Kigoma

{{Short description|City and lake port in Kigoma Region, Tanzania}} {{Infobox settlement   |official_name=Kigoma |other_name= |native_name= |nickname = |settlement_type = Port city of Kigoma Region |motto=  |image_skyline=Kigoma kituo cha reli 2012 Tamino.jpg |image_caption=Kigoma Railway Station |image_flag = |flag_size= |image_seal= |seal_size= |image_shield= |shield_size= |image_map= |map_caption= |pushpin_mapsize= |pushpin_label_position=bottom |pushpin_map=Tanzania |pushpin_map_caption= Location of Kigoma. |pushpin_relief=yes  |subdivision_type=Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Tanzania}} |subdivision_type1=Region |subdivision_name1=Kigoma Region |subdivision_type2=District |subdivision_name2=Kigoma-Ujiji District  |government_footnotes= |government_type= |leader_title= |leader_name= |leader_title1= |leader_name1= |established_title= |established_date= |established_title2= |established_date2= |established_title3= |established_date3=  |unit_pref = Metric |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = 92.67 |area_land_km2 =  |area_water_km2 = |area_water_percent =  |population_as_of = 2022 census |population_footnotes = <ref name=pop>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/tanzania/cities/ Citypopulation.de] Population of cities & urban localities in Tanzania</ref> |population_note = |population_total = 232,388 |population_density_km2 = auto |coordinates={{coord|4|53|S|29|38|E|region:TZ|display=inline,title}}  |timezone=East Africa Time |utc_offset=+3 |timezone_DST= |utc_offset_DST= |elevation_footnotes= |elevation_m=775  |postal_code_type= |postal_code= |area_code=028 |blank_name=Climate |blank_info=Aw |website={{URL|http://www.kigoma.go.tz/|Town website}} |footnotes= }} '''Kigoma''' is a city and lake port in Kigoma-Ujiji District in Tanzania, on the northeastern shores of Lake Tanganyika and close to the border with Burundi and The Democratic Republic of the Congo. It serves as the capital for the surrounding Kigoma Region and has a population of 232,388 (2022 census).<ref name=pop/> The city is situated at an elevation of {{convert|775|m}}.

The historic trading town of Ujiji is located {{convert|6|km}} south-east of Kigoma.

==Transport== ===Maritime transport=== thumb|left|The Kigoma port during the day time. Kigoma is one of the busiest ports on northeastern Lake Tanganyika since historically it was the only one that had a functioning railway connection (the one at Kalemie in The Democratic Republic of the Congo is not operational at the moment{{when|date=September 2019}}), a direct link to the ocean port at Dar es Salaam. Kigoma Port in the Kigoma Bay has a wharf of {{convert|200|m|spell=in}} and several cranes and is equipped to handle shipping containers.<ref>[http://www.trctz.com/kigoma.htm Tanzania Railways Corporation: ''Kigoma Port.''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928074527/http://www.trctz.com/kigoma.htm |date=2007-09-28 }} Retrieved 30 May 2007.</ref> However, the bay is suffering from silting up as a result of soil erosion from surrounding hills, and the water depths at wharfside has diminished from {{convert|6|m}} to {{convert|1.8|m}}. This may threaten the economic growth of the port. In May 2007 the Tanzanian Government announced a plan to create an economic zone at the port to stimulate trade and to ensure stable economic growth of the Port for the government in Power in 2015 and 2020.<ref>[http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=7016 ''Daily News, Tanzania'': "500m/- set for Kigoma economic zone."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831080512/http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/page.php?id=7016 |date=2007-08-31 }} Monday, May 28, 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.</ref>

The ''MV Liemba'' sails every week from Kigoma to Mpulungu in Zambia at the southern tip of Lake Tanganyika, stopping at a number of other lakeside towns in Tanzania on the way. The ''MV Mwongozo'' sails from Kigoma to Baraka, Uvira and Bujumbura at the northern tip of the lake, although it is not working currently. There are other ships from Congo and Burundi that sail to Kigoma Port every week.

===Road=== Current road connections to and from Kigoma are improving. However, travellers should be advised to take extra precautions when travelling. A gravel road links the town northeast to the national road network, and earth tracks link north to Burundi and southeast to Sumbawanga.<ref>Michelin Motoring and Tourist Map (2000): "No 955 Africa Central and South". Michelin, Paris.</ref>

===Railway=== thumb|The Kigoma rail station in 1953 The Central Line of the Tanzania Railways Corporation runs from Kigoma to the Port of Dar es Salaam on to the Indian Ocean coast via Tabora and Dodoma. It was completed in 1915 when Kigoma was part of German East Africa. In Tabora, there is a connection to Mwanza on Lake Victoria, with ferry connections to other Tanzanian lakeshore places, and formerly Uganda. At Tabora, you can also travel by train to Mpanda. For a time in early 2010, the line was closed<ref>''The Economist'', [https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2010/07/22/pretty-squalid Burundi's election; Pretty squalid; East Africa’s weakest new component] Retrieved 24 July 2010</ref> but service has apparently been restored.<ref>''The Washington Post'', [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/24/AR2010092403675.html A train ride across Tanzania] Retrieved 9 October 2010</ref>

===Airport=== The city is served by Kigoma Airport which has scheduled service to Bujumbura and Dar es Salaam.

== Climate == Kigoma has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen ''Aw'') with a wet season between November and April. {{Weather box |width=auto |metric first = Yes |single line = Yes |location = Kigoma (1991–2020) | Jan high C = 28.1 | Feb high C = 28.8 | Mar high C = 28.7 | Apr high C = 29.1 | May high C = 29.6 | Jun high C = 29.5 | Jul high C = 29.5 | Aug high C = 30.5 | Sep high C = 31.1 | Oct high C = 29.9 | Nov high C = 28.0 | Dec high C = 27.7 | year high C = 29.2 | Jan low C = 19.8 | Feb low C = 19.9 | Mar low C = 19.8 | Apr low C = 19.8 | May low C = 19.1 | Jun low C = 17.2 | Jul low C = 16.3 | Aug low C = 17.4 | Sep low C = 19.1 | Oct low C = 20.0 | Nov low C = 19.9 | Dec low C = 19.8 | year low C = 19.0 | rain colour = green | Jan rain mm = 127.0 | Feb rain mm = 91.8 | Mar rain mm = 149.5 | Apr rain mm = 119.2 | May rain mm = 40.8 | Jun rain mm = 6.0 | Jul rain mm = 1.7 | Aug rain mm = 4.4 | Sep rain mm = 21.8 | Oct rain mm = 75.1 | Nov rain mm = 151.8 | Dec rain mm = 143.8 | year rain mm = 932.9 | unit rain days = 1.0 mm | Jan rain days = 11.1 | Feb rain days = 8.6 | Mar rain days = 12.5 | Apr rain days = 10.3 | May rain days = 3.6 | Jun rain days = 0.9 | Jul rain days = 0.1 | Aug rain days = 0.6 | Sep rain days = 2.3 | Oct rain days = 8.1 | Nov rain days = 13.2 | Dec rain days = 13.2 | year rain days = 84.5 |source = NOAA<ref name=WMOCLINO>{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230916051212/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Tanzania/CSV/KIGOMA_63801.csv | archive-date = 16 September 2023 | url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Tanzania/CSV/KIGOMA_63801.csv | title = Kigoma Climate Normals 1991–2020 | work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020) | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = 16 September 2023}}</ref> |date=November 2011. }}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading== *{{cite journal |last1=Castryck |first1=Geert |title=The Belgian Base at Kigoma's Railhead (1920s–1930s). |journal=Comparativ |date=2015 |volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=70–86 |doi=10.26014/j.comp.2015.04.05 |url=https://www.comparativ.net/v2/article/view/614}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} {{Wikivoyage}}

Category:Populated places in Kigoma Region Category:Regional capitals in Tanzania Category:Populated places on Lake Tanganyika Category:Cities in the Great Rift Valley