Mwanza City, also known as Rock City to the residents, is a port city and capital of Mwanza Region on the southern shore of Lake Victoria in north-western Tanzania.
With an urban population of 1,182,000 in 2021,PopulationStat it is Tanzania's second largest city, after Dar es Salaam.
It is also the second largest city in the Lake Victoria basin after Kampala, Uganda and ahead of Kisumu, Kenya at least in population size.
Within the East African community, Mwanza city is the fifth largest city after Dar, Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kampala.
It is slightly ahead of Kigali, Kisumu, and Bujumbura in the population of city proper limits.
However, in terms of infrastructure, Kigali and Kisumu cities are way ahead of Mwanza.
Mwanza city is also the capital city of Mwanza Region, and is administratively divided into two municipal districts within that Region - Ilemela and Nyamagana.
Ethnicity
The Sukuma constitute over 90 percent of the population of the Mwanza Region.
Other ethnic groups in the region, in much smaller proportions, include the Zinza, Haya, Sumbwa, Nyamwezi, Luo, Kurya, Jita, Shashi and Kerewe.
They live mainly in the Mwanza city area.
National policy, however, gives very little importance to ethnic groupings and reliable data is difficult to find.Section 1.2, "Mwanza Region Socio-Economic Profile", joint publication by the Planning Commission Dar es Salaam and the Regional Commissioner's Office Mwanza, October 1997, page 4
Historical populations | 1978 | 110,553	 | 1988 | 172,287 | 2002 | 385,810 | 2012 | 3,200,000	 |align       = none | footnote = source:Mwanza population statistics Economy
thumb|The bridge of Furahisha in Mwanza represents transportation and safety of its people.
This has a created safe space for the citizens and it stand as a remarkable symbol of Mwanza.
In 2011 the City Council announced plans to create a major commercial development in the Ilemela District.
Construction works on Rock City Mall were finalized in early 2016.
This mall is the first of its size in Mwanza and one of the biggest malls in the country.
Tanzania Breweries Limited has a brewery in Mwanza Fishing
One major occupation of the inhabitants along the shores of Lake Victoria in Mwanza region is fishing, and there are five fish processing plants in the area.
The Nile perch were previously introduced to the lake, and are exported in large quantities.
The consequences of the Nile perch industry are the subject of the Academy Award nominated documentary Darwin's Nightmare (2004) by Hubert Sauper.
Water supply and sanitation
Water supply coverage is at 75% and sewerage at 23.7%.
Projects to increase coverage including the UN Habitat Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation (LVWATSAN-Mwanza) project.
Water is managed by the Mwanza Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Mwauwasa), established in 1996 and wholly owned by the government of Tanzania.
The authority covers Mwanza City, Kisesa Township in Magu District, Misungwi town and Nyahiti Village in Misungwi District, Geita, Sengerema and Nansio, and Lamadi in Simiyu Region.
Mwauwasa operates a wastewater treatment plant in Butuja Ilemela Tourism
thumb|left|The Mwanza city map National Parks
Saanane Island National Park is located on a rocky island in Lake Victoria, 500 meters from Capri Point in the centre of Mwanza.
The westernmost gate (Ndabaka Gate) of Serengeti National Park is located at around 150 kilometres by road from Mwanza town.
Day trips to Serengeti National Park are organised by several tour operators in Mwanza.
Rubondo Island National Park can be reached by road and boat, or by a direct flight from Mwanza.
It is located around 110 kilometres west of Mwanza town.
Culture
The Sukuma Museum is located in Bujora, just east of Mwanza near Kisesa.
It gives an overview of the history, architecture, culture and language of the Sukuma tribe, which are the tribe that the majority of the native population originate from.
Education
thumb|St. Augustine University of Tanzania, administration building.
St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) is the main university in Mwanza.
The University extends over  in the Nyegezi-Malimbe area 10 km south of Mwanza City.
It lies 4 km off the main Mwanza- Shinyanga road on the south eastern shores of Lake Victoria.
The University is a half-hour's drive from Mwanza by car or by bus.
Places of worship
Among the places of worship, they are predominantly Christian churches and temples : Africa Inland Church Tanzania, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mwanza (Catholic Church), Anglican Church of Tanzania (Anglican Communion), Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (Lutheran World Federation), Baptist Convention of Tanzania (Baptist World Alliance), Assemblies of God.Britannica, Tanzania, britannica.com, USA, accessed on January 5, 2020 There are also Muslim mosques and BAPS temple for the Hindu community.
Climate
Mwanza features a tropical savanna climate under the Köppen climate classification.
Temperatures are relatively consistent throughout the course of the year, tempered by the city's altitude.
Thus, the climate is not quite as hot as one might expect, given the city's location near the equator.
Average temperatures in Mwanza is roughly  throughout the year.
The city features a lengthy wet season which runs from October through May and a short pronounced dry season that covers the remaining four months.
Mwanza receives on average roughly  of precipitation annually.
Transport
Airport
thumb|left|200px|A stationary aircraft at Mwanza Airport.
thumbnail|right|200px|The Mwanza Railway Station.
thumb|right|200px|Two ferries from Kamanga arriving at the port of Mwanza.
Mwanza is served by the Mwanza Airport, which is designated as a regional airport.
Air Tanzania offers flights to Dar es Salaam.
Precision Air has daily flights to Mwanza, including from Nairobi (via Kilimanjaro), and Air Tanzania also flies to the city.
Railway
The city is connected by rail with Shinyanga on a branch of Tanzania's Central Railway.
Twice a week the train departs to Dar es Salaam, via Dodoma, Tabora and Kigoma.
Buses
Nyegezi bus station is located in Nyamagana district.
Buses going to the south and west leave from Nyegezi, as well as international services.
Buzuruga bus station is located in Ilemela district.
Buses going to the east, North and the Kenyan border depart from Buzuruga bus station.
Ferry
In December 2014 the regular ferry service between Mwanza, Bukoba and Kampala was halted whilst the ferry boat MV Victoria underwent major maintenance.
Sports
thumbnail|The CCM Kirumba Stadium.
The CCM Kirumba Stadium has hosted matches of the Tanzania national football team.
Mbao FC is a football team from Mwanza that was promoted to the Tanzanian Premier League at the end of the 2015/2016 football season.
Cooperation with cities outside Tanzania
Tampere, Finland: The relationship between Tampere and Mwanza is part of the North-South Local Government Co-operation Programme."
Tampere-Mwanza Local Governance Cooperation project", The City of Tampere
Tifariti, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic"Tifariti commune signs cooperation, twinning agreements with several African cities", Agence Maghreb Arabe Presse, published on the website of The Free Library, 21 December 2009
Würzburg, Germany"HIV: New Problems for Africa", University of Würzburg
Gallery
Mwanza Jamatkhana.jpg|The Jamatkhana Mosque.
Nyakahoja Catholic Church.JPG|The Nyakahoja Catholic Church.
A street sight of Mwanza downtown.JPG|A street sight of Mwanza downtown.
Mwanza is a city among the rocks.JPG|Mwanza a city among the rocks.
Nyerere road Mwanza.jpg|Nyerere road, Mwanza Mwanza city-5.jpg|The Mwanza city centre.
Mwanza Tanzania we call this place Rock City, Beautful place indeed.jpg|Bismark rock in Rock city.
See also
Peter Le Jacq, Maryknoll medical missionary
References
External links
