Tanganyika Territory

TANGANYIKA TERRITORY, a country of East Central Africa. It is bounded east by the Indian ocean, south by Portu guese East Africa, south-west by Nyasaland, Northern Rho desia, west by the Belgian Congo, north-west by Ruanda-Urundi and Uganda, north-east by Kenya Colony. It includes Mafia island. The area is about 365,00o sq.m. From 1884 to 1919 the Territory, together with the provinces of Ruanda and Urundi formed German East Africa. Since 1919 Tanganyika Territory has been administered under mandate by Great Britain. Ruanda Urundi (q.v.) is under Belgian mandate.

Physical Features.

The coast extends from the mouth of the Rovuma in the south to the Umba river in the north. It is chiefly composed of coral, is little indented, and is generally low, partly sandy, partly rich alluvial soil covered with dense bush or man groves. Where the Arabs had settlements the coco-palm and mango tree introduced by them give variety to the vegetation. The coast plain is from io to 3om. wide and 62om. long; it is bordered on the west by the precipitous eastern side of the interior plateau of Central Africa. This plateau, considerably tilted from its horizontal position, attains its highest elevation north of Lake Nyasa (see LIVINGSTONE MOUNTAINS), with heights up to 9,000 or more feet and a mean altitude of about 3,00o to 4,000 feet. From this region the country slopes towards the north-west. A deep, narrow gorge, the so-called "eastern rift-valley," traverses the middle of the plateau in a meridional direction. In the north it spreads into several side valleys, from one of which rises the extinct volcano Kilimanjaro (q.v.), the highest mountain in Africa (19,32i ft.). Its glaciers send down a thousand rills which combine to form the Pangani river. About 40m. west of Kiliman jaro is Mount Meru (14,955ft.), another volcanic peak, with a double crater. South-east of Mount Kilimanjaro are the Pare mountains and Usambara highlands, separated from the coast by a comparatively narrow strip of plain. To the south of the Usam bara hills, and on the eastern edge of the plateau, are the moun tainous regions of Nguru (otherwise Unguru), Useguha and Usagara. The southern half of Victoria Nyanza and the eastern

shores, in whole or in part, of Lakes Tanganyika and Nyasa, are in Tanganyika Territory. Lake Rukwa (q.v.), north-west of Nyasa, is presumably only the remnant of a much larger lake. Its extent varies with the rainfall of each year. North-west of Kilimanjaro is a sheet of water known as the Natron lake, from the mineral alkali it contains.

The country is well watered, but, with the exception of the Rufiji, the rivers, save for a few miles from their mouths are un navigable. The largest streams are the Rovuma and Rufiji (q.v.), both rising in the central plateau and flowing to the Indian ocean. Next in importance is the Pangani river, which, as stated above, has its head springs on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Flowing in a south-westerly direction, it reaches the sea after a course of some 25o miles. Into Victoria Nyanza are emptied, on the east, the waters of the Mori and many smaller streams ; on the west, the Kagera (q.v.), besides smaller rivers. Into Tanganyika flows the Malagarasi, a considerable river with many affluents, draining the west-central part of the plateau. The Kalambo is a comparatively small stream which enters the south-east end of Lake Tanganyika (marking the frontier with Northern Rhodesia). Not far from its mouth there is a magnificent fall, a large volume of water falling nearly 9ooft. sheer over a rocky ledge of horse-shoe shape. So great is the height that the river only reaches the bottom of the falls in the form of spray. Of the streams entering Nyasa the chief are the Songwe and the Ruhuhu.

Mafia island lies off the coast immediately north of 8° N. It has an area of 200 sq. miles. The island is low and fertile and extensively planted with coconut palms. It is continued south wards by an extensive reef, on which stands the chief settlement, Chobe, on a shallow creek.