Mwanza (Region)

Mwanza is a region in Tanzania on the south shore of Lake Victoria. The capital is also called Mwanza.

The region has about 3 million inhabitants.

History

Before the German colonial period, the area belonged to the peoples of the Sukuma, Kerewe, Kara and Zinza. In 1963 the area was given the official status of a region.

Administrative divisions

The Mwanza region is divided into eight districts:

Economy

About 85 percent of the population works in agriculture. The end of the 19th century, grown for export cotton has declined in importance since the 1980s. In its place, the fishing has emerged as the largest foreign exchange earner in the region.