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Central Province is one of
Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...
's ten
provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
. The provincial capital is
Kabwe Kabwe is the capital of the Zambian Central Province and the Kabwe District, with a population estimated at 202,914 at the 2010 census. Named Broken Hill until 1966, it was founded when lead and zinc deposits were discovered in 1902. Kabwe also ...
, which is the home of the
Mulungushi Rock of Authority Mulungushi Rock of Authority, also known as Mulungushi Rock, is a kopje (isolated rock hill) in the Central Province of Zambia associated with major political gatherings and speeches. Situated near the Mulungushi River north of Kabwe, it was fi ...
. Central Province has an area of . It borders eight other provinces and has eleven districts. The total area of forest in the province is , and it has a national park and three game management areas. The first mine in the region was opened up in 1905 making the then Broken Hill town the first mining town. In 1966, he town's name was reverted to its indigenous name -
Kabwe Kabwe is the capital of the Zambian Central Province and the Kabwe District, with a population estimated at 202,914 at the 2010 census. Named Broken Hill until 1966, it was founded when lead and zinc deposits were discovered in 1902. Kabwe also ...
(Kabwe-Ka Mukuba) meaning 'ore' or 'smelting'. As of 2010, Central Province had a population of 1,307,111, comprising 10.05% of the total Zambian population. The literacy rate stood at 70.90% against a national average of 70.2%. Census 2012, p. 24
Bemba Bemba may refer to: * Bemba language (Chibemba), a Bantu language spoken in Zambia * Bemba people (AbaBemba), an ethnic group of central Africa * Jean-Pierre Bemba, the former vice-President of the Democratic Republic of Congo * A Caribbean drum, ...
was the most spoken language with 31.80% speaking it, and Lala was the majority clan in the province, comprising 20.3% of population. Central Province contains 20.64% of the total area of cultivated land in Zambia and contributes 23.85% of the total agricultural production in the country, with wheat being the major crop. The Ikubi Lya Loongo festival during July and Ichibwela Mushi festival during September are the major festivals celebrated in the province. Kafue National Park, the country's largest, is shared with
Southern Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...
and North-Western Provinces, and other natural areas include Blue Lagoon National Park, Kasanka National Park, the Bangweulu Wetlands,
South Luangwa National Park South Luangwa National Park is in eastern Zambia, the southernmost of three national parks in the valley of the Luangwa River. It is a world-renowned wildlife haven which is known to locals simply as "the South Park."Concentrations of game along ...
, the Lunsemfwa and Lukusashi river valleys and Lukanga Swamp.


History

Central Province is considered the birthplace of the national movement of Zambia. The
United National Independence Party The United National Independence Party (UNIP) is a political party in Zambia. It governed the country from 1964 to 1991 under the socialist presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, and was the sole legal party in the country between 1973 and 1990. On 4 ...
(UNIP) was founded in
Kabwe Kabwe is the capital of the Zambian Central Province and the Kabwe District, with a population estimated at 202,914 at the 2010 census. Named Broken Hill until 1966, it was founded when lead and zinc deposits were discovered in 1902. Kabwe also ...
by
Kenneth Kaunda Kenneth David Kaunda (28 April 1924 – 17 June 2021), also known as KK, was a Zambian politician who served as the first President of Zambia from 1964 to 1991. He was at the forefront of the struggle for independence from British rule. Diss ...
, who later became the first President of Zambia and remained in office from 1964 to 1991. The provincial capital is Kabwe, home of the
Mulungushi Rock of Authority Mulungushi Rock of Authority, also known as Mulungushi Rock, is a kopje (isolated rock hill) in the Central Province of Zambia associated with major political gatherings and speeches. Situated near the Mulungushi River north of Kabwe, it was fi ...
. This is a historic site, an isolated flat-topped hill, where in 1960, UNIP met for the first time, away from the eye of the colonial administration. It is still used for political gatherings, but the open air assemblies have been replaced by a conference centre built nearby at Mulungushi University. The Mulungushi River gives its name to many historical policies, buildings and organizations. The 1968 Mulungushi Declaration proclaimed the country as a socialist nation. Mulungushi Hall in the capital is the venue for most international conventions. As of 2013,
Chisamba Chisamba, often misspelled as Chifamba, is a small town located near Chibombo, in the Central Province of Zambia. It is located roughly north of Lusaka. In February 2013 a bus crash killed 53 people near Chisamba. The Protea Hotel Safari Lodge ...
, before a part of
Chibombo District Chibombo District is a district of Central Province, Zambia. As of the 2010 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 293,765 people. It consists of two constituencies, namely Keembe and Katuba. Its headquarters are at Chibombo, and it ...
, was declared a district on its own by the President, Michael Sata. As of 2015, Ngabwe, before a part of
Kapiri Mposhi District Kapiri Mposhi District is a district of Zambia, located in Central Province. The capital lies at Kapiri Mposhi. As of the 2010 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 240,638 people. Geography The district borders with Copperbelt Provin ...
, was declared a district on its own, with a proposal for it to become Zambia's new capital city by former infrastructure minister Lucky Mulusa. In 2012, President Michael Sata proposed for Itezhi-Tezhi District to be moved from Southern Province to Central Province, which eventually happened and in February 2018, President Edgar Lungu moved
Shibuyunji District Shibuyunji District (also known as Sibuyunji District) is a district of Central Province, Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it ...
from Lusaka Province to Central Province.
Chitambo District Chitambo District is a district of Central Province, Zambia. It was separated from Serenje District in 2012 and is located some 357km north-east of Kabwe along the Great North Road. It shares borders with Serenje, Samfya (Luapula Province), La ...
was also created by splitting Serenje District in 2012 and
Luano District Luano District is a district of Central Province, Zambia. It was separated from Mkushi District Mkushi District is a district of Zambia, located in Central Province. The capital lies at Mkushi Mkushi is a town in the Central Province of Zam ...
was also created by splitting Mkushi District in 2012. Adding Chisamba District, Ngabwe District, Itezhi-Tezhi District, Shibuyunji District, Luano District & Chitambo District to the original districts brings the total to 12 districts as of 2018. On 17 November 2021, President
Hakainde Hichilema Hakainde Hichilema (born 4 June 1962) is a Zambian businessman, farmer, and politician who is the seventh and current president of Zambia since 24 August 2021. After having contested five previous elections in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 20 ...
officially declared Itezhi-Tezhi District as part of Southern Province (no-longer part of Central Province), thereby returning the district to its original province. So, Central Province has 11 districts as of 2022.


Geography

Central Province has an area of and shares a border with eight other provinces. The total area of forest in the province is . The province has a national park and three game management areas. There are six districts in the province. The province has fertile soil conducive for the growth of cotton and maize. Lukanga Swamp has been identified by the
International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster glo ...
as a potential place for a fishing industry. Precious metals are found in the Mkushi area, gold in Mumbwa, and coal in Kapiri Mposhi.
International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster glo ...
2007, p. 328
Lukanga Swamp is a permanent swamp covering 1,850 km2 at the mouths and along the Lukanga and
Kafue Kafue is a town in the Lusaka Province of Zambia and it lies on the north bank of the Kafue River, after which it is named. It is the southern gateway to the central Zambian plateau on which Lusaka and the mining towns of Kabwe and the Copperb ...
rivers. It contains many lagoons like Lake Chiposhye and Lake Suye. TAZARA, the Tanzania-Zambia railway line, has a major terminal in the city. It provides connectivity to the port in Tanzania from Zambia.


Demographics

According to the 2010 Zambian census, Central Province had a population of 1,307,111, comprising 10.05% of the total Zambian population of 13,092,666. There were 648,465 males and 658,646 females, making the sex ratio 1,016 females for every 1,000 males, compared to the national average of 1,028. Census 2012, p. 7 The literacy rate stood at 70.90% against a national average of 70.2%. Approximately 74.87% of people lived in rural areas, while 25.13% lived in urban areas. The total area of the province is 94,394 km2 and the population density was 13.80 per km2. The decadal population growth of the province was 2.60%. The median age in the province at the time of marriage was 20.6. The average household size was 5.5, with the average size of families headed by women being 4.8 and 5.8 for families headed by men. In the province, 54.30% were eligible to vote. The unemployment rate was 12.70%. The total fertility rate was 6.3, the complete birth rate was 6.1, the crude birth rate was 36.0, the child–woman ratio at birth was 785, the general fertility rate was 156, the gross reproduction rate was 2.5, and the net reproduction rate was 1.8. The labour force constituted 52.20% of the total population. Out of the labour force, 62.7% were men and 42.2% were women. The annual growth rate of the labour force was 2.2%.
Bemba Bemba may refer to: * Bemba language (Chibemba), a Bantu language spoken in Zambia * Bemba people (AbaBemba), an ethnic group of central Africa * Jean-Pierre Bemba, the former vice-President of the Democratic Republic of Congo * A Caribbean drum, ...
was the most spoken language with 31.80% speaking it. The total population in the province with
albinism Albinism is the congenital absence of melanin in an animal or plant resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and pink or blue eyes. Individuals with the condition are referred to as albino. Varied use and interpretation of the term ...
stood at 3,007. The life expectancy at birth stood at 52 compared to the national average of 51. Lala was the largest clan in the province, comprising 20.3% of population.


Administration

The provincial administration is set up purely for administrative purposes. The province is headed by a minister appointed by the
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
and there are ministries of central government for each province. The administrative head of the province is the Permanent Secretary, appointed by the President. There is a Deputy Permanent Secretary, heads of government departments and civil servants at the provincial level. Central Province is divided into eleven districts: *
Chibombo District Chibombo District is a district of Central Province, Zambia. As of the 2010 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 293,765 people. It consists of two constituencies, namely Keembe and Katuba. Its headquarters are at Chibombo, and it ...
, * Chisamba District, *
Chitambo District Chitambo District is a district of Central Province, Zambia. It was separated from Serenje District in 2012 and is located some 357km north-east of Kabwe along the Great North Road. It shares borders with Serenje, Samfya (Luapula Province), La ...
, * Kabwe District, *
Kapiri Mposhi District Kapiri Mposhi District is a district of Zambia, located in Central Province. The capital lies at Kapiri Mposhi. As of the 2010 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 240,638 people. Geography The district borders with Copperbelt Provin ...
, *
Luano District Luano District is a district of Central Province, Zambia. It was separated from Mkushi District Mkushi District is a district of Zambia, located in Central Province. The capital lies at Mkushi Mkushi is a town in the Central Province of Zam ...
, * Mkushi District, * Mumbwa District, * Ngabwe District, * Serenje District *
Shibuyunji District Shibuyunji District (also known as Sibuyunji District) is a district of Central Province, Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it ...
. All of the district headquarters are the same as the district names. There are eleven councils in the province, each of which is headed by an elected representative, called a councilor. Each councilor holds office for three years. The administrative staff of the council is selected based on the Local Government Service Commission from within or outside the district. The office of the provincial government is located in each of the district headquarters and has provincial local government officers and auditors. Each council is responsible for raising and collecting local taxes and the budgets of the council are audited and submitted every year after the annual budget. The elected members of the council do not draw salaries, but are paid allowances from the council. Central Province is predominantly rural and hence there are no city or municipal councils. The government stipulates 63 different functions for the councils, with the majority of them being infrastructure management and local administration. Councils are mandated to maintain each of their community centres, zoos, local parks, drainage systems, playgrounds, cemeteries, caravan sites, libraries, museums and art galleries. They also work with specific government departments for helping in agriculture, conservation of natural resources, providing postal service, and establishing and maintaining hospitals, schools and colleges. The councils prepare schemes that encourage community participation.


Economy and society

As of 2014, a total of 6,853 (59.2%) out of 11,576 candidates obtained a Full School Certificate (the Grade 12 examination). The unemployment rate was 10% and the youth unemployment rate was 14.2% in 2016. As per the Living Condition Monitoring survey of 2015,
malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. ...
was the most common illness and accounted for 14.3% of reported deaths. HIV prevalence in the province as of 2013–14 was 12.5% overall, 14.8% for women, and 9.8% for men. The total area of crops planted during 2014 in the province was 391,593.23 hectares, which constituted 20.64% of the total area cultivated in Zambia. The net production stood at 971,484 metric tonnes, which formed 23.85% of the total agricultural production in the country. Wheat was the major crop in the province with 99,758 metric tonnes, constituting 49.51% of the national output. The annual rate of inflation in the province as of August 2017 was 7.2% against a national rate of 6.3%, and the provincial contribution to the national inflation during the same period was 0.8.


Culture

The Ikubi Lya Loongo festival is celebrated in Mumbwa district by the Sala tribe during July, the Ichibwela Mushi festival is celebrated in Mkushi district by the Bisa/Swaka/Lala tribe during September, the Musaka Jikubi festival is celebrated in Mumbwa district by the Kaonde tribe during September, the Kulamba Kubwalo festival is celebrated in
Chibombo district Chibombo District is a district of Central Province, Zambia. As of the 2010 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 293,765 people. It consists of two constituencies, namely Keembe and Katuba. Its headquarters are at Chibombo, and it ...
by the Lenje tribe during October, and the Ikubi Lya Malumbe-Munyama festival is celebrated in Mumbwa district by the Kaonde Ila tribe during October. The Kulamba Kubwalo festival is attended by 250,000 people annually to pay tribute to their leader and celebrate the harvest.


Environment

Kafue National Park, the country's largest national park, is shared with the
Southern Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...
and North-Western Provinces. Blue Lagoon National Park located in the northern part of the
Kafue Flats The Kafue Flats (locally called Butwa) are a vast area of swamp, open lagoon and seasonally inundated flood-plain on the Kafue River in the Southern, Central and Lusaka provinces of Zambia. They are a shallow flood plain 240 km long and a ...
, Kasanka National Park in the border of Bangweulu Wetlands,
South Luangwa National Park South Luangwa National Park is in eastern Zambia, the southernmost of three national parks in the valley of the Luangwa River. It is a world-renowned wildlife haven which is known to locals simply as "the South Park."Concentrations of game along ...
, the Lunsemfwa and
Lukusashi River The Lukasashi River (also spelled Lukusashi) is a tributary of the Lunsemfwa River in Zambia. It flows through important game conservation area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their rec ...
valleys and Lukanga Swamp are the major wildlife and game areas in the province. Kundalila, a waterfall in Serenje district, is a declared national heritage site.


References


Sources

* * * *


External links

{{Coord, 14, 00, S, 29, 00, E, region:ZM_type:adm1st, display=title Provinces of Zambia