Tanga Bay

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Tanga Bay
Ghuba la Tanga (Swahili)
Ship in the Tanga Bay.jpg
Tanga Bay from Central
Tanzania relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Tanga Bay
Location in Tanzania
LocationFlag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania,
Tanga Region,
Tanga City Council
Group Pemba Channel
Coordinates 5°02′25″S39°06′53″E / 5.04028°S 39.11472°E / -5.04028; 39.11472
Type Bay
Etymology Tanga
River sources Sigi River & Mkulumuzi River
Ocean/sea sources Indian Ocean
DesignationProtected waterbody
Max. length11 km (6.8 mi)
Max. width2.8 km (1.7 mi)
Islands Tanga Island & Ulenge Island
Settlements Tanga

Tanga Bay (Ghuba la Tanga, in Swahili) is a bay in Mkinga District of Tanga Region of Tanzania. [1] The bay is home to Tanga Island and is surrounded in the north by Chongoleani ward, west by Mabokweni and Mzizima wards. To the south is Central and Chumbageni wards. [2] The archaeological survey of the area demonstrated that the Tanga Bay and Amboni Caves regions offer sites worth funding for future excavations. It's probable that the ancient trading hub of Toniki, which the Ptolemy claimed to be in latitude 4 South, was situated in the study region. [3] [4]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maziwi Island</span> Protected island and marine reserve in Tanga Region of Tanzania

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Central is an administrative ward in Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania. Tanga Bay borders the ward on its northern side. Pemba Channel lies to the east, and Mzingani, Usagara, Ngamiani Kaskazini, and Majengo ward are to the south. The Chumbageni ward is to the west. The ward covers an area of 3.8 km2 (1.5 sq mi), and has an average elevation of 10 m (33 ft). The ward seat is Halmashauri ya Jiji and is home to the Port of Tanga. According to the 2012 census, the ward has a total population of 5,739.

Chongoleani(Kata ya Chongoleani , in Swahili) is an administrative ward in Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania. The Mtimbwani and Kwale wards of Mkinga border the ward to the north. Tanga Bay of Pemba Channel is to the east. The Tanga Bay is to the south. Mabokweni ward is to the west. The ward covers an area of 37 km2 (14 sq mi). and has an average elevation of 10 m (33 ft). According to the 2012 census, the ward has a total population of 4,737.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chumbageni</span> Ward in Tanga City Council, Tanga Region

Chumbageni(Kata ya Chumbageni , in Swahili) is an administrative ward in Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania. Tanga Bay and Mzizima Ward, which are separated by the Mkulumuzi River and Tanga Bay, border the ward to the north. Central ward is to the east. Majengo, Mwanzange, and Nguvumali wards are to the south. Kiomoni ward is to the west. The ward covers an area of 2.5 km2 (0.97 sq mi), and has an average elevation of 23 m (75 ft). According to the 2012 census, the ward has a total population of 14,225.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiomoni</span> Ward in Tanga City Council, Tanga Region

Kiomoni is an administrative ward in Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania. The Mzizima, Gombero, and Mnyenzani wards the latter two of Mkinga, surround the ward on its northern side. Chumbageni and Nguvumali wards are to the east. Maweni and Pongwe wards are located to the south. The Muheza District wards of Mlingoni and Pande Darajani are to the west. The ward covers an area of 83.5 km2 (32.2 sq mi), and has an average elevation of 52 m (171 ft). The ward is home to the Amboni Caves and also the largest limestone mine in the country. According to the 2012 census, the ward has a total population of 6,587.

Kirare is an administrative ward in Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania. Marungu forms the ward's northern boundary. Tongoni is to the east. Kigombe ward is in the south. The Muheza District ward of Ngomeni is to the west. The ward covers an area of 55.6 km2 (21.5 sq mi), and has an average elevation of 39 m (128 ft). According to the 2012 census, the ward has a total population of 4,756.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Msambweni, Tanga City Council</span> Ward in Tanga City Council, Tanga Region

Msambweni is an administrative ward in Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania. Ngamiani Kusini forms the northern boundary of the ward. Makorora is the ward that is borered to the east. The Mabawa and Duga ward is to the south. The Mwanzange is to the west. The ward covers an area of 0.7 km2 (0.27 sq mi), and has an average elevation of 18 m (59 ft). According to the 2012 census, the ward has a total population of 9,610.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mzizima, Tanga City Council</span> Ward in Tanga City Council, Tanga Region

Mzizima is an administrative ward in Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania. Mabokweni ward borders the ward on its northern side. To the east are Chumbageni and Tanga Bay. The ward of Kiomoni is to the south. The Gombero ward of Mkinga is to the west. The ward covers an area of 56.2 km2 (21.7 sq mi), and has an average elevation of 97 m (318 ft). The Sigi River traverses through the ward into Tanga Bay. The ward is also home to the Mzizima Hot Springs also known as Galanos Hot Springs. According to the 2012 census, the ward has a total population of 11,570.

Kwale Island is a protected, seasonally inhabited island in the Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II located inside Kwale ward in Mkinga District of Tanga Region in Tanzania. The coral island, located approximately a kilometer offshore in Manza Bay, and the modern hamlet on the shoreline are both referred to as Kwale. 86.2% of Kwale Island, or 528.1 Ha, is covered with mangroves. Kwale Island and Ulenge Island are the only seasonally inhabited by islands in the marine reserve, thus the two have the most human impact. The Island has an average elevation of 7 m (23 ft).

Kirui Island officially, Kirui Island Marine Reserve is a protected, uninhabited island in the Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II located within Mkinga District of Tanga Region in Tanzania. The Island is the largest in Tanga and one of the largest protected marine Islands in Tanzania Mangroves are thought to cover 680 ha (ha) of the island of Kirui, with the largest mangrove area being on the north and west sides, Kigomeni mangrove being on the east coast, and Kirui South Mangrove being on the south.

The Tanga Marine Reserves System (TMRS) is a group of marine reserves in the Tanga Region of Tanzania. All TMRs, though, serve as significant sea bird breeding areas. The Tanga Marine Reserves are: Kirui Island, Maziwe Island, Ulenge Island, Kwale Island and Mwewe Island.

Mwewe Island officially, Mwewe Island Marine Reserve is a protected, uninhabited island in the Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II located within Mkinga District of Tanga Region in Tanzania. Acoording to oral Digo history, the island was used by some Kirui Island residents, Mwewe Island was eventually purchased by Sultan Bin Athmani of Moa.

Ulenge Island officially, Ulenge Island Marine Reserve is a protected, seasonally habited island in the Tanga Bay of Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II located within Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania. Kwale Island and Ulenge Island are the only islands in the marine reserve that are seasonally inhabited. Of Tanga's whole marine reserves system, Ulenge Island is the most degraded. Ulenge's reefs had the lowest fish numbers and the lowest coral cover and species diversity. This is mostly because Tanga Bay and Tanga City Council are nearby, which has a greater negative human impact. Ulenge Island is nicknamed by English speakers as Bird Island due to its importance as a seabird sanctuary.

References

  1. "Tanga Bay".
  2. "Tanzania: Northern Zone(Districts and Wards) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
  3. Peter, Mandela, Abel D. Shikoni, and Felix A. Chami. "A preliminary report of an archaeological survey of the Tanga Bay vicinity, including Amboni caves perimeter, and the Kwale Island in the northern coast of Tanzania." Studies in the African Past 12 (2019): 98-103.
  4. Marean, Curtis W., and John J. Shea. "Archaeological reconnaissance of the Mkulumuzi and Sigi river valleys, Tanga District, Tanzania." Nyame akuma 45 (1996): 72-81.