Mbeya is a city located in south west Tanzania, Africa. Mbeya's urban population is 620,000 according to the 2022 census.
Mbeya is the capital of the surrounding rural Mbeya region (population, with Mbeya, totals approx. 2 million).
Mbeya is situated at an altitude of 1,700 metres (5,500 ft), and sprawls through a narrow highland valley surrounded by a bowl of high mountains. The main language is colloquial Swahili, and the English language is extensively taught in schools.
Following the 1906 gold rush, Mbeya was founded as a gold mining town in the 1920s. The TAZARA railway later attracting farming migrants and small entrepreneurs to the area.
Mbeya and its district were administered by the British until 1961. Mbeya Region was created in 1961. Mbeya City is now a growing metropolis and business centre for the southern regions and the neighbouring countries of Malawi, Zambia and Congo. The city is well connected with an all-weather road that forms part of the "Great North Road" running from Cape Town to Alexandria. The city has several tribes including the Safwa, Nyakyusa, Nyiha and Ndali all being agricultural peoples.
Mbeya also boasts as one of the regions that form the bread basket of Tanzania.
Mbeya is served by the Mbeya Railway Station which is near the A104 or via the TAZARA railway line from the capital (approx. 600-miles, two overnight passenger trains per week).[9]
Mbeya can be reached by road on the A-7 highway from Dar es Salaam , There are paved roads which connects Mbeya city with the other towns like Tukuyu through Uyole, Tunduma via TANZAM highway and Chunya to Tabora through Isanga.
Mbeya connects to the rest of Tanzania by air through Songwe Airport which was opened in December 2012. It is one of four major airports available in Tanzania. Auric Air and Tropical Air fly from Songwe to Dar es Salaam.