Quick facts
Mbeya overview
Mbeya (orange) and the other large cities of Tanzania
Mbeya lies in Tanzania at 8.9°S, 33.45°E, about 1,697 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Dar_es_Salaam (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Arusha (617,631) and larger than Morogoro (471,409). The largest city in Tanzania is Dar es Salaam with 5,383,728 people; the capital, Dodoma, has 765,179.
The national capital, Dodoma, is about 395 km away; the nearest large city is Tunduma, 87 km from Mbeya.
Tanzania as a whole has a live population of 73,154,031 (+2.8% a year) and ranks #21 of 238 countries — see the Tanzania population page for the full statistics and the Tanzania atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Mbeya
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Tunduma Songwe | 87 km | 219,309 |
| Makumbako Njombe | 152 km | 116,232 |
Largest cities in Tanzania
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Mbeya?
Mbeya has about 541,603 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Mbeya the capital of Tanzania?
No. The capital of Tanzania is Dodoma (765,179 people), about 395 km away. Mbeya is the 6th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Mbeya compared with the rest of Tanzania?
Its 541,603 residents are 0.7% of the 73,154,031 people living in Tanzania today. Dar es Salaam is larger with 5,383,728 people.
Where is Mbeya?
In Tanzania, at latitude -8.9 and longitude 33.45, 1,697 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Tunduma (87 km), Makumbako (152 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Mbeya Population 2026 — Tanzania. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/tanzania/mbeya/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/tanzania/mbeya/">Mbeya Population 2026 — Tanzania</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.