Kidatu
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Kidatu, Tanzania
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|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name1 = Morogoro Region
|subdivision_type2 =District
|subdivision_name2 = Kilombero District
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|coordinates = {{coord|07|42|00|S|36|57|00|E|region:TZ|display=inline}}
|timezone =East Africa Time
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|elevation_m = 294
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Kidatu is a town in central Tanzania, located in Kilombero District, Morogoro Region. The local population is about 3,300. The primary economic activity is the large Illovo sugar cane plantation and factory which produces {{convert|130,000|t}} of sugar per year.{{Cite web|title=Sugar Factories of Tanzania: Kilombero: Illovo Sugar|url=http://www.sugartech.co.za/factories/list.php?cid=218|access-date=2012-09-03|archive-date=2014-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111110832/http://www.sugartech.co.za/factories/list.php?cid=218|url-status=dead}}
Geography
It lies on plains to the south of mountains to the north.
Transport
Kidatu is the terminus of a {{cvt|107|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} {{RailGauge|1000mm}} narrow gauge branch line from Kilosa off the Tanzania Railways Corporation Central line, built between 1958 and 1963..{{Cite web |url=http://www.trctz.com/kidatu.htm |title=Tanzania Railways Corporation |access-date=2008-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107054336/http://www.trctz.com/kidatu.htm |archive-date=2009-01-07 |url-status=dead }} In the 1970s, the newer {{RailGauge|1067mm}} TAZARA railway was built through.
Hence there is a break of gauge at Kidatu.
It is about {{cvt|300|km}} from Dar es Salaam, either via the north or TAZARA.
= Transshipment hub =
Since 1998, a transshipment station has been provided to overcome the break-of-gauge at this location.{{Cite news|url=http://www.nationaudio.com/News/EastAfrican/1910/Business/Appointments7.html|title=Uganda Govt Looks Forward to Regional Railway Link-up|newspaper=The East African|date=19–25 October 1998|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20011123024536/http://www.nationaudio.com/News/EastAfrican/1910/Business/Appointments7.html|archivedate=23 November 2001|url-status=dead}} This hub connects the large {{RailGauge|3ft6in|lk=on}} zone of southern Africa and bypasses congestion at Dar es Salaam.
Under a deal with Tanzania, metre gauge trains that connect with {{RailGauge|3ft6in}} trains at Kidatu are operated by the Trans Africa Railway Corporation.[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5327/is_199812/ai_n21430104 Historic rail deal for Tanzania | African Business | Find Articles at BNET.com]{{Cite web|title=Trans Africa Railway Corporation Tanzania (TARC) |publisher=Imbani Group Companies |url=http://www.imbani.com/imbani/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=113&Itemid=185 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903042953/http://www.imbani.com/imbani/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=113&Itemid=185 |archivedate=2012-09-03 }}
Approximately {{cvt|160,000|t}} of traffic passes through the hub each year.
Industry
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.nationaudio.com/News/EastAfrican/old/Opinion/Opinion2.html Rail in East Africa]
- [http://bostonreview.net/BR29.6/monson.html Freedom railway] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512053918/http://bostonreview.net/BR29.6/monson.html |date=2008-05-12 }}
- [http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/placemarks/cl-06-21-06-919432546.kmz Dar]{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
{{coord|07|42|S| 36|57|E|region:TZ_type:city|display=title}}