Manica

Manica is a term with several distinct meanings across geography, history, and language.

In geography, Manica Province is an inland province in central Mozambique. Its capital is Chimoio. The province lies west of the Sofala region and borders Zimbabwe to the west, with terrain that includes highlands and river basins supporting agriculture and forestry.

In historical military use, a manica is a protective sleeve worn on the forearm by some ancient archers and soldiers. Constructed from leather or metal scales, it covered the arm while allowing flexibility to draw a bow and wield weapons.

In linguistics and fashion, the Italian word manica means sleeve and is used to describe the sleeves of garments. The plural form is maniche, and the term appears in historical and stylistic contexts.

Other uses are primarily as a place name or surname in various languages, reflecting the spread of the term through different regions and historical periods.