Southern Province, Zambia
Encyclopedia
Southern Province is one of Zambia
's nine provinces
, and home to Zambia's premier tourist attraction, Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls
), shared with Zimbabwe
. The centre of the province, the Southern Plateau, has the largest area of commercial farmland of any Zambian province, and produces most of the maize crop.
The Zambezi River is the province's southern border, and Lake Kariba
, formed by the Kariba Dam
, lies along the province's south-eastern edge. The eastern border is the Kariba Gorge
and Zambezi, and the north-east border is the Kafue River
and its gorge, dividing it from Lusaka Province
. The Kafue Flats lie mostly within the province's northern border with Central Province. In the north west lies part of the famous Kafue National Park
, the largest in Zambia, and the lake formed by the Itezhi-Tezhi Dam. The south-western border with Western Province runs through the teak forests around Mulobezi
which once supported a commercial timber industry and for which the Mulobezi Railway
was built.
The provincial capital is Livingstone
. The Batonga
are the largest ethnic group in the Province. A rail line and the Lusaka-Livingstone road
forms the principal transport axis of the province, running through its centre and its farming towns: Kalomo
, Choma
, Pemba
, Monze
, and Mazabuka
. In addition to maize, other commercially important activities include sugar cane plantations at the edge of the Kafue Flats, and cattle ranching.
Southern Province has the only large source of fossil fuel in Zambia, the Maamba coal
mine in the Zambezi valley, served by a branch line of the railway.
Southern Province is divided into 11 district
s:
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
's nine provinces
Provinces of Zambia
Zambia is divided into 10 provinces.-References:...
, and home to Zambia's premier tourist attraction, Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls
The Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe.-Introduction:...
), shared with Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. The centre of the province, the Southern Plateau, has the largest area of commercial farmland of any Zambian province, and produces most of the maize crop.
The Zambezi River is the province's southern border, and Lake Kariba
Lake Kariba
Lake Kariba is the world's largest artificial lake and reservoir. It lies 1300 kilometers upstream from the Indian Ocean, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe...
, formed by the Kariba Dam
Kariba Dam
The Kariba Dam is a hydroelectric dam in the Kariba Gorge of the Zambezi river basin between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is one of the largest dams in the world, standing tall and long.- Construction :...
, lies along the province's south-eastern edge. The eastern border is the Kariba Gorge
Kariba Gorge
Kariba Gorge is a large, natural gorge through which flowed the Zambezi River on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, Africa. In 1959 the large double arch concrete Kariba Dam was completed, completely filling the gorge and creating one of the largest man-made lakes in the world...
and Zambezi, and the north-east border is the Kafue River
Kafue River
The Kafue River sustains one of the world's great wildlife environments. It is a major tributary of the Zambezi, and of Zambia's principal rivers, it is the most central and the most urban, and the longest and largest lying wholly within Zambia....
and its gorge, dividing it from Lusaka Province
Lusaka Province
Lusaka Province is one of Zambia's nine provinces. The provincial capital is Lusaka, which is also the national capital.-National Parks and wildlife areas:*Lower Zambezi National Park...
. The Kafue Flats lie mostly within the province's northern border with Central Province. In the north west lies part of the famous Kafue National Park
Kafue National Park
Kafue National Park is the largest national park in Zambia, covering an area of about 22,400 km² . It is the second largest park in Africa and is home to over 55 different species of animals....
, the largest in Zambia, and the lake formed by the Itezhi-Tezhi Dam. The south-western border with Western Province runs through the teak forests around Mulobezi
Mulobezi
Mulobezi is a small town in the Southern Province of Zambia, and the centre of its timber industry. Timber extends into Southern Province with which the town is economically linked....
which once supported a commercial timber industry and for which the Mulobezi Railway
Mulobezi Railway
The Mulobezi Railway was constructed to carry timber from Mulobezi to Livingstone in the Southern Province of Zambia, when the country was Northern Rhodesia...
was built.
The provincial capital is Livingstone
Livingstone, Zambia
Livingstone or Maramba is a historic colonial city and present capital of the Southern Province of Zambia, a tourism centre for the Victoria Falls lying north of the Zambezi River, and a border town with road and rail connections to Zimbabwe on the other side of the Falls...
. The Batonga
Tonga people
The Tonga are an ethnic group living in northern Malawi. A related ethnic group also called the Tonga are found in Zambia and Zimbabwe, with some in Mozambique.-History:...
are the largest ethnic group in the Province. A rail line and the Lusaka-Livingstone road
Lusaka-Livingstone road
The Lusaka–Livingstone Road or Livingstone Road is the main highway of the Southern Province of Zambia from the capital, Lusaka, to the principal tourist destination, Livingstone, Southern Africa....
forms the principal transport axis of the province, running through its centre and its farming towns: Kalomo
Kalomo
Kalomo is a town in southern Zambia, lying north east of Livingstone, on the main road and railway line to Lusaka. It is home to the Batonga people. It was the first administrative centre of Northern Rhodesia, serving until the capital city was established at Livingstone in 1911...
, Choma
Choma
Choma is a market town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying on the main road and railway from Lusaka to Livingstone. It is home to a small museum dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Tonga people of southern Zambia. The population of Choma is said to be about 40,000 people and it...
, Pemba
Pemba, Zambia
Pemba is a small town located in Choma District of the Southern Province of Zambia. It is situated on the 'Great North Road' that runs between Lusaka and Livingstone. The main ethnic group in the town are the Tonga...
, Monze
Monze
Monze is a small town in the Southern Province of Zambia and is about 180 km south-west of Lusaka. It is the administrative centre of Monze District....
, and Mazabuka
Mazabuka
Mazabuka is a town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying south west of Lusaka, on the main road and railway to Livingstone. The town has grown around sugar cane plantations, and currently Zambia Sugar is Zambia's leading sugar producer. It lies near the Mwanachingwala Conservation Area...
. In addition to maize, other commercially important activities include sugar cane plantations at the edge of the Kafue Flats, and cattle ranching.
Southern Province has the only large source of fossil fuel in Zambia, the Maamba coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mine in the Zambezi valley, served by a branch line of the railway.
National Parks and wildlife areas
- For more detail see Southern Province in the Wildlife of Zambia
- Southern half of Kafue National ParkKafue National ParkKafue National Park is the largest national park in Zambia, covering an area of about 22,400 km² . It is the second largest park in Africa and is home to over 55 different species of animals....
- Lochinvar National ParkLochinvar National ParkThe Lochinvar National Park lies south west of Lusaka in Zambia, on the south side of the Kafue River.The national park straddles two of Zambia's ecoregions: Zambezian and Mopane woodlands in the south, and Zambezian flooded grasslands over most of the park...
and the Kafue Flats in the north - Victoria Falls National ParkVictoria Falls National ParkOpen to visitors throughout the year, the Victoria Falls National Park in north-western Zimbabwe protects the south and east bank of the Zambezi River in the area of the world-famous Victoria Falls...
, the Zambezi and Batoka Gorges in the south - Lake KaribaLake KaribaLake Kariba is the world's largest artificial lake and reservoir. It lies 1300 kilometers upstream from the Indian Ocean, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe...
in the south-east.
- Southern half of Kafue National Park
Districts
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
s:
- ChomaChomaChoma is a market town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying on the main road and railway from Lusaka to Livingstone. It is home to a small museum dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Tonga people of southern Zambia. The population of Choma is said to be about 40,000 people and it...
- GwembeGwembeGwembe is a small town in Southern Province of Zambia with a population of about 2000 people. It is the largest town in Gwembe District which on Lake Kariba between Siavonga and Sinazongwe Districts. It used to be the District Headquarters until it moved to Munyumbwe some 30 km east of the...
- Itezhi-TezhiItezhi-TezhiItezhi-Tezhi is a small town in the northwestern part of Southern Province, Zambia. It lies west of the town of Namwala.Itezhi-Tezhi came into existence when the Itezhi-Tezhi Dam was constructed on the Kafue River in the early 1970s. The dam was created to hold and regulate the water flow in the...
- KalomoKalomoKalomo is a town in southern Zambia, lying north east of Livingstone, on the main road and railway line to Lusaka. It is home to the Batonga people. It was the first administrative centre of Northern Rhodesia, serving until the capital city was established at Livingstone in 1911...
- KazungulaKazungulaKazungula is a small border town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying on the north bank of the Zambezi River about 70 km west of Livingstone, at an almost quadripoint where four countries nearly meet...
- LivingstoneLivingstone, ZambiaLivingstone or Maramba is a historic colonial city and present capital of the Southern Province of Zambia, a tourism centre for the Victoria Falls lying north of the Zambezi River, and a border town with road and rail connections to Zimbabwe on the other side of the Falls...
- MazabukaMazabukaMazabuka is a town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying south west of Lusaka, on the main road and railway to Livingstone. The town has grown around sugar cane plantations, and currently Zambia Sugar is Zambia's leading sugar producer. It lies near the Mwanachingwala Conservation Area...
- MonzeMonzeMonze is a small town in the Southern Province of Zambia and is about 180 km south-west of Lusaka. It is the administrative centre of Monze District....
- NamwalaNamwalaNamwala is a town and seat of Namwala District in Southern Province of Zambia. Namwala town has a population of over 5,000 people. It lies on the southern bank of the Kafue River at 996 metres above sea level. It houses the administrative offices of Namwala District and is the principal town of the...
- SiavongaSiavongaSiavonga is a town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying on the north shore of Lake Kariba. It is Zambia's principal tourism centre for the lake, with accommodation, boating and fishing tours on offer....
- SinazongweSinazongweSinazongwe is a town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying on the north shore of Lake Kariba. It was constructed in the 1950s as a local administrative centre, while its main industry now is kapenta fishing. It is also home to a lighthouse and an airstrip, while ferries sail to Chete...
Ministers for Southern Province
- Daniel Munkombwe
- Alice Simango
- Joseph Mulyata
- Chilufya Kazenene