Biggest Cities In Tanzania

5. Mbeya

Mbeya is the fifth largest city in Tanzania with a population of 385,279 people. The city is the capital of the Mbeya administrative region of Tanzania. The area around the city is very hilly and covered in shrubs including heather, while the Loleza Mountain is located behind the town. Mbeya was founded in the 1920s as a gold mining town and in the 1970s farmers and small time entrepreneurs came to the town via the TAZARA railway. Nowadays, the city is a growing business center and city for the southern area of the country, as well as for the neighboring countries of the Congo, Malawi and Zambia. The city's main attractions for tourist are focused on wildlife and nature, including the Kitulo and Ruaha National Parks, Lake Nyasa, the Mwalalo Water Falls and one of the world's largest meteorites, the Mbozi meteorite. The city is also host to two Tanzanian Premier League teams, Mbeya City Football Club and Prisons Football Club, as well as being the location of many various companies.

4. Dodoma

Dodoma is the fourth largest city and the national capital of Tanzania with a population of 410,956 people. Dodoma is also the capital of the Dodoma Region of the country. In 1907, when Tanzania was part of German East Africa (1891-1919), German colonists who where constructing the Tanzanian central railway, founded the city as a place to live. Dodoma is located in the heart of Tanzania and its central location is the major reason that it was chosen to be the capital in 1973. Despite being the capital city, Dodoma only houses the National Assembly of the country. Dodoma is home to a intentional school, the Canon Andrea Mwaka School and St. Johns University of Tanzania, which are both run by the Anglican Church. The city also has two football clubs, Polisi Dodoman and the JKT Ruvu Stars, in the Tanzanian Premier League.

3. Arusha

Arusha is the third largest city in Tanzania with a population of 416,442 people. Arusha is also the capital of the Arusha Region of the country. The current site of the city was first settled at some point in the 1830s by the Masai people who came from the town of Arusha Chini. The city is in the northern part of the country and is located on the eastern areas of the Great Rift Valley, sitting on the southern slopes of Mount Meru. The city is the largest manufacturing and financial city in its part of Tanzania. The city receives a great deal of tourist footfall, and it is nearby to many natural areas, including the Ngorongogo Conservation Area, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Arusha National Park, among others. The city also hosts the East African Community, hosted the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and is the headquarters of the Aang Serian Drum media center. The city is also home to the Arusha FC football team and the Tanzanian national rugby team.

2. Mwanza

Mwanza is the second largest city in Tanzania with a population of 706,543 people. Mwanza is the capital of the Mwanza Region of the country. The city was founded in 1892, shortly after the country became part of the German East Africa colony. The city is located in the northern part of Tanzania, on the shores of Lake Victoria and is surrounded by vast, rocky hills. Being on the shores of a lake, fishing is a major industry in the city, with five different fish processing plants located here. The city is also home to the recently opened Rock City Mall, which is one of the largest malls in the whole country. The city's major university is the St. Augustine University of Tanzania and it is also host to the Toto African football club that plays in the Tanzanian Premier League.

1. Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam is by far the largest city in Tanzania with a population of 4,364,541 people. Dar es Salaam is the capital of the Dar es Salaam Region and the largest city in all of eastern Africa. In 1865 Sultan Majid bin Said of Zanzibar (1834-70) built the city of Dae es Salaam close to the city of Mzizima. In 1887, the German East Africa Company set up a station in the town, helping to bring it out of decline. Dar es Salaam then became the capital of German East Africa and later was the capital of the British colony of Tanganyika (1922-61). After Tanzania became Independence Dar es Salaam was the capital until 1973, when it was moved to Dodoma. However, most of Tanzania's embassies and government still reside in Dar es Salaam. The city is located on the east coast of Tanzania, set on a natural harbor. The country's central bank, the Bank of Tanzania and the Dar es Salaam stock exchange are both located in the city, making it financially important. The city is home to the PSPF Twin Towers, which is the tallest building in all of Tanzania. The city is also a major hub of shipping and trade, as it handles around 90% of the country's total cargo. Dar es Salaam is host to several different football clubs and has two of the National Museum's of Tanzania located in the city.