The region covers a land area of 63,669 km2 (24,583 sq mi), [3] comparable in size to the nation state of Latvia.

[5] For 2002–2012, the region's 2.1 percent average annual population growth rate was the twentieth highest in the country.

[6] Ruvuma Region is located in the Southern Highlands, which range between 300 and 2000 meters above sea level.

In a similar vein, the Lukumburu Mountains, which can reach an elevation of 2000 meters above sea level, are located to the north.

With lows of 13°C, the months of June, July, and August are particularly frigid in the Mbinga District's sections near the Matengo Highlands.

The growth of bushes is a result of tree-cutting, shifting cultivation, curing tobacco, and forest clearing.

Due to the harmful human activities outlined above, as well as the impacts of drainage and rainfall, grasslands are typically widespread in lowlands and plateau.

Ruvuma, Njuga, Ngembambili, Lukimwa, Luegu, Luhuji, Mbarang'angu, Lutukira, and Ruhuhu were just a few of the rivers in the region.

According to the 2012 Population and Housing Census, approximately 75.8% of the region's population 10 years of age and older are employed in agriculture, which also provides the majority of the region's cash income from the production of coffee, beans, maize, ground nuts, paddy, potatoes, tobacco, cassava, sesame, millet, coconuts, cashew nuts, sorghum, fruits, and sunflowers.

Approximately 7.5 percent of the active population work in trade and commerce, which is the second-most significant industry after agriculture.

[6] The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) states that the classification of businesses as Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and Large is based on the capital expenditure and number of employees: Micro industries are defined as those that employ fewer than five people and have less than TZS 5 million in capital; Small-scale industries are defined as those that have more capital than TZS 5 million but less than TZS 200 million and employ fewer than 50 people; and Medium-scale industries are defined as those.

Mbinga DC had the biggest concentration of food processing (25) and welding businesses, as well as 858 maize and paddy milling equipment (283).

[6] Sites like the Majimaji Museum and the Songea MC German historical buildings (boma) are located in the region.

[6] Ruvuma Region contains a variety of gemstones, coal, uranium, gold, and diamonds, especially in the southernmost part of the territory.

The distribution of the mineral deposits is as follows: coal is known to exist in the five basins of Ngaka, Muhukuru, Mbamba-Bay, Njuga, and Lumecha; gold is primarily thought to be present along Muhuwesi River in Tunduru DC; uranium reserves are particularly abundant in Namtumbo DC.

In both years, the Ruvuma Region's GDP per capita in current prices placed it fourth in the Tanzanian mainland economy.

[6] Wamatengo, Wangoni, Wayao, Wanyasa, Wandendeule, Wapoto, Wamanda, Wanindi and Wamatambwe are the indigenous ethnic groups in the Ruvuma Region.

In Songea Urban, the Wangoni make up the majority of the ethnic groups, followed by the Wandendeule, Wamanda, Wayao, Wamatengo, and Wanyasa.

The two most common ethnic groups in Songea's rural district are Wangoni and Wandendeule, who live in the Ruvuma and Ndendeule divisions, respectively.

The divisions of Muhukuru, Sasawala, and Madaba are occupied by additional small ethnic groups such the Wayao, Wabena, and Wanindi.

[6] Although students appeared to perform better in transitioning from primary to secondary education (with passes ranging from 60.4 percent for Namtumbo DC to 71.5 percent for Mbinga), Form IV results indicated that something was wrong either at the primary or secondary school level.

This is due to the fact that, of those who took the Form IV examination, less than 15% received grades in Divisions I, II, and III.

In all, 476 Vocational Skills Training (VST) students graduated in 2015; the courses provided include driving, electrical installation and plumbing, masonry and joinery, carpentry, and tailoring.