Mbeya Region Website

Mbarali District is one of the seven Districts and eight councils that form Mbeya region. The district was established on seventh July 2000 by the Local government Act No. 8 of 1982 and amended by Act No. 6 of 1999 and received certificate of registration on fifth June 2003.

 

The District lies between latitude 70 and 90 South of equator and between longitude 3380 and 350 East of Greenwich. The District is at an altitude ranging from 1000 to 1800 meters above sea level. Average temperatures ranges between 250C and 300C. The mean annual rainfall is about 450 to 650 mm. The District is bordered by Iringa District on the North-East, on the west is bordered by Mbeya District while on the East the District is bordered by Njombe and Mufindi Districts. To the North Mbozi District borderes Ruaha National Park while to the South it borders Makete District and Mpanga Kipengere Game Reserve.

According to the 2002 National census, Mbarali District had a total population of 234,101 with a growth rate of 2.8% per annual. The current population projection is about 282,911 whereby 140,385 are males and 142,526 are females.

Administratively, the District is divided into two divisions namely Ilongo and Rujewa, with a total of 10 Wards, 93 registered Villages while the number of hamlets is 731 and 55,374 households. However, seven villages and three sub villages have been eliminated in order to allow expansion of Ruaha National Park, hence the actual number of hamlets and households will be produced after the completion of this exercise.

Ethnic Groups

The major ethnic groups are Sangu, Hehe and Bena. In addition, there are other small tribal groups including Sukuma, Wanji, Barbeig, Masai, Kinga, Nyakyusa and Gogo.

Before expansion of the Ruaha National Park Mbarali District had a total area of 15,560 km2, which half of it was covered by forest and savannah woodlands (Miombo).  The rest of the District was made up of flood plain, which were used for paddy production, and wetlands, which was for grazing. However, after the expansion the remaining area is only about 5,000 km2. 

 

  

Mbarali District has various business services mostly provided by private entities or individuals and few are run by the government. Available business services including; 

Economy of the Mbarali community depends mainly on agriculture for production of crops and also livestock keeping. About 83% of the Mbarali communities are engaged in Agriculture mostly paddy farming, and few in businesses, fishing, livestock and civil services. Per Capita income of Mbarali in the year 2008/2009 was Tshs 350,000/=. Rice and sunflower are the main District cash crops that are used for business transaction within and outside the District.