Mbeya, Tanzania

Mbeya has a subtropical highland climate (Cwb, according to the Köppen climate classification), with humid summers and dry winters. The general range of temperature is between −6 °C or 21.2 °F during highlands mornings and 29 °C or 84.2 °F during lowland afternoons. The weather from June until October, is dry and cold. The heaviest rainfall occurs during the months of December to April, and annual rainfall averages approximately 900 millimetres or 35 inches.

The area around Mbeya town (especially in Tukuyu) enjoys abundant and reliable rainfall which stimulates abundant agriculture on the rich volcanic soils.

The area around Mbeya has been called the "Scotland of Africa". The hills are clad in heather and bracken, but botanically they are more closely related to the Fynbos (fine bush) of South Africa's Western Cape Province than the Highlands of Scotland. The nearest mountain to Mbeya is Loleza Mountain, which rises over and behind the town. Mbeya Peak is visible but some distance away.

Local government is administered via the Mbeya Urban District authority and a Regional Commissioner.

Mbeya has weather with enough rainfall and fertile soil which enable it to be the largest producer of maize, rice, bananas, beans, potatoes (Irish and sweet), soya nuts and wheat in the entire country. Tanzania has a free market in agricultural produce, and Mbeya transports vast amounts of its maize to other areas of Tanzania. There is also extensive animal husbandry, with dairy cattle predominating. Mbeya is also the biggest producer of high-value export and cash crops in Tanzania; those crops are coffee (arabica), tea, cocoa, pyrethirum and spices. There is some smallholder cultivation of tobacco. Firewood is collected by women and girls, from the wooded valleys and mountainsides. Bamboo is naturally abundant in the forests, and there are plans to teach local people about this versatile plant and its many uses. Some gold is still mined in the rural Chunya District, by artisan miners.

The rains normally start in October and end around May, followed by a dry and cold spell between June and September. Conventional tourism is not a major contributor to the local economy and there are no months with peak tourism.

The city lies in the Rift Valley and is considered Csb by the Köppen-Geiger system. The cooler and mountainous climate in the town attracts mainly locals from other parts of the country and foreigners for the game watching and trout fishing. The local government has begun trying to widen tourism beyond animal and wild game viewing, and have invested in producing better mapping and developing a local tourist center.

Well-defined hiking trails have been established to enable hikers to reach the elevated areas and bio-diverse highlands, although the trails need to be properly mapped. For self-sufficient hikers, there are various routes in the Poroto Mountains around the small town of Tukuyu.

The city also has various rock and cave painting sites. Many of the rock sites have still been undocumented by the Antiequits department and provide a looking glass into the traditional cultures of the local surrounding communities.

The city also has a significant number of transit passengers heading towards Lusaka/Malawi from Dar es Salaam Port that often make a stop in the city for overnight lodging or food.

Besides a growing number of secondary schools, Mbeya has some institutes of higher learning education. Among the better known ones are the following five:

Teofilo Kisanji University is a young institution of the Moravian Church in Tanzania offering courses in theology, business, arts, sciences, journalism and educational studies, as well as training pastors. Since 2005, it has grown out of the earlier Moravian Theological College. The college is situated at Soweto suburb.

Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST) formerly known as Mbeya institute of Science and Technology (MIST) is a public institution offering degrees, advanced diplomas, and ordinary diplomas in various engineering disciplines. The college is at Iyunga area.

Mzumbe University (MU) Mbeya Campus is situated in the forest area next to the Bank of Tanzania. This public University offers bachelor's degrees and diplomas in law and business, as well as evening programs in postgraduate studies.