Iringa

Introduction

City in Iringa Region, Tanzania This article is about the city. For the region of Tanzania, see Iringa Region. For the municipal administrative district, see Iringa Urban. For the rural administrative district, see Iringa Rural. Not to be confused with Iriga. City of Iringa Region in TanzaniaIringa Lilinga (Hehe)City of Iringa RegionHilltop view of IringaNickname: Home of the BraveIringaLocation in TanzaniaCoordinates: 7°46′S 35°42′E / 7.767°S 35.700°E / -7.767; 35.700Country TanzaniaRegionIringaDistrictIringa UrbanGovernment • TypeDemocratic • (Member of Parliament)Jesca Msambatavangu • Region commissionerQueen Sendiga • District commissionerRichard KaseselaPopulation (2022 census) • Total202,490Time zoneUTC+3 (East Africa Time)ClimateBSh IringaPronunciationⓘ is a city in Tanzania with a population of 202,490 (as of 2022[update]) and situated at a latitude of 7.77°S and longitude of 35.69°E. The name is derived from the Hehe word lilinga, meaning fort. Iringa is the administrative capital of Iringa Region. Iringa Municipal Council is the administrative designation of the Municipality of Iringa. Iringa has been one of the coldest regions in Tanzania due to its geographical location but that has attracted a lot of tourists from colder regions abroad especially Western Europe. Iringa also hosts one of Africa’s largest national parks the Ruaha National Park.

Geography

[edit] 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 the town; the highway distance from Iringa's limits to Dar es Salaam is 502 kilometers (312 mi), via Morogoro. Climate[edit] 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). Climate data for Iringa (1991–2020) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 26.7(80.1) 26.9(80.4) 27.0(80.6) 26.4(79.5) 26.2(79.2) 25.4(77.7) 24.7(76.5) 25.7(78.3) 27.5(81.5) 28.8(83.8) 29.4(84.9) 28.0(82.4) 26.9(80.4) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 16.7(62.1) 16.2(61.2) 15.9(60.6) 15.7(60.3) 14.6(58.3) 13.0(55.4) 12.4(54.3) 12.6(54.7) 13.5(56.3) 15.0(59.0) 16.2(61.2) 16.6(61.9) 14.9(58.8) Average rainfall mm (inches) 147.3(5.80) 130.2(5.13) 128.0(5.04) 57.7(2.27) 13.1(0.52) 0.5(0.02) 0.0(0.0) 0.0(0.0) 0.6(0.02) 4.8(0.19) 28.0(1.10) 121.8(4.80) 632.0(24.88) Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 13.3 10.9 11.7 7.5 2.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.5 2.8 10.4 59.3 Source: NOAA

History

[edit] The Isimila Stone Age site, which lies about 20 km (12 mi) to 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 was in the nearby village of Kalenga, Alt Iringa.

Education

[edit] University of 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.

Economy

[edit] Main road with the clock tower in Iringa city The trans-African automobile route — 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 a servicing town for trucks going to neighboring countries such as Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Burundi and other EAC countries.

Crafts

[edit] 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.

Media

[edit] Iringa Commonwealth War Cemetery This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) 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, a multi-age TV station with diversified programmes.