Kabwe | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Kabwe, looking down Freedom Way, with the Big Tree National Monument in the distance | |
  Kabwe Location in Zambia | |
| Coordinates: 14°26′S 28°27′E / 14.433°S 28.450°E | |
| Country |  Zambia |
| Province | Central Province |
| District | Kabwe District |
| Government | |
| Elevation | 1,182 m (3,879 ft) |
| Population (2022 census) | |
• Total | 288,598 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) |
| Climate | Cwa |
Kabwe is the capital of the Zambian Central Province and the Kabwe District, with a population estimated at 288,598 at the 2022 census.[1] Named Broken Hill until 1966, it was founded when lead and zinc deposits were discovered in 1902. Kabwe also has a claim to being the birthplace of Zambian politics as it was an important political centre during the colonial period.[2][3]
Kabwe is an important transportation, farming and university centre. Kabwe is becoming a major agricultural hub for the country is the headquarters for Zambia Railways and prison services. Additionally the mining industry has been important to the economic development of the region. However, because of the exceptional contamination of the city with lead and other toxins, and the effects of these on local children's health, a March 2022 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment identified the town as a sacrifice zone for industry.[4]
- ^ "Zambia: Provinces, Major Cities & Urban Centers - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
- ^ Kachingwe, Kelvin. "Kabwe: the nucleus of national politics". Times of Zambia. Archived from the original on 2006-10-12. Retrieved 8 March 2007.
- ^ "Kabwe | Zambia". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
- ^ Boyd, David R (2022). Sacrifice zones 50 of the Most Polluted Places on Earth (PDF). Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment.