Monze is a small town (population 30,000) in the Southern Province 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 ...

and is about 180 km south-west of

Lusaka Lusaka (; ) is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa. Lusaka is in the southern part of the central plateau at an elevation of about . , the city's population was about 3.3 milli ...

. It is the administrative centre of Monze District.Google's list of schools
in Monze,

The town is named after

Chief Monze Chief Monze is the spiritual leader of the Tonga people of southern Zambia. The chief's palace is south of the town of Monze Monze is a small town (population 30,000) in the Southern Province of Zambia and is about 180 km south-west of Lu ...

, widely acknowledged as the

spiritual leader Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrine Doctrine (from la, Wikt:doct ...

of the Tonga people who inhabit the district. His palace is south of the town near a place called ''Gonde'' where a ceremony called

Lwiindi Lwiindi is an annual festival of the Tonga people of might southern 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 t ...

takes place. This annual festival is a thanksgiving ceremony which attracts many people from around the country. Monze is a rapidly urbanising town with growth extending along the

railway line Rail terminology is a form of technical terminology. The difference between the American term ''railroad'' and the international term ''railway'' (used by the International Union of Railways and English-speaking countries outside the United Sta ...

and T1 highway. The town is divided into neighbourhoods known locally as ''‘compounds''’. There is a substantial open-air market in Monze and a small but growing range of agri-dealerships, shops, bars and restaurants. The main industry in the district is

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peop ...

, with maize being the most important crop. At one point in the past, the district used to produce more than 25% of the maize crop in Zambia. It was popularly known as the 'home of Zambia's

granary A granary is a storehouse or room in a barn for threshed grain or animal feed. Ancient or primitive granaries are most often made of pottery. Granaries are often built above the ground to keep the stored food away from mice and other animal ...

'. Although its status as the leading maize producer has declined over the years, the most prominent feature in the town is still the Swedish built grain silos to the north of the town. Although these have been disused for a number of years. As with much of Southern Province, Monze has struggled with drought in recent years - crippling the agrarian economy and leading to significant food price increases. The town has a significant Seventh Day Adventist presence, although many other Christian denominations are represented. There is also a very small but growing Islamic minority in the town. Local Tourism sites of significance include:

The Mooring Campsite ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

Family Safari Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...

(off the T1), the beautiful Magoye reservoir, and the derelict remnants of

Fort Monze A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

References

Populated places in Southern Province, Zambia {{Zambia-geo-stub