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27-542: The town stretches along a hilltop overlooking the Little Ruaha River to the south, and spreads along ridges and valleys to the north. Iringa is in the Udzungwa Mountains , and the altitude of the town's environs is more than 1,550 metres (5,090 ft) above sea level . The months of June, July, and August can see low temperatures near freezing. The Tanzam Highway passes through the valley below

54-594: A break of gauge ), Katulukilla, Mang’ula, Kiberege, Siginali, Ifakara, Idete, Ruipa, Mbinga, Mngeta, Ikule, Chita, Chisano, Mlimba , Lumumwe, Mpanga, Kitete, Kimbwe, Uchindile, Mgololo, Kiyowela, Kitandililo , and Mahongole. Eastern Arc Mountains The Eastern Arc Mountains are a chain of mountains found in Kenya and Tanzania . The chain runs from northeast to southwest, with the Taita Hills being in Kenya and

81-502: A biodiverse community of flora and fauna with large numbers of endemic species . The mountains are home to the Hehe people , and the name Udzungwa comes from the Kihehe word “Wadzungwa", which means the people who live on mountainsides. Iringa is the largest settlement in the mountains, and the regional headquarters. The Undzungwa Mountains cover an area of 16,131.40 km², the largest of

108-836: A great deal of endemism , and a very diverse flora and fauna. The Udzungwa and other Eastern Arc mountains has extremely high biodiversity with numerous endemic species (more than 25 percent of the vertebrate species). 10 percent of them are protected by the Udzungwa Mountains National Park and the Udzungwa Scarp Nature Forest Reserve. The Udzungwa Mountains are covered with lowland rainforest, montane rainforest, miombo woodland, grassland, and heathland. Forests extend from 300 to 2579 meters elevation, and vary in composition and species type with elevation and rainfall. The wetter eastern and southeastern slopes receive more rain from

135-555: A multi-age TV station with diversified programmes. 7°46′S 35°41′E  /  7.77°S 35.69°E  / -7.77; 35.69 Udzungwa Mountains The Udzungwa Mountains are a mountain range in south-central Tanzania . The mountains are mostly within Iringa Region , south of Tanzania's capital Dodoma . The Udzungwa Mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains , and are home to

162-944: A servicing town for trucks going to neighboring countries such as Zambia , Democratic Republic of Congo , Malawi , Burundi and other EAC countries. Iringa is known for its woven baskets, made from local reeds. The baskets are used across Tanzania and exported internationally. The city is also known for the award-winning Neema Crafts Centre. Iringa municipality has seven FM radio stations: Trap Gang Radio, Ebony FM, Shamba FM Radio, Nuru FM (youth entertainment and commercial radios), Overcomers Radio and Radio Furaha (Christian stations), Kibra Ten Radio (a Muslim station). There are other radio stations elsewhere in Iringa region, such as Kitulo community radio in Makete and another FM radio station in Njombe. Iringa has one TV station: Municipal Television,

189-401: Is working with local communities to protect the park and provide conservation and management support, monitoring, research and ecotourism initiatives. The help of the local communities is encouraged by giving them access to resources such as the collection of firewood, harvesting medicinal plants and gathering grass for thatching. Tanzania's A104 highway runs from northeast to southwest through

216-477: The Cairo-Cape Town Highway passes through Iringa. Iringa has a well-established industrial base, including food processing and logistics industries. Most of its electricity comes from the nearby Mtera Dam . Iringa is a minor transport hub for regular bus travelers. It is a center for trucking services to Dar es Salaam , Mbeya , Songea , and Dodoma and other regions of Tanzania . It is also

243-669: The Southern Highlands which lie to the southwest across the Makambako Gap. Both are Afromontane regions, home to characteristic montane species and ecologically distinct from the adjacent lowlands. The Southern Highlands' climate is more influenced by Lake Malawi than by the Indian Ocean . Some limited-range montane species, including the Kipunji and Kipengere seedeater (Crithagra melanochrous) , inhabit both

270-684: The Eastern Arc ranges. The highest peak in the range is Luhombero at 2,579 metres (8,461 ft). The mountain range extends generally northeast-southwest. The Usangu Plain lies to the northwest, drained by the Great Ruaha River and its tributaries. The Great Ruaha River separates the Udzungwa Mountains from the Rubeho Mountains and Uvidunda Mountains to the northeast. The Kilombero River valley lies to

297-476: The Eastern Arc, as well as thousands of species of invertebrates. About 15 plant genera are endemic to these mountains, as well as Streptocarpus sect. Saintpaulia , the African violet, now used as a houseplant around the world. Many of these endemics have evolved recently, but some are remnants of populations that were at one time more widespread. The Uluguru Mountains and the eastern Usambara Mountains have

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324-745: The Indian Ocean and support evergreen forests on the lower slopes; the drier western and northwestern slopes have deciduous miombo forests and woodlands at lower elevations and evergreen forests only at higher elevations. Broad areas of forest on the central plateau have been cleared for agriculture and pasture. An analysis of satellite images taken between 1999 and 2003 found 1353 km² of the mountains were still covered in evergreen forest. The mountains are home to many mammals , including Abbott's duiker (Cephalophus spadix) , Kipunji (Rungwecebus kipunji) , and Udzungwa red colobus (Cercocebus galeritus) . Elephants (Loxodonta africana) are found in

351-495: The Indian Ocean, and lower in the mountains' rain shadow to the north and west. Temperatures are cooler at higher elevations. The Udzungwa Mountains, along with the others in the Eastern Arc, are made up of ancient crystalline Precambrian rocks that were uplifted over millions of years along fault lines. The most recent period of uplift started 30 million years ago, but the fault system and uplift process may be far older. Soils derived from these ancient rocks are not as fertile as

378-634: The Udzungwa Mountains and the Kipengere Range . The Kihansi spray toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis) , which was found only around a waterfall on the Kihansi River, became extinct in the wild in 2009 when an upstream dam altered its habitat. The toads have since been reintroduced after a successful captive breeding program. Protected areas include Udzungwa Mountains National Park (2088.69 km²), and Udzungwa Scarp (20,220 ha), Kisinga-Rugaro (14,164 ha) and West Kilombero (c.55,000 ha outside

405-552: The central plateau of the mountains, extending northeastwards to Dodoma and southwestwards to Makambako , Mbeya , and the border with Zambia . The A7 highway meets the A104 at Iringa , and extends eastwards through the mountains to Morogoro and Dar es Salaam . The Tazara Railway passes along the southern escarpment of the Udzungwa Mountains, passing through Kidatu (where it meets the Misuku branch of Tanzania's Central Line at

432-507: The forests along the southern escarpment. The grey-faced sengi (Rhynchocyon udzungwensis) is a species of elephant shrew endemic to the mountains. The Udzungwa forest partridge ( Xenoperdix udzungwensis ) is also endemic, and its closest relatives appear to be the hill partridges of Asia. Although the two mountain groups are ecologically distinct, the Eastern Arc Mountains share many species and plant communities with

459-659: The greatest degree of biodiversity. Many endemic species are found on a single mountain range. Four of the endemic birds are similar to Asian species, and may have evolved at a time when the Arabian Peninsula had a coastal fringe of vegetation to act as a passageway; the Udzungwa forest partridge ( Xenoperdix udzungwensis ) is a relict and example of this, it is found only on the Rubeho Mountains and Udzungwa Mountains, and its closest relatives appear to be

486-594: The national park) forest reserves It is possible to visit the Udzungwa Mountains National Park and go hiking and trekking. The park has no roads passable by vehicle and is accessible only by foot. The trekking routes vary, from the short and easy one-hour Sonjo Waterfall hike to the extremely difficult 6 day trek the Lumemo Trail. The most popular route is the Sanje Waterfalls trail, taking about four hours to complete. The World Wide Fund for Nature

513-532: The oldest in East Africa, and though physically separated from each other, share a similar geomorphology and ecology . They were formed at least 100 million years ago along a fault lying to the east of the East African Rift , which is a more recent structure. About 30 million years ago, all this area was covered by extensive rainforest . During a period some 10 million years ago, when the climate

540-501: The other ranges being in Tanzania. They are delimited on the southwest by the fault complex represented by the Makambako Gap that separates them from the Kipengere Range . To the northeast, they are delimited by more recent volcanism represented by Mount Kilimanjaro . The chain is considered a tentative World Heritage Site . The Eastern Arc Mountains form a roughly crescent-shaped arc and consist of: These mountain ranges are

567-524: The south and southeast. To the southwest the Makambako Gap separates the Udzungwa Mountains from the Kipengere Range . Both the Great Ruaha and Kilombero rivers are tributaries of the Rufiji River , which empties into the Indian Ocean. The Lukosi River originates in the central part of the range, and empties eastwards into the Great Ruaha. The Little Ruaha River and its tributaries drain much of

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594-547: The southwest, contains archeological artifacts, particularly stone tools, from human habitation about 70,000 years ago. Iringa Region is home to the Hehe people . After their defeat at Lugalo by the Hehe, led by Chief Mkwawa , the Germans built a military station at 'Neu Iringa' to avenge the death of their commander Emil von Zelewski and to teach the Hehe respect for German authority. The fortress and headquarters of Chief Mkwawa

621-449: The town; the highway distance from Iringa's limits to Dar es Salaam is 502 kilometers (312 mi), via Morogoro . Iringa has a fairly dry climate with mild-to-warm temperatures year round. Iringa has a wet season from December to April, and a nearly rainless period from June to September. Its climate is classified by Köppen as a hot semi-arid climate ( BSh ). The Isimila Stone Age site , which lies about 20 km (12 mi) to

648-491: The western portion of the range, emptying northwards into the Great Ruaha. The Udzungwa Mountains intercept moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean, and receive more rainfall than the surrounding lowlands. Most of the rainfall occurs in the November-to-May wet season, although mist and light rain occur at higher elevations during the dry season months. Rainfall is higher on the southern and southeastern slopes facing

675-443: The younger volcanic soils of mountains to the north and west. About thirty million years ago, the area was covered by extensive rainforest . During a cooler and drier period some ten million years ago, the lowland forests were converted to savanna , leaving the mountain ranges as "islands" where the tropical forests continued to flourish. The long-term persistence of a humid climate and the isolation of each mountain range has led to

702-463: Was cooler and drier, the lowland forests were converted to savanna , leaving the mountain ranges as "islands" where the tropical forests continued to flourish, fed by moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean. This isolation of each mountain range has led to a great deal of endemism , and a very diverse flora and fauna. The Eastern Arc has become known as one of the world's top-20 biodiversity hotspots. Seventy-five species of vertebrate are endemic to

729-576: Was in the nearby village of Kalenga , Alt Iringa. Iringa has several institutions of higher education, including Tumaini University, Iringa University College , Mkwawa University College of Education (a constituent college of the University of Dar es Salaam ), and Ruaha Catholic University (RUCU)). There are also secondary schools like Tosamaganga high school, Malangali high school, Iringa girls' secondary school, Ifunda technical school and Ruaha Secondary School . The trans-African automobile route —

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