topography. The coastal plain's landforms are complicated. Second, at 300mm to 400mm, the Makonde Plateau dominates the basement plain. It's mostly low-lying, with scattered rocky outcroppings and steep riverbanks. The western part, which is beyond the Makonde Plateau, flows to the south via the Ruvuma River's tributaries. The Makonde Plateau is drained by the Maombi and Mbuo rivers. Economy Mtwara, like the rest of Tanzania, is mostly a farming community.Farming is the main source of income for the region's residents. Agribusiness employs over 92 percent of the population, in addition to other rural activities such as fishing, beekeeping, and small-scale manufacturing. Arable land makes up about 85 percent of the region's total area. However, only about a quarter of this is cultivated. The average farm size per rural home (169,482 households - 1988 Census) is projected to be 1.5 ha, with an average of 4.4 people. Mechanization and oxenization of farms are still developing. In this area, the hand hoe is the most popular agricultural implement. Cassava, millet, and sorghum are all important food crops. Maize has only recently gained popularity. The most important cash crop in the area is cashew nuts. Groundnuts and sesame are two others. Because livestock rearing is not a common practice among the people of the region, its economic contribution is negligible. The cashewnut crop, which accounts for about 25% of the region's GDP, is one of Mtwara's significant contributors. The Mtwara Region produces 40% of the country's cashew nut production. Tanzanian cashew nut production is mostly for export. Domestically, only a small portion of the yield is consumed. The Mtwara Region is officially recognized as the country's leading cashew nut grower. This region produces roughly half of the country's output. Newala district produces more over half of the region's cashewnut harvest. Masasi comes in second with a 29 percent contribution, and Mtwara district comes in last with a 19 percent average contribution. The mining industry in the region has a bright future. On a limited scale, 35 minerals have been discovered and mined. The Masasi District has been mining sapphire, christalbella, alexandrite, tourmaline, and rhodolite since 1995. National Parks and Forest Reserves Mtwara Region is home to the Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park that is one of the largest marine parks in the country. The marine park is a sanctuary for breeding Humpback whales. Forest reserves occupy about 8.33 percent of the region's 1,672,000