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23-801: The river rises in the Amani Nature Reserve in the east Usambara Mountains in Muheza District , more precisely in Handei Mountains, at an altitude of 1130 meters and flows for 100 km in a long course and multiple changes of direction to its mouth 40 km north of the town of Tanga in the Indian Ocean . Its tributaries are the Kihuhui (from south) and the Musi (from North). Average monthly flow of Zigi measured at

46-547: A majority of the population of northeast Tanzania. The Usambara Mountains are fairly unusual in East Africa with their natural regions still covered in tropical forests , which otherwise continentally remain primarily in Western Africa. Considered tremendously significant ecologically and a Biodiversity hotspot . There are many protected zones throughout the range, which are being expanded and contributed to by

69-476: A relatively consistent climate, the rainforest has gone through a long term and unique evolution resulting in an impressive amount of endemism and an old-growth cloud rainforests. The West and East Usambaras are large ranges of Precambrian metamorphic geologic formations of acid- gneisses , pyroxenes , and amphiboles . These mountains were formed by faulting and uplifting creating the drainage system of troughs that form many watersheds, which provide water to

92-542: A small herb which he sent to his father, who cultivated them into plants. Hermann Wendland , the director of the Herrenhausen Gardens , formally described the plants and recognized them as representing a new species in a new genus, Saintpaulia ionantha , with the English common name African violet . Wendland's scientific name for the plant based the generic name Saintpaulia on von Saint Paul-Ilaire;

115-483: Is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation. Norman Myers wrote about the concept in two articles in The Environmentalist in 1988 and 1990, after which the concept was revised following thorough analysis by Myers and others into "Hotspots: Earth's Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions" and a paper published in

138-624: Is accessible from the towns of Lushoto in the west, and Amani in the east. The Usambaras are commonly split into two sub-ranges, the West Usambara Mountains and the East Usambara Mountains. The East Usambara are closer to the coast, receive more rainfall, and are significantly smaller than the West Usambara. The mountain range was formed nearly two million years ago. Due to a lack of glaciations and

161-520: The East Usambaras, which are nearer the coast and receive more rainfall. The mountains are clad in virgin tropical rainforest which has been isolated for a long period and they are a centre of endemism . Historically they were inhabited by Bantu , Shambaa , and Maasai people but in the eighteenth century, a Shambaa kingdom was founded by Mbegha . The kingdom eventually fell apart after a succession struggle in 1862. German colonists settled in

184-626: The Tanzanian government, associated NGO's and research teams, and donor countries such as Norway . Several species are endemic to the Usambara forests, including the Usambara eagle-owl ( Bubo vosseleri ), the Usambara akalat ( Sheppardia montana ), the Usambara weaver ( Ploceus nicolli ), the African violet ( Saintpaulia ionantha ), the tree species Calodendrum eickii . Historically

207-533: The Usambara Mountains have been inhabited by the Bantu , Shambaa , and Maasai people who were a mix of agriculturalists and pastoralists. A Shambaa kingdom based at Vugha was founded by Mbegha in the first half of the 18th century. His grandson Kinyashi Muanga Ike gave the kingdom a stronger political and military structure. Under Kinyashi's son Kimweri ye Nyumbai the kingdom grew to cover both

230-623: The West Usambaras. The ecosystems of the Usambaras were significantly disrupted by foreign-controlled logging companies that carried out large-scale deforestation from the 1950s onwards. A sawmill at Tanga processed East Usambara timber, and its output was increased in the 1970s with Finnish development funding. Major land and forest degradation remains a pressing issue. There are still many places that attract visitors looking for experiences beyond developed tourist resorts. These include

253-626: The area which was to become German East Africa , and after World War I it became part of the British mandated territory of Tanganyika . The Usambaras are approximately 90 kilometres (56 mi) long and ranging from 30–50 kilometres (19–31 mi) in width. They form part of the Eastern Arc Mountains , which stretch from Kenya through Tanzania. The range is one of the world's Biodiversity hotspots . The highest point being Chambolo peak at 2,289 meters above sea level. The range

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276-719: The current levels at which deforestation is occurring, will likely lose most of their plant and vertebrate species. Only a small percentage of the total land area within biodiversity hotspots is now protected. Several international organizations are working to conserve biodiversity hotspots. Most biodiversity exists within the tropics; likewise, most hotspots are tropical. Of the 36 biodiversity hotspots, 15 are classified as old, climatically-buffered, infertile landscapes (OCBILs). These areas have been historically isolated from interactions with other climate zones, but recent human interaction and encroachment have put these historically safe hotspots at risk. OCBILs have mainly been threatened by

299-531: The easternmost ranges of the Eastern Arc Mountains . The ranges of approximately 90 kilometres (56 mi) long and about half that wide, are situated in the Lushoto District of the Tanga Region . They were formed nearly two million years ago by faulting and uplifting, and are composed of Precambrian metamorphic rocks. They are split into two sub-ranges; the West Usambaras being higher than

322-474: The forest versus forest as a "separate wilderness". The result of colonialism was a massive change in the way forests were perceived in the community, and conversion of traditional agriculture to cultivating cash crops such as quinine, pine trees, bananas, maize, tea, and coffee. In 1882 Walter von Saint Paul-Illaire , the governor of the Usambara District of German East Africa, collected seeds of

345-440: The highest growth rates (about 4% compared to the Tanzanian national average of 2.1%), a staggering amount of poverty, and highest densities of people in all of Tanzania. Most of the inhabitants are subsistence farmers who rely heavily on the forests around them for timber, medicinal plants, clearing for agriculture, and fuelwood. By 2000 nearly 70% of the original forest cover of the East Usambaras had been lost, and over 85% in

368-703: The hydrological station in Lanconi Estate, approximately 10 km above the Mabayani Dam in m³ / s (1957 - 1990). The Zigi flows stimulate time-dependent, like most rivers in the region. 5°2′6″S 39°6′1″E  /  5.03500°S 39.10028°E  / -5.03500; 39.10028 This article related to a river in Tanzania is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Usambara Mountains The Usambara Mountains of northeastern Tanzania in tropical East Africa , comprise

391-421: The journal Nature , both in 2000. To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot on Myers' 2000 edition of the hotspot map, a region must meet two strict criteria: it must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (more than 0.5% of the world's total) as endemics , and it has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation. Globally, 36 zones qualify under this definition. These sites support nearly 60% of

414-491: The land but have lost around 85% of their area. This loss of habitat is why approximately 60% of the world's terrestrial life lives on only 2.4% of the land surface area. Caribbean Islands like Haiti and Jamaica are facing serious pressures on the populations of endemic plants and vertebrates as a result of rapid deforestation. Other areas include the Tropical Andes, Philippines, Mesoamerica, and Sundaland, which, under

437-721: The relocation of indigenous groups and military actions, as the infertile ground has previously dissuaded human populations. The conservation of OCBILs within biodiversity hotspots has started to garner attention because current theories believe these sites provide not only high levels of biodiversity, but they have relatively stable lineages and the potential for high levels of speciation in the future. Because these sites are relatively stable, they can be classified as refugia . North and Central America The Caribbean South America Europe Africa Central Asia South Asia Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific East Asia West Asia The high profile of

460-414: The specific name he assigned means violet ( Greek : ion ) flower ( Greek : anthos ). In their native Usambara Mountains cloudforests , the plants are threatened with extinction. Following World War I, it became part of the British mandate territory of Tanganyika . The British administration continued to reserve and exploit forests. Today, the population of the Usambara Mountains region has one of

483-400: The trade town of Lushoto , the once-popular German resort Amani Nature Reserve and farm, and Sokoine University of Agriculture 's Mazumbai Forest Reserve, which is considered the last example of pristine tropical forest in the East Usambaras. 4°45′S 38°30′E  /  4.750°S 38.500°E  / -4.750; 38.500 Biodiversity hotspot A biodiversity hotspot

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506-677: The west and east Usambaras, extending down to the coast and into the Pangani River valley to the south. After Kimweri died in 1862 the kingdom fell apart in a succession struggle. In the late 19th century when within the Usambara District of German East Africa , German colonialists came into the area bringing with them a mix of cash crops like lumber trees, coffee, tea, and quinine , and also designated forests as reserves for either water conservation or timber use. They also brought many new Western concepts, which often were diametrically opposed to traditional beliefs, such as coexistence with

529-432: The world's plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species , with a high share of those species as endemics. Some of these hotspots support up to 15,000 endemic plant species, and some have lost up to 95% of their natural habitat. Biodiversity hotspots host their diverse ecosystems on just 2.4% of the planet's surface. Ten hotspots were originally identified by Myer; the current 36 used to cover more than 15.7% of all

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