Arusha

About Arusha


Arusha with a view of Mount Meru

:''This article refers to the city of Arusha. For other uses, see Arusha (disambiguation).''
'Arusha' is a city of northern Tanzania surrounded by some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks. Beautifully situated below Mount Meru on the eastern edge of the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley, it has a pleasant climate and is close to Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Olduvai Gorge, Tarangire National Park, and Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as having its own Arusha National Park on Mount Meru.
Arusha is the capital of the Arusha Region and has a population of 270,485 (2002 census).

Contents
Geography and climate
Modern history
Industry and economy
Districts
Transport
Culture
Schools
Trivia
See also
External links
References

Geography and climate


Despite its closeness to the equator, Arusha's elevation of 1400 m on the southern slopes of Mount Meru keeps temeratures down and alleviates humidity. Cool dry air is prevalent for much of the year. The temperature ranges between 13 and 30 degrees Celsius with an average around 25 degrees. It has distinct wet and dry seasons, and experiences an eastern prevailing wind from the Indian Ocean, a couple of hundred miles east.
Arusha is considered to be one of the best African cities when it comes to great weather and tourism combined.
Almost within the entire city; if you go north you will be going up hill, and going south is always down hill.

Modern history


Official documents ceding independence to Tanzania were signed by the United Kingdom at Arusha in 1961.
The Arusha Declarations for Self Reliance in Tanzania were signed in 1967 in Arusha.
The Arusha Accords were signed at Arusha on August 4, 1993, by representatives of competing factions in the Rwandan civil war.
In 1994 the UN security council decided by its Resolution 955 of 8 November 1994 that Arusha should host the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The establishment of the tribunal with its employees has influenced the local economy of Arusha. The tribunal is expected to end its normal work in 2008 with two more subsequent years for appeals handling.
Arusha officially became a city on 1st July 2006 (Source: Arusha Times http://www.arushatimes.co.tz/2006/19) .

Industry and economy


The primary industry of the region is agricultural, with large vegetable and flower producers sending high-quality produce to Europe. Small-scale agriculture was badly hit by the coffee crisis of recent years and is now largely subsistence farming. Arusha has several factories including a brewery, tyre and fibreboard plant, and a large pharmaceuticals maker.
Arusha is a only home for expensive jewery called Tanzanite[1] which currently has been produced by in high capacity by big companies. It seems as though many local do not profit from these mines even thought they create some employment; many South African companies have taken advantage of Tanzanian tax systems to avoid taxes. Now the government has started to look at these issues in detail.
One of the principal industries is tourism, with the city playing host to numerous safari companies, hotels and lodges.

Districts


Among Arusha's notable districts are the 'Central Business Area', located by the Clocktower, 'Sekei' in the North-West which is largely residential with a vibrant nightlife, 'Njiro', a rapidly-growing suburb in the South, and 'Tengeru', a lively market-town in the East.
North of Arusha is a small village called Longido. It is about 90 minutes north of Arusha by daladala.

Transport


Arusha is mostly served by Kilimanjaro International Airport for international travellers, some 60km east, approximately halfway to Moshi. The airport provides international and domestic flights. Arusha Airport is a smaller domestic airport in the west of the city, currently undergoing expansion. It serves more than 87,000 passengers yearly, amazingly for its size. It is surrounded by a beautiful drape of hills and lush savanna. There are no passenger train services to or from Arusha, but there are regular coaches (buses) to Nairobi, Dodoma and Dar Es Salaam, plus other local towns.

Culture


Arusha is reputed as being one of the most pleasant cities in the world, due its exquisite, weather, location, beautiful countryside and lively music scene, notably Tanzanian hip-hop. Mostly performed in Swahili, with various genres influenced by African American music, locally known as Bongo Flava. A good example of this genre is the band, X Plastaz, singers like Bushoke, Mr.Blue, TID etc..
Arusha is home to many of Tanzania's vivid festivals, the yearly fiesta is hosted by a few Tanzanian corporate sponsors, that attract various artists from around the world. Artists like Shaggy, Ja rule are just a few of one of the world's most popular artists to perform in the wonderous city of Arusha.
Arusha also hosts The annual Arusha nane nane Agricultural show.
Nane Nane is one of the many vibrant public holidays in Tanzania, held on August 8th (the 8th of the 8th month, nane nane means "eight eight" in Swahili). Nane Nane,is marked on August 8th every year where farmers and other stakeholders exchange knowledge and business. it attracts up to a half million people every year.
Arusha is also known for its vibrant night life, with outstanding local night clubs like, Colobus Club and the Blue Tripple 'A'.

Schools


There are three international schools in and around Arusha: Arusha International school, International School Moshi Arusha Campus, Braeburn School, and St Constantine's International School.
The School of [St Jude]http://www.schoolofstjude.co.tz/ provides free education to children from the poorest families.
==Sister cities==

★ Durham, North Carolina, USA

★ Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Trivia



★ 'Arusha' is also the Hindi name for the rising sun.

★ Arusha's clock tower is supposedly situated at the midpoint between Cairo and Cape Town, therefore representing the halfway point between the two termini of the old British Empire in Africa. The clock tower is currently adorned by the logo of the Coca-Cola Company.

★ Arusha was the setting for the 1962 film ''Hatari!'' directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne.

★ A slang name for the city among locals is "A-Town".

★ Princess Margaret visited Arusha in 1956

See also



★ Lake Manyara

★ Arusha Region

★ Longido

★ Arusha Accords

★ Mount Meru (Tanzania)

★ Arusha National Park

★ Tarangire National Park

★ Meru

★ Tanzania

★ Umba Valley

★ Arusha Declaration

External links



★ Website of the Arusha Times

★ School of St Jude

★ St. Constantine's international school

References



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