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The sleepy town of Tabora, in the hinterland of
western Tanzania, remains a key transit point in
the country. The Central Line railway branches
at Tabora to both Kigoma and Mwanza, and
visitors travelling by train often use Tabora as
a stopover point during their journeys. The
regions around Tabora are famous throughout
Tanzania for the honey they produce, and large
jerry cans and bottles of the famous liquid can
be bought in the village market.
Historically, Tabora was once a major trading
point and stopover for caravans that connected
Lake Tanganyika and Central Africa
with the coastal town of Bagamoyo to the
northeast. It’s former importance is illustrated
by the fact that the infamous trader Tippu Tip,
who lived during the 19th century, made Tabora
the centre of his vast trading empire of ivory
and slaves. The town was also an important
mission station during early European
exploration of Tanzania. Stanley and Livingstone
both stopped here on their journeys. During the
German occupation, Tabora was one of the most
populated and prosperous towns in the whole of
East Africa.
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