District · Lindi Region
# Kilwa District

Kilwa District is a district of Tanzania in Lindi Region. It had an estimated 217,978 people in 2020 on 15,011 km² (about 15 per km²). It is divided into 21 wards. 143 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 160 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.
- 217,978 people (2020)
- 15,011 km²
- 21 wards
- 160 mapped services

## How many people live in Kilwa District?

Kilwa District had an estimated 217,978 people in 2020 — 21.8% of Lindi Region, 119th of 168 districts. There are 1,039 women for every 1,000 men (close to the Lindi Region figure of 1,049). Spread over 15,011 km², that is about 15 people per km², 160th of 168 districts.

43.4% of people are children under 15 and 4.1% are 65 or older; the median age is about 18 years (it is 21 across Lindi Region). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 91 children and older people.
- 0–4 32,918
- 5–9 32,912
- 10–14 28,804
- 15–19 21,727
- 20–24 16,832
- 25–29 15,516
- 30–34 14,209
- 35–39 12,281
- 40–44 10,371
- 45–49 9,479
- 50–54 5,697
- 55–59 4,278
- 60–64 3,966
- 65–69 3,247
- 70–74 2,658
- 75–79 1,679
- 80+ 1,404

Source: UNFPA via OCHA HDX, population 2020 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO).

## Where is Kilwa District?

Kilwa District lies in Lindi Region, Tanzania. It borders 5 other districts: Lindi District, Liwale District, Nachingwea District, Ruangwa District and Rufiji District. By area it is the 14th largest of 170 districts in Tanzania. It covers 23.1% of Lindi Region. The centre of Kilwa District is about 480 km in a straight line from Dodoma, the capital. It is about 132 km from Lindi, the main town of Lindi Region. The centre point is at 9.0888° S, 38.9482° E.

Source: Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics / UN OCHA ROSA via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO).

## Things to see in and around Kilwa District

OpenStreetMap lists 13 named sights in Kilwa District: 5 attractions; 3 ruins; 2 beachs; 1 cave; 1 castle or fort; 1 archaeological site.
- Husuni Kubwa · archaeological site
- Gereza (Portuguese and later Omani fort, 16th-18th century) · castle or fort
- Masoko Pwani · beach
- Mooring points for boats to Palace · beach
- District Commissioner · attraction
- Post Office · attraction
- Salt fields · attraction
- Start at gate · attraction
- Tourist Information · attraction
- Nang'oma Cave · cave
- Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani · ruins
- Ruins of Songo Mnara · ruins
- Ruins of the Palace of Kilwa Sultanate · ruins

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements.

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: Kilwa District
- Time zone UTC+3, no daylight saving · Africa/Dar_es_Salaam
- Currency Shilling (TZS)
- Country calling code +255
- Languages Swahili, English, Arabic
- Plug types Type G · 230 V
- Driving side Left
- Postcode format 5 digits (#####)

### Nearest airports
- Mafia Airport (MFA) · Kilindoni 152 km
- Mtwara Airport (MYW) · Mtwara 194 km

### Daylight

Days are longest in Dec (about 12.6 hours, sunrise around 05:59) and shortest in Jun (about 11.6 hours, sunrise around 06:36, sunset around 18:12).

Source: GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03; OurAirports (public domain).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Wards of Kilwa District
| Ward | Area km² | Localities | Services |
| Chumo | 271 | 6 | 13 |
| Kandawale | 778 | 4 | 3 |
| Kibata | 140 | 3 | 5 |
| Kikole | 808 | 8 | 5 |
| Kinjumbi | 476 | 12 | 12 |
| Kipatimu | 371 | 7 | 11 |
| Kirnjernje | 684 | 10 | 6 |
| Kivinjesingino | 404 | 7 | 12 |
| Lihimalyao | 361 | 10 | 8 |
| Likawage | 1,680 | 3 | 7 |
| Mandawa | 1,601 | 12 | 7 |
| Masoko | 200 | 8 | 25 |
| Miguruwe | 1,840 | 9 | 4 |
| Mingumbi | 259 | 7 | 8 |
| Miteja | 240 | 5 | 6 |
| Mitole | 432 | 6 | 2 |
| Nanjirinji | 3,736 | 12 | 4 |
| Njinjo | 414 | 5 | 6 |
| Pande | 202 | 7 | 10 |
| Songosongo | 8.6 | 1 | 1 |
| Tingi | 104 | 4 | 5 |

Source: Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics / UN OCHA ROSA via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO); GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features; Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

## Villages and localities in Kilwa District

Open gazetteers list 143 villages, towns and localities in Kilwa District. The largest with a recorded population: Kilwa Masoko (21,519). Settlements here lie between about 2 m and 487 m above sea level (median 100 m).
- Chapita
- Chumo
- Darajani
- Hanga
- Hongwe
- Ingirito
- Kandawale
- Kibata
- Kidumba
- Kihindi
- Kihundo
- Kikanda
- Kikole
- Kikone
- Kikundi
- Kililima
- Kilwa Kisiwani
- Kilwa Kivinje
- Kilwa Masoko
- Kimberambana
- Kinjumbi
- Kinywanyu
- Kipapu
- Kipatimu
- Kipindimbi
- Kiranjerange
- Kirongo
- Kironjengwale
- Kisangi Kimbarambara
- Kisima Mkika
- Kisiwa
- Kisongo
- Kiswele
- Kiswere
- Kiwatama
- Kiwawa
- Kizimbani
- Kuwea
- Lihimalyao
- Lihimalyao Kaskazini
- Likawage
- Lingaula
- M
- Magesani
- Makangaga
- Mandawa
- Marendego
- Marendegu
- Matandu
- Matapatapa
- Mawerenje
- Mbaro
- Mbate
- Mbogora
- Mbwemkuru
- Migeregere
- Miguruwe
- Mikoma
- Mikono Miwili
- Mingumbi
- Mirui Chini
- Mirumba
- Miteja
- Mitole
- Mitole Chini
- Mitumbati
- Miumbu
- Mkambi
- Mkarango
- Mkoko
- Mkondaji
- Mkuru
- Mkwanyule
- Mnazi
- Mnowe
- Mpara
- Mpatora
- Mtandago
- Mtandango
- Mtandi
- Mtandura
- Mtanga
- Mtende
- Mtitimila
- Mtondo Wa Kimwaga
- Mtoni
- Mtukwao
- Mtumbei Mpopera
- Mtumbu
- Mtyalambuko
- Muira
- Mwengei
- Nahungo
- Nainokwe
- Naiwanga
- Nakingombe
- Nakiu
- Namakongoro
- Namatoya
- Namayuni
- Nambondo
- Nambunju
- Nampunga
- Nandembo
- Nandera
- Nandete
- Nangambi Naipuli
- Nangurukuru
- Nanjirinji
- Nanjirinji A
- Nanjirinji B
- Narungombe
- Nauli
- Ndarara
- Ndende
- Ngamo
- Ngea
- Ngorongoro
- Njenja
- Njia Nne
- Njinjo
- Nondwa
- Pande
- Pande Plot
- Pondo
- Pungutini
- Roango
- Roma
- Rugombera
- Ruhatwe
- Ruyaya
- Singino
- Somanga
- Somanga Funga
- Somanga Simu
- Songosongo
- Tulawandu
- Ukuli
- Zinga Kibaoni
- Zinga Mulike
- Zinga Nakingombe
- Zinga Ngahama
- village

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features; © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements.

## Landscape and landmarks of Kilwa District

Named natural and historic features inside Kilwa District, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

19 rivers and streams; 1 lake.
- Boles River
- Chinguaduli
- Kiboko River
- Kikandi
- Kirongo River
- Kitandawala River
- Kitapibi
- Lake Maliwe
- Matandu
- Merui River
- Mkondadye River
- Mtshinyiri
- Mtumbei River
- Muira River
- Nakiu River
- Narungombe River
- Niro
- Pindiro
- Umira
- Zinga

### Coast and islands

12 headlands; 5 islands.
- Castle Islet
- Grant Point
- Kilwa Kisiwani Island
- Mangrove Point
- Ras Bobare
- Ras Kipakoni
- Ras Kipondo
- Ras Kivurugu
- Ras Mashindo
- Ras Mikumbi
- Ras Miramba
- Ras Ruvura
- Ras Samanga Fungu
- Ras Tikwiri
- Songa Mnara Island
- Songo Songo Island
- Watiro Island

### Hills and mountains

7 hills.
- Kitope · 201 m
- Ulala · 187 m
- Nanyundu · 143 m
- Singino Hill · 133 m
- Chmera · 110 m
- Mpara Hill · 102 m
- Singino · 84 m

### Forests and nature

10 forest reserves.
- Kitope Hill Forest Reserve
- Malehi Forest Reserve
- Mitarure Forest Reserve
- Mitaurure Forest Reserve
- Mitundumbea Forest Reserve
- Ngarama Forest Reserve
- Ngarama South Forest Reserve
- Pindiro Forest Reserve
- Rungo Forest Reserve
- Tong’omba Forest Reserve

### History

1 ruin.
- Sanje Majoma

### Getting around

2 airfields; 1 airport.
- East Lika
- Kilwa Masoko Airport
- Songosongo

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features.

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in Kilwa District and the best time to visit

In Kilwa District, the warmest month is Nov (average 27 °C) and the coolest is Jun (23 °C). About 1,271 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Apr (235 mm) and the driest Jul (8 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are May to November.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
| Month | Average °C | Rain mm |
| Jan | 26 | 211 |
| Feb | 26 | 178 |
| Mar | 26 | 232 |
| Apr | 25 | 235 |
| May | 24 | 60 |
| Jun | 23 | 10 |
| Jul | 23 | 8 |
| Aug | 24 | 10 |
| Sep | 26 | 16 |
| Oct | 27 | 61 |
| Nov | 27 | 87 |
| Dec | 27 | 164 |

Source: NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29.

## Hospitals, banks and other services in Kilwa District

Places mapped inside Kilwa District in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations.
- Hospitals 6
- Banks 3
- Petrol pumps 2
- Hotels 8
- Schools 134
- Colleges and universities 1
- Restaurants 6

Source: Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Quick answers
- Where is Kilwa District? In Lindi Region, Tanzania
- What is the population of Kilwa District? 217,978 (2020 estimate)
- What is the median age in Kilwa District? About 18 years (2020 estimate)
- What is the population density of Kilwa District? About 15 people per km²
- What borders Kilwa District? Lindi District, Liwale District, Nachingwea District, Ruangwa District and Rufiji District
- What is there to see in Kilwa District? District Commissioner, Gereza (Portuguese and later Omani fort, 16th-18th century), Husuni Kubwa, Masoko Pwani
- What time zone is Kilwa District in? UTC+3
- What currency is used in Kilwa District? Shilling (TZS)
- What language is spoken in Kilwa District? Swahili, English, Arabic (main languages nationally)
- How many villages are in Kilwa District? 143 named settlements (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap)
- What is the elevation of Kilwa District? Settlements lie between 2 m and 487 m
- What is the highest point in Kilwa District? Kitope (201 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit Kilwa District? May to November
- How many hospitals are in Kilwa District? 6 mapped
- How many banks are in Kilwa District? 3 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in Kilwa District? 2 mapped
- What is the P-code of Kilwa District? TZ0801 (OCHA common operational dataset)

At a glance
- Type: District
- Area: 15,010.7 km²
- P-code: TZ0801
- Region: Lindi Region

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Canonical: https://wherepedia.org/tanzania/lindi/kilwa/ · Updated 2026-11-03 · Data: national censuses and statistics offices (sources named in each section); © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); Overture Maps; GeoNames; NASA POWER.