Songwe Region (Mkoa wa Songwe in Swahili) is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions. The region covers a land area of 27,656 km2 (10,678 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Haiti. Songwe Region borders the countries of Zambia and Malawi to the south: Tunduma is the main entry point into Zambia while Isongole is the main entry point into Malawi. Songwe also borders the Tanzanian regions of Rukwa and Katavi in the west, Tabora in the north, and Mbeya in the east. Lake Rukwa is a major body of water in the western part of the region. The region was created on 29 January 2016 from the western half of Mbeya Region. The regional capital is Vwawa.
The Songwe Region is situated in Tanzania's southern highlands, between latitudes 7° and 9° 36' south of the equator, and between longitudes 30° and 33° 41' east of the Greenwich meridian. The region is part of the Southern Highlands of Tanzania.
The East African Great Rift Valley's northern and western arms extend from north of Lake Nyasa, creating the naturally tropical Songwe Region. From early September to late April, the region enjoys the hot season, and from May to late August, the cold season. In the lowlands of Lake Rukwa, Songwe, and Momba, the greatest temperatures reach 25°C, while in the mountains around Mbozi, Tunduma, and Ileje, they reach 16°C. The Songwe Region only experiences one lengthy rainy season, which typically lasts from November to mid-May of the following year and averages between 750 mm and 2000 mm annually.
Since agriculture employs roughly 75% of households in the Songwe Region and forms the backbone of income for the local economy, it is the region's main economic activity. Due to the region's favorable weather for agriculture and the composition of the soil, the sector has better control. One of the top 7 agricultural producers in the country is the Songwe region.
The Songwe Region is well known for producing food crops and is one of the best regions for cultivating them. Several food crops, including maize, paddy, beans, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, and potatoes, are grown in the region. In the area, maize production has been higher than that of beans, paddy, and rice.
Additionally, the region is well-known for producing a number of cash crops, primarily coffee, pyrethrum, sunflower, sesame, tobacco, and peanut. The crops provide the area's inhabitants with a significant source of income. Among the region's cash crops, coffee has the largest market share, followed by sesame and sunflower.
The Songwe Region's and its inhabitants' livelihoods are significantly influenced by the livestock sector. Numerous animals are kept by Songwe, including pigs (79,513), chickens (79,513), donkeys (4,739), goats (244,024), sheep (33,599), and 410,390 cattle (1,137,708). A popular activity in Songwe Region's Songwe and Momba District Councils along Lake Rukwa is fishing. People who live near the lake often earn a living by fishing.