (2933 m) overlooks the Lake Malawi basin. Ngosi (2621 m) is the main peak in the Poroto Mountains. At the foot of the mountains on Lake Malawi are the ports of Manda , near the mouth of the Ruhuhu , and Matema , at the north-east corner of

1178-458: The northwestern edge of the range, and abuts Kitulo National Park on the south. Chimala Scarp Forest Reserve, on the northern escarpment of the range overlooking the Usangu Plains lying to the north, was established in 1960 and covers and area of 180.68 km². Protected areas in the southern part of the range are not as extensive, as well-protected, or as studied as those in the north. They include

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1216-547: The northwestern portion of the range younger volcanic rocks associated with the Rungwe Volcanic Province overlay the older Precambrian rocks. Rainfall comes mostly from convectional thunderstorms originating above Lake Malawi. Mean annual rainfall on the Kitulo Plateau is 1500 mm, and rainfall is greater at higher elevations on slopes facing the lake. Most rainfall occurs during the November to May rainy season, and April

1254-655: The reserves, continue to be encroached upon and degraded. However, there has also been extensive tree and forest planting, which ensures the local firewood supply. There is a small illicit trade in orchid bulbs, which is thought to be endangering the survival of some species. Mbeya is served by the Mbeya Railway Station which is near the A104 or via the TAZARA railway line from the capital (approx. 600-miles, two overnight passenger trains per week). Mbeya can be reached by road on

1292-521: The small town of Tukuyu , at 2,960 metres or 9,711 feet, Rungwe is southern Tanzania's highest peak, and is among the highest in the country after some of the peaks in northern Tanzania such as Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 metres or 19,341 feet) and Mount Meru (4,565 metres or 14,977 feet). Mount Rungwe is surrounded by a catchment forest reserve that was gazetted in 1949. This forest reserve incorporates montane forest , upper montane forest and montane grassland, with lesser amounts of bushland and heath at

1330-502: The two forest reserves, and montane grasslands to the southeast. Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve was created in 2002, and covers an area of 1,574 km in the northeastern portion of the range, and an adjacent portion of the Usangu Plains. The game reserve incorporated the 350.78 km Kipengere Range Forest Reserve, established in 1958. The proposed Ndukunduku forest reserve (27.19 km²) would connect Kitulo National Park and Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve. Irungu Forest Reserve, 240.32 km, lies in

1368-407: The upper elevations, found in low bushes along streams and at the edges of montane forest. The forest is home to a variety of significant forest flora and fauna, including the threatened Abbott's Duiker . The forest is regarded as an important bird area, with two species listed as vulnerable. The most notable creatures are Rungwe bush vipers and Colobus monkeys . Also ecologically important are

1406-410: The west. Kitulo National Park was created in 2005, and covers an area of 465.4 km. The new national park incorporated the Livingstone Forest Reserve (240.34 km²) and Ndumbi Valley forest Reserve (27.71 km², est. 1956). The forest reserves protected the range's largest tracts of montane evergreen forest and bamboo thickets, and the park also includes the Kitulo Plateau's montane grasslands lying between

1444-532: The whole of the Southern Highlands regions. The Bank of Tanzania , Mbeya Cement Company, Afri Bottlers Company Coca-Cola Company , SBC Tanzania Ltd Pepsi Cola Company , Tanzania Breweries Limited, NMB, TIB, Mbozi Coffee Curing Limited, Tukuyu Tea Company, Tanzania Oxygen Limited TOL - KYEJO , CRDB all these serve as zonal representative for southern Highlands. There are also a number of companies and statutory organisations with zonal offices in Mbeya. Besides

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