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24-573: Amboni Limited, a company which was then operating sisal plantations in Tanga Region acquired the area in 1892. The company notified the British colonial government about the caves who in turn declared the caves a conservation area in 1922. It is not known when the caves were exactly discovered but reports indicate that ethnic groups such as the Segeju , Sambaa , Bondei and Digo who lived near

48-612: Is home to rich biodiversity of plants and animals. Tanga Region is home to two major national parks, Mkomazi National Park , shared with southern Kilimanjaro Region. The park is home to the endangered Black rhinoceros and the African wild dog . The second national park in Tanga Region is the Saadani National Park , The only national park in the country that shares an ocean coastline. In the northwestern portion of

72-399: Is one of Tanzania 's 31 administrative regions . The region covers an area of 26,667 km (10,296 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Burundi . The regional capital is the municipality of Tanga city. Located in northeast Tanzania, the region is bordered by Kenya and Kilimanjaro Region to the north; Manyara Region to

96-831: Is the Pangani River , fed by the Umkomazi River , Soni River and the Lwengera River . Tanga Region is located between 4 and 6 degrees south of the Equator. Another major river, the Mligasi River forms the southern border between Pwani Region and Tanga Region. Tanga Region is also home to largest cave system in East Africa, the Amboni Caves located a few kilometers north of Tanga city. Tanga

120-697: Is the ancestral home to the Bondei people located on the central east coast of the Tanga Region, the majority in Pangani district and Muheza District . Most of western Tanga is home to the Zigula people , the majority in Handeni District . The Sambaa , the largest ethnic group in Tanga Region, are mostly found in the northern Tanga Region in the western Usambaras, Lushoto district, western Korogwe District and northern Muheza district. The Digo people and

144-677: The Segeju people are a small minority within Mkinga District in the northeastern Tanga Region. Lastly the Ngulu people are native on the southwestern corner of Tanga Region's Kilindi District . Other smaller ethnic groups in Tanga Region include Mbugu and Pare people . More recently in history, immigrants from other parts of the country and abroad have found economic opportunities in Tanga Region, including Indians and Arabs . The majority of Tanga Region residents practice Sunni Islam with elements of African traditional faiths since

168-501: The Tanga Region of Tanzania . The nature reserve was established in 1997 in order to preserve the unique flora and fauna of the East Usambara Mountains . The East and West Usambara Mountains are a biodiversity hotspot . The Amani Nature Reserve includes tropical cloud forest habitats. Amani is home to African violet (Saintpaulia), which are thought to have a spiritual component (power of forgiveness) to

192-568: The Usambara shrew are also found in the mountains. Just off the coast of Tanga is home to the Coelacanth . Tanga has one of the largest protected marine parks, Tanga Coelacanth Marine Park . The endangered Dugong is found off the coast in Mkinga District near Kirui Island. Tanga Region has a tropical savanna climate with the Köppen climate classification of 49 and Aw. Western Tanga on

216-547: The Amani Botanical Garden of 3 km (1.2 sq mi) and a further 10.7 km (4.1 sq mi) of forest managed by local tea estates. Traditionally, people living in villages adjacent to the reserve have used the forest as a source of timber, firewood and medicinal plants, a place to gather plants, bush meat, honey and fruit for consumption and a source of live birds, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates for international trade. The forests in

240-633: The Handeni plateau is semi-arid and dry. Where are the Usambara mountains share a more temperate climate. Tanga Region receives annual precipitation level of 1,100 to 1,400 millimeters, often raining in April to May during the Wet season . Western Tanga Region gets less annual rainfall at 600mm annually, whilst some parts of the Usambara mountains receive up to 2,000mm annually. The average temperature range during

264-642: The Usambara Mountains has been compared to that of the Galápagos Islands in terms of its richness and biological importance. The area of the Amani Nature Reserve is better studied than many other parts of the range with numerous endemic invertebrates dependent on the native moist forest cover including mites, spiders, freshwater crabs, dragonflies, beetles, butterflies, millipedes and molluscs. There are few large mammals in

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288-448: The area is the presence of the invasive West African tree Maesopsis eminii . This tree germinates readily from seeds which are spread by birds, springs up in gaps in the canopy and outperforms native tree seedlings, displacing rare endemics and reducing biodiversity. The forests of East Usambara have long been separated from other forests and their isolation makes them more vulnerable to invasive species such as M. eminii . The fauna of

312-413: The area. Founded in 1902, after World War II the scientific station became famous for its research into malaria . Since the 1970s the laboratory has remained largely unchanged with the specimens and instruments of a long gone by era. As of 2017 the station receives few visitors and the thirty-four staff maintain the entomological collection continuing to add butterflies and other insects. The reserve

336-627: The caves used it for prayers. In 1963, the then government of Tanganyika handed over the caves to the Department of Antiquities. The cave attracts tourist as well as students for their geography lessons. The attractions include: This Tanga Region location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a regional geological feature is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Tanga Region Tanga Region ( Mkoa wa Tanga in Swahili )

360-688: The country. In comparison, Tanga is larger than the African nation of Burundi at 25,680 square kilometers. The Tanga Region shares land borders with four other regions and three regions across the Pemba Channel namely; Pemba North Region , Pemba South Region and Zanzibar North . Tanga northwestern area is of high elevation, home to the Usambara Mountains with Tanga Region's highest point being Chambolo peak at 2,289 meters above sea level. The largest and longest river in Tanga Region

384-449: The hot months of December to March is a high of 32 and a low of 26 degrees C. In comparison, the average temperature range during the cooler months of May to October is a high of 28 and a low of 20 degrees C. Tanga Region's population in 2012 was around 2,045,205. Lushoto District having the highest population of 492,441. Pangani District has the lowest population of 54,025. Tanga is home to around six major indigenous ethnic groups. It

408-641: The introduction of Islam to the Tangan coast through trade during the Swahili era in the 9th and 10th centuries. Tanga is one of East Africa's largest agricultural producers, especially Citrus fruits. Agriculture is the biggest employer in Tanga Region. The coastal belt 0-15m above sea level covers most of Pangani district, a small coastal strip of Muheza district, Tanga and Mkinga districts. Crops grown in this Tanga coastal belt are coconuts , sisal , cashews , maize , cassava , rice and seaweed . Crops grown in

432-462: The mountains in which the nature reserve is set, and these include the Usambara weaver ( Ploceus nicolli ), Usambara akalat , Usambara hyliota ( Hyliota usambara ) and the Usambara eagle-owl ( Bubo vosseleri ). Others are named after the reserve, and these include the Amani sunbird ( Hedydipna pallidigaster ) and the Amani tailorbird . There are also endemic tree frogs and chameleons unique to

456-611: The native Shambaa people , has enormous ecological value in the Amani ecosystem. The region is listed as one of the top 12 bird-watching locations in the world by Bird Life International , and the Reserve is a recognized Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO . The Amani Nature Reserve was established in 1997 in a forested area in the East Usambara Mountains with an area of 83.8 km (32 sq mi), including

480-473: The region is the Usambara mountains with the Amani Nature Reserve , home to the endemic fauna such as Amani Forest Tree Frog and Usambara torrent frog . In the forest, rare bird species like the Usambara eagle-owl , Usambara weaver , Usambara thrush and the Usambara double-collared sunbird are found. In addition, rare reptiles such as Usambara dwarf gecko , and endangered mammals such as

504-487: The reserve have been described as intermediate evergreen forests or submontane evergreen forest, a type of vegetative cover that tends to grow on the seaward side of both the West and East Usambaras. The dominant trees are Allanblackia stuhlmannii , Isoberlinia scheffleri , Macaranga capensis , Cephalosphaera usambarensis , Myrianthus holstii , Newtonia buchananii and Parinari excelsa . A growing problem in

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528-417: The reserve. Duiker and bushpig are plentiful and there are two species of monkey , but the elephants and leopards that used to inhabit the area are no longer present. The elusive long-billed forest warbler ( Artisornis moreaui ) is known from the reserve and from one other locality, Mount Namuli in northern Mozambique, 1,000 km (600 mi) away. Some of the endemic animals are named after

552-665: The west; and Morogoro and Pwani Regions to the south. It has a coastline to the east with the Indian Ocean . According to the 2022 national census, the region had a population of 2,615,597. The region was previously known as Tanga Province and included Same and Mwanga Districts that are at present in Kilimanjaro Region . Tanga Region is the 15th largest region by size with an area of 26,667 km (10,296 sq mi), after Songwe Region at 27,656 km (10,678 sq mi). An area occupying 3% of

576-456: The wet plains of Tanga are similar to the coastal belt minus the seaweed, but include cotton . Tanga Region is divided into eleven districts , each administered by a council: Amani Nature Reserve The Amani Forest Reserve , officially listed as Amani Nature Forest Reserve ( Msitu wa Akiba wa Amani , In Swahili ) is a protected area located the Muheza and Korogwe Districts in

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