Bulawayo

This article is about the city in Zimbabwe. For the royal kraal of the Zulu empire, see Bulawayo (Zulu empire).

Bulawayo
City and province
View of Bulawayo's Central Business District (CBD) from Pioneer House by Prince Phumulani Nyoni. The CBD is 5.4 square kilometres and is in a grid pattern with 17 avenues and 11 streets.
View of Bulawayo's Central Business District (CBD) from Pioneer House by Prince Phumulani Nyoni. The CBD is 5.4 square kilometres and is in a grid pattern with 17 avenues and 11 streets.
Flag of Bulawayo
Flag
Coat of arms of Bulawayo
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): 
'City of Kings', 'Skies', 'Bompton' or 'Bulliesberg'
Motto: 
Si ye phambili (Let us go forward)
Location of Bulawayo Province
Location of Bulawayo Province
Bulawayo highlighted in red in Zimbabwe
Bulawayo highlighted in red in Zimbabwe
Bulawayo is located in Zimbabwe
Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is located in Africa
Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is located in Earth
Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Coordinates: 20°10′12″S 28°34′48″E / 20.17000°S 28.58000°E / -20.17000; 28.58000
Country Zimbabwe
ProvinceBulawayo
DistrictCity of Bulawayo
Settled1840
Incorporated (town)1897
Incorporated (city)1943
Divisions
 		4 districts, 29 wards, 156 suburbs
Government
 • TypeMayor–council
 • MayorDavid Coltart (CCC)
 • CouncilBulawayo City Council
Area
 • City and province
545.8 km2 (210.7 sq mi)
 • Land479 km2 (185 sq mi)
 • Water66.8 km2 (25.8 sq mi)
 • Metro
1,706.8 km2 (659.0 sq mi)
Elevation
[1]
1,358 m (4,455 ft)
Population
 (2022 census)
 • City and province
665,952
 • Density1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (CAT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (not observed)
Area code029
HDI (2021)0.693[2]
medium · 1st of 10
Websitecitybyo.co.zw

Bulawayo (/bʊləˈwɑːjoʊ/, /-ˈweɪoʊ/;[3] Northern Ndebele: Bulawayo) is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and the largest city in the country's Matabeleland region.[4] The city's population is disputed; the 2022 census listed it at 665,940,[5] while the Bulawayo City Council claimed it to be about 1.2 million. Bulawayo covers an area of 546 square kilometres (211 square miles) in the western part of the country, along the Matsheumhlope River. Along with the capital Harare, Bulawayo is one of two cities in Zimbabwe that are also provinces.

Bulawayo was founded by a group led by Gundwane Ndiweni around 1840 as the kraal of Mzilikazi, the Ndebele king and was known as Gibixhegu.[6] His son, Lobengula, succeeded him in the 1860s, and changed the name to koBulawayo and ruled from Bulawayo until 1893, when the settlement was captured by British South Africa Company soldiers during the First Matabele War.[7] That year, the first white settlers arrived and rebuilt the town. The town was besieged by Ndebele warriors during the Second Matabele War. Bulawayo attained municipality status in 1897, and city status in 1943.[8]

Historically, Bulawayo has been the principal industrial centre of Zimbabwe; its factories produce cars and car products, building materials, electronic products, textiles, furniture, and food products. Bulawayo is also the hub of Zimbabwe's rail network and the headquarters of the National Railways of Zimbabwe.[9]

Bulawayo's central business district (CBD) covers 5.4 km2 (2.1 sq mi) in the heart of the city and is surrounded by numerous suburbs. The majority of the city's population belongs to the Ndebele people, with minorities of Shona and other groups. Bulawayo is home to over a dozen colleges and universities, most notably the National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo Polytechnic College,[10] Zimbabwe School of Mines, Hillside Teachers College,[11] and the United College of Education.[12][13] The Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, formerly the National Museum, is located in Bulawayo. The city is close to tourist sites such as Matobo National Park and the Khami World Heritage Site.[14]

  1. ^ Google Earth
  2. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Bulawayo". Collins Dictionary. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Bulawayo | Zimbabwe, Map, Population, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 23 February 2024. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  5. ^ Citypopulation.de Archived 9 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine Population of the major cities in Zimbabwe
  6. ^ "koBulawayo, or Old Bulawayo (1870 – 1881) and the Indaba Tree | Zimbabwe Field Guide". Zimfieldguide.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  7. ^ Tshili, Nqobile (18 April 2023). "Battle of Gadade proves that Africans Cherished Sovereignty". Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Municipality of Bulawayo - Rhodesian Study Circle". 14 April 2019. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Tayana Tourism - Bulawayo". www.tayanatourism.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Bulawayo Polytechnic College". Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Hillside teachers college". Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  12. ^ "United College of Education". Archived from the original on 21 May 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Bulawayo colleges open companies as Education 5.0 bears fruit". The Herald. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe - Bulawayo". 1 October 2015. Archived from the original on 21 May 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.