The Miombo Woodlands, which predominate in Sumbawanga and Nkasi and are home to commercially valuable trees like Mninga (Pterocarpus angolensis) and Mputu, making up the majority of Rukwa Region's vegetation.

[9] The region has a tropical climate, with average monthly highs of 27°C in October and December and lows of 13°C in some locations in June and July.

Rukwa region has had consistent, unimodal rainfall for many years; falling from November through May, ranging from 800 to 1300 mm annually.

[10] Agriculture (crops, livestock, fisheries, and forestry), tourism, and mining make up the majority of the region's producing industries.

The region has large variety of industrial and base metal minerals, including kaolin, quartz, graphite, tin, limonite, copper, and cobalt.

Although agriculture is not yet fully mechanized, the trend indicates that there is an excess of certain crops, notably maize, paddy, cassava, sunflower, and sesame.

Smallholder farmers who work between 0.5 and 2.0 ha account for 68 percent of the farmed area in the Rukwa region and are the main form of agriculture.

A massive inflow of agro pastoralists from Tabora, Shinyanga, and Mwanza have, however, moved into the area during the past ten years in search of pasture for their animals.

The region's growing cattle population presents an opportunity for the development of enterprises that process livestock products.

The LGAs (Local government) are in charge of the remaining network while TANROADS manages the trunk and regional roads.

On Lake Tanganyika, two commercial vessels—the Mwongozo and the Liemba—serve the communities of Kabwe, Korongwe, Ninde, Wampembe, Kala, Kirando, Kipili, and Kasanga.

In Sumbawanga Municipal Council and Namanyere Town, which includes nine villages of Nkasi DC, electricity is provided by TANESCO.

Only 7% of families in the area consume power provided by TANESCO, according to a 2002 Household Budget Survey.

Gem stones, including emerald, moonstone, aquamarine, amethyst, ruby, and topaz, have been recovered from a number of locations.

The Miombo Woodlands, which predominate in the Sumbawanga and Nkasi districts and include commercially significant timber like Mninga (Pterocarpus angolensis) and Mputu, are where forest products are gathered.

[21] Population growth in the Rukwa region is accelerated in part by an inflow of migrants from other areas looking for better prospects there.

Fipa and a small number of other tribes, including Mambwe, Lungu, Nyiha and, Lyangalile, initially dominated the area and are the native inhabitants.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) predicts that in 2017, the population will be 1,192,373, with 578,431 males and 613,942 females, growing at a 3.2% annual rate.

[22] For 2002–2012, the region's 3.2 percent average annual population growth rate was tied for the third highest in the country.

In Sumbawanga, St. Aggrey, Rukwa, and St. Maurus Chemchem—produce teachers for grades IIIA and diploma programs.

Malaria, acute respiratory infection (ARI), pneumonia, diarrhea, skin conditions, intestinal worms, minor surgical conditions, ill-defined symptoms (no diagnosis), eye infection, HIV/AIDS/STI, tuberculosis, meningitis, and other common diseases are among those that have higher morbidity and mortality rates.

[27] By the end of December 2013, 86 percent of healthcare institutions were offering Provider Initiative Testing and Counseling (PITC) services, up from 86 percent in 2008 when 57 sites offered Voluntary, Counseling and Testing (VCT) services and 20 CTC sites.

Initiatives like male circumcision have been implemented to lessen the impact of HIV/AIDS in the region, and as of December 2013, 57,658 clients had undergone the procedure.