Mwanza
Overview
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
on the southern shores of Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
in northwestern Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. With an urban population of 1.2 million and a metropolitan population of 2 million, it is Tanzania's second largest city, following Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
and ahead of other major Tanzanian cities of Arusha
Arusha
Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania. It is the capital of the Arusha Region, which claims a population of 1,288,088, including 281,608 for the Arusha District . Arusha is surrounded by some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks...
, Mbeya
Mbeya
Mbeya is a city located in southwest Tanzania, Africa. Mbeya's urban population was 280,000 in 2005. Mbeya is the capital of the surrounding rural Mbeya region ....
and Tanga
Tanga, Tanzania
Tanga is both the name of the most northerly seaport city of Tanzania, and the surrounding Tanga Region. It is the Regional Headquarters of the region.With a population of 243,580 in 2002, Tanga is one of the largest cities in the country...
. Mwanza is the capital of the surrounding Mwanza Region
Mwanza Region
Mwanza Region is one of the regions of Tanzania. Its capital is Mwanza, which is also Tanzania's second city.The neighbouring regions are Kagera to the west, Shinyanga to the south, and Mara to the east...
.
Before the colonial era Mwanza Region was under the Sukuma
Sukuma
The Sukuma is the largest ethnic group in Tanzania, with an estimated 5.5 million members representing about 16 percent of the country's total population. Sukuma means "north" and refers to "people of the north"...
, Kerewe
Kerewe
The Kerewe are an ethnic and linguistic group based on Ukerewe Island in the Tanzanian section of Lake Victoria.-Arts:The Kerewe of Ukerewe Island in Lake Victoria carved large wooden figures, about 3 feet high, which appear to have been effigies of deceased chiefs...
, Kara
Kara
-Given name:* Cara , an alternative spelling for Kara* Kara Kennedy Allen, professional board member and a television producer* Kara Mahmud Bushati, a noble of the Bushati family* Kara Edwards, an American voice actress...
and Zinza
Zinza
The Zinza are an ethnic and linguistic group based on the southwest shore of Lake Victoria and neighboring islands in Tanzania. In 1987 the Zinza population was estimated to number 138,000 .-References:...
empires.
