Meru or Meru District Council is one of the seven districts councils of the Arusha Region of Tanzania.The District covers an area of . and has an max elevation of . Meru District is bordered to the north by Longido District, to the east by Siha and Hai Districts of Kilimanjaro Region, to the south by Simanjiro District of Manyara Region, and to the west by Arusha Rural District and Arusha Urban District. The administrative capital of the council is Usa River. According to the 2012 Tanzania National Census, the population of Meru District council was 268,144. Notable persons from Meru District Peter K. Palangyo, Tanzanian novelist and diplomat Etymology The district is named after Mount Meru, which is named after the Rwa people. History First communities The first communities in what would be the Meru District were the now extinct Koningo people, a hunter gatherer group that lived around the slopes of Mount Meru for centuries. The second community to settle in the area is the Meru People, who immigrated there from the Usambara Mountains in Tanga Region. They settled on the southeastern slopes of the mountain and started to farm the land. Transport The paved trunk road T2 from Arusha to Moshi passes through the district. Administrative subdivisions Wards As of 2012, Meru District was administratively divided into 17 wards: Akheri Kikatiti Kikwe King'ori Leguruki Maji ya Chai Makiba Maroroni Mbuguni Ngarenanyuki Nkoanrua Nkoaranga Nkoarisambu Poli Seela Sing'isi Songoro, Meru Usa River References Districts of Arusha Region