Namwala

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Chief Mukobela (Traditional Chief of Namwala District)
Geographical location of Namwala in Zambia
Namwala District in Zambia

Namwala is a place with 4537 inhabitants (2006 estimate) on the River Kafue in the Southern Province in Zambia . It is 1000 meters above sea level and is the seat of the administration of the district of the same name with 82,810 inhabitants (2000 census). The village is located between the Itezhitezhi Dam , about 100 kilometers away, and the town of Kafue , about 200 kilometers away.

economy

The district is located in the Kafueauen and is characterized by agriculture. Mainly corn and peanuts are grown. The FAO rates soil fertility as low. Since the dam was built, the harvest losses due to flooding are over, which transformed the Kafueauen into an inland lake of up to 5000 km² for months. Projects try to improve grain storage so that the months of hunger can be bridged. The marketing of corn is a big problem, as the markets can hardly be reached only by bad roads without regular transport connections.

Cattle are also kept. Before 1990 the Namwala herds numbered 225,000. In 1991 the government ended free veterinary care. Then an epidemic broke out and reduced the population to 150,000. In 2003 there was more vaccination. The foot-and-mouth disease in 2004 hardly caused any damage.

Traditional mud huts with grass roofs dominate everywhere, but in Namwala the local indicator of prosperity is the size of the herd, not the house.

There is a tourist-oriented handicraft that produces pictures and masks.

Infrastructure

Namwala can only be reached on partly bad roads. A motor ferry runs over the Kafue near the village. The 3600 km² Namwala Game Management Area borders the Kafue National Park and the Itezhitezhi Reservoir.

Culture

The dominant ethnic groups are Tonga and Ila .

See also

Web links

Coordinates: 15 ° 46 ′  S , 26 ° 27 ′  E