The Arusha region was named by a business group of Maasai people who migrated to Arusha urban areas in the second part of 18th century and decided to make a cultural difference. They then formed a clan of a new generation Maasai called Waa Arusha meaning "the indigenous of Arusha."

The region is densely populated due to its tourist centers namely Ngorongoro Crater, Ngorongoro National Park, Tarangire National Park and Serengeti National Park which highly attract tourists from all over the world.

Strongly attached to their culture, the Maasai people play a very important role of tourist attraction in the Arusha region. Arusha city, has both regional and international institutions such as the International Tribunal for Rwanda Genocide and East African Community Headquarters, which give it an international reputation as one of the most famous places and cities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Tanzania being a peaceful country, Arusha city serves as an appropriate location for the Rwanda Internal Tribunal where currently the wrongdoers involved in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda are brought to justice at the Arusha International Conference Center (AICC) where the tribunal is situated.

Manyara, which was formally part of the Arusha region, comprises Manyara National Park and Lake Manyara as tourist centers; including Mererani Tanzanite mining which attracts numerous people from within and outside the country. The Tanzanite gemstone is a stone found only in northern Tanzania.

The per capita income of the majority of people in Manyara is below US$1 a day. Most people rely solely on peasantry farming for livelihood, leading to marginal survival. With the unreliable seasonal rains, the majority of people are not able to harvest enough food for their large families.

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