Sukumaland is in general an area of considerable population pressure. Population is particularly concentrated along the coastal margins of Lake Victoria east of Smith Sound. Away from the Lake margin district densities are markedly lower. The lacustrine margins which support this present relatively high density of population have shown a static or declining population during 1948-57 This is particularly prominent in the Mwanza district where an absolute loss of numbers must be: an expression of outward movement by emigration to the west. For the period 1954-48 Malcolm demonstrated clearly a marked immigration into these lake-fringe areas from the interior of the district. Presumably these movements brought about the filling up of the available land along the coast and considerable land pressure. Only this accounts for the subsequent population changes and this draws attention upon the dynamic relationship between rural population and land. This paper attempts an explanation of why people moved’ into coastal areas from the interior, how the coastal areas support high densities, how population affected the land, and which are causes of the recent pattern of change. Figures; references.
