Morogoro
Encyclopedia
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, 190 km west of Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
. It is the capital of the Morogoro Region
Morogoro Region
Morogoro Region is one of the regions of Tanzania. Its capital is Morogoro. It is bordered to the North by the Tanga Region, to the East by the Pwani and Lindi Regions, to the South by the Ruvuma Region and to the West by the Iringa and Dodoma Regions....
. It is also known informally as "Mji kasoro bahari," which translates as 'city short of an ocean/port'.
Overview
Uluguru Mountains
The Uluguru Mountains are a mountain range in eastern Tanzania, Africa, named after the Luguru tribe. The main Uluguru Mountains is a ridge running approximately north-south and rising to 2,630 m altitude at its highest point...
, and is a centre of agriculture in the region, with the Sokoine University of Agriculture
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Sokoine University of Agriculture is a university in Tanzania, specializing in agriculture.-Introduction:INTRODUCTION TO SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE...
based in the city. A number of missions are also based in the town, providing schools and hospitals. The town is the administrative headquarters of the Morogoro region. It is also a traditionally music town, home of Salim Abdullah founder of the Cuban Marimba jazz band. The band was in the fore-front of promotion of Tanzanian music. He was a prolific composer and singer of the Cuban style rumba music of the late 1950s' and post-independent Tanzania. After his death, tha band struggled to regain its prominence but faded to oblivion. The town was also a home of a Moro jazz, another well known rival band of the time. In the mid '60s to '70s, Morogoro was a home of another well known musician Mbaraka Mwinshehe a lead guitarist and song composer who died in a car accident in Mombasa, Kenya. It was also known for its football clubs.
Morogoro is a town connecting a triregion area of country's capital city, Dar-es-Salaam and the centrally located town of Dodoma and the southern highland town of Iringa. It enjoys the rainfall levels vital in the agriculture of rice, sugar cane and the cool temperature that allow tropical fruits and vegetables all year around. On the western plains of the region there is the Mikumi national park.
In the colonial days the outskirts stretched for mile with sisal
Sisal
Sisal is an agave that yields a stiff fibre traditionally used in making twine, rope and also dartboards. The term may refer either to the plant or the fibre, depending on context...
plantations then an export cash product, Tanzania is the world's second largest sisal producer.
Amani Centre
Morogoro is home to the amani centre which has reached out and helped over 3400 disabled people in the surrounding villages. The founder, Mama Bakhita, started the centre by teaching about six children under a mango tree.The Amani Centre is willing to have as much help as possible, such as donations or volunteers.
Transport
Morogoro is served by a station on the Central Railway of Tanzania RailwaysTanzania Railways Corporation
The Tanzania Railways Corporation ' is a state-owned enterprise that runs one of Tanzania's two main railway networks.When the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation was dissolved in 1977 and its assets divided between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, TRC was formed to take over EARH's railway,...
. Public transport buses called Dala-dala
Dala-dala
Dala-dala , or share taxis, are the most common form of public transportation in Dar es Salaam as well as Tanzania in general...
are available for transport within the town. Most of the business people own bicycles or motorbikes.
Water
Eighty percent of the Morogoro's water supply comes from the Mindu Dam on the Ngerengere RiverNgerengere River
Ngerengere River is a river of the Morogoro Region of Tanzania.The dam project, began in 1978, which has been surrounded by controversy.The Mindu Dam is being rapidly silted due to deforestation in the surrounding areas. It faces mercury poisoning from gold mining nearby and a threat to water supply....
. The dam project, begun in 1978, has been surrounded by controversy. The new body of standing water has led to high rates of bilharzia infection, and mercury run-off from gold mining nearby the dam has caused pollution of the city's water supply. The dam is also being rapidly silted due to deforestation in the surrounding areas.
Culture and sports
The city is represented in the Tanzanian Premier LeagueTanzanian Premier League
Tanzanian Premier League is the top division of the Football Association of Tanzania, it was created in 1965. The competition was simply known as national league and later First Division Soccer League until the name Premier league was adopted in 1997.-Format:...
by football clubs Moro United
Moro United
Moro United is a Tanzanian football club based in Morogoro..They play in the top level of Tanzanian professional football, the Tanzanian Premier League.Their home games are played at Jamhuri Stadium.-Performance in CAF competitions:...
and Polisi Morogoro
Polisi Morogoro
Polisi Morogoro is a football club in Morogoro, Tanzania..They play in the top level of Tanzanian professional football, the Tanzanian Premier League.-Current squad:...
.
Sister cities
The city of Milwaukee in the state of WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in the United States is a sister city of Morogoro as designated by Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities. More than 2,000 cities, states and counties are partnered in 136 countries around the world...
. Morogoro is also twinned with Linköping
Linköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Vaasa
Vaasa
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.