Gwanda

{{short description|Zimbabwean town}} {{EngvarB|date=July 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Gwanda | native_name = | other_name = | settlement_type = Town | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_caption = | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | nickname = | motto = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = | pushpin_map = Zimbabwe | pushpin_label_position = inline | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Zimbabwe | coordinates = {{coord|20|56|20|S|29|01|07|E|region:ZW|display=inline, title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_type2 = Districts of Zimbabwe | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_type4 = Municipality | subdivision_name = 25px Zimbabwe | subdivision_name1 = Matabeleland South | subdivision_name2 = Gwanda District | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_name4 = Municipality of Gwanda | established_title = | established_date = | established_title2 = | established_date2 = | established_title3 = | established_date3 = | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_name1 = | area_footnotes = | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_km2 = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_km2 = | area_blank1_sq_mi = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = 3300 | population_total = 26700 | population_as_of = 2022 census | population_footnotes = <ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/zimbabwe/cities/ Citypopulation.de] Population of cities & urban localities in Zimbabwe</ref> | population_density_km2 = auto | population_density_sq_mi = | population_urban = | population_density_urban_km2 = | population_density_urban_sq_mi = | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_blank1_title = Ethnicities | population_blank1 = | population_density_blank1_km2 = | population_density_blank1_sq_mi = | population_blank2_title = Religions | population_blank2 = | population_note = | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = | website = | footnotes = | image_dot_map = | dot_mapsize = | dot_map_caption = | dot_x = | dot_y = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | timezone = CAT | utc_offset = +2 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | blank_name = Climate | blank_info = BSh | blank1_name = | blank1_info = }} [[File:Mchabezi GW.jpg|225px|thumb|right|Mtshabezi River in Gwanda]] '''Gwanda''' is a town in Zimbabwe. It is the capital of the province of Matabeleland South, one of the ten administrative provinces in the country. It is also the district capital of Gwanda District, one of the seven administrative districts in the province.

==Location== The town is located {{convert|134|km|0}}, by road, south east of the city of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city.<ref name="2R">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Bulawayo,+Zimbabwe/Gwanda,+Zimbabwe/@-20.410172,28.8408608,10z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x1eb553f3a8738f73:0x1d2d555c3f07ed7e!2m2!1d28.626479!2d-20.1325066!1m5!1m1!1s0x1eca69b1b06eda79:0x9f71d63e18ce906f!2m2!1d29.0110762!2d-20.9398233!3e0 |title=Road Distance From Bulawayo To Gwanda |access-date=17 July 2020}}</ref> This location lies on the Bulawayo–Beitbridge Road and the Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway. The town of Beitbridge, at Zimbabwe's border with the Republic of South Africa, lies {{convert|197|km|0}}, further southeast on Highway A-6.<ref name="3R">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Gwanda,+Zimbabwe/Beitbridge,+Zimbabwe/@-21.292899,29.3819201,9z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x1eca69b1b06eda79:0x9f71d63e18ce906f!2m2!1d29.0110762!2d-20.9398233!1m5!1m1!1s0x1ec8c85e992cc41b:0xc5c7dba25c5d2674!2m2!1d30.0029572!2d-22.198902!3e0 |title=Road Distance From Gwanda, Zimbabwe To Beitbridge, Zimbabwe |access-date=17 July 2020}}</ref> The coordinates of Gwanda, Zimbabwe are: 20°56'20.0"S, 29°01'07.0"E (Latitude:-20.938889; Longitude:29.018611).<ref name="4R">{{google maps|title=Location of Gwanda, Zimbabwe | url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/20%C2%B056'20.0%22S+29%C2%B001'07.0%22E/@-20.9403118,29.0189222,367m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-20.9388889!4d29.0186111 |access-date=17 July 2020}}</ref> Gwanda sits at an average elevation of {{convert|3300|ft|0}} above mean sea level.<ref name="5R">{{cite web|url=https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=what+is+the+elevation+of+gwanda%2C+zimbabwe%3F |date=17 July 2020 |title=Elevation of Gwanda, Zimbabwe |access-date=17 July 2020 |publisher=Wolframalpha.com |author=Wolfram Alpha}}</ref> Gwanda is known to have long, hot summers, and short, cool winters. Gwanda is also quite dry as compared to the rest of the country, and is therefore prone to drought.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Average Weather in Gwanda, Zimbabwe, Year Round - Weather Spark|url=https://weatherspark.com/y/95855/Average-Weather-in-Gwanda-Zimbabwe-Year-Round|access-date=2020-11-21|website=weatherspark.com}}</ref>

==Overview== Gwanda was founded in 1900 as a settlement of European gold miners and prospectors. Its name derives from that of a nearby hill known as Jahunda. It is located on the Bulawayo-Beitbridge road and the railway that runs south to West Nicholson. The town is the a centre for Matebeleland South’s cattle ranching industry and also trades in agricultural produce. There are gold, asbestos, and chrome mines in the vicinity, and game reserves nearby. Stone Age implements have been found in the Gwalingemba Hills, which are located 32 miles (52 km) south of Gwanda.

Gwanda is administratively run by the Municipality of Gwanda, whose jurisdiction covers 10 wards across the town.<ref name="6R">{{cite web|date=17 July 2020 | url=http://www.gwanda.org.zw |title=The official website of the Municipality of Gwanda |publisher=Municipality of Gwanda | access-date=17 July 2020 |author=Municipality of Gwanda | location=Gwanda, Zimbabwe}}</ref> Gwanda is the location of the District headquarters of Gwanda District. It is also home to the Matabeleland South provincial offices of various government departments, which are mainly located at the government complex along 3rd Avenue, between Queen Street and Khartoum Street.<ref name="7R">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/20%C2%B056'27.0%22S+29%C2%B000'16.0%22E/@-20.9408675,29.0043967,130m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-20.9408333!4d29.0044444 |title=Location of The Government Complex, Gwanda, Zimbabwe |access-date=17 July 2020}}</ref>

The town has a provincial hospital, Gwanda Provincial Hospital, which serves as a referral centre for nearby smaller mission and district hospitals. Services provided include emergency medicine, paediatrics, maternity, eye surgery, minor orthopaedic surgery, general surgery and an expanded immunisation program. The town is the chief centre for south-western Zimbabwe's cattle district and also trades in agricultural produce. There are asbestos, chromium and gold mines around Gwanda.<ref name="8R">{{cite web|title=Overview of Gwanda At Britannica.com | url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Gwanda |date=2020 | publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica |author=((The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica)) |access-date=17 July 2020}}</ref>

The main stadium is called Phelandaba Stadium. It was home to the former Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League team, ''Njube Sundowns''. Currently there is Gwanda Pirates FC whichbis affectionately known as Ezimnyama ngenkani which plqys in the ZIFA Central Region Division 1. Financial services are provided by commercial banks, including CBZ Bank Limited, Post Office Savings Bank, AgriBank Zimbabwe and ZB Bank Limited.<ref name="9R">{{cite web|url=http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/business/business-analysis/53077/zbs-growing-gold-fund.html |title=ZB's Growing Gold Fund |date=23 September 2011 |newspaper=The Zimbabwean |author=Ngoni Chanakira and Michelle Chifamba |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617194418/http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/business/business-analysis/53077/zbs-growing-gold-fund.html |access-date=17 July 2020 |archive-date=17 June 2012 |format=Archived from the original on 17 June 2012}}</ref>

==Population== According to the 1982 Population Census, the town had a population of 4,874. The town chiefs refused to acknowledge the results of the 1992 census as they felt they had been undercounted. Officially, that disputed figure was 10,565. In 2012, the national population census enumerated the towns population was at 20,226.<ref name="10R">{{cite web|date=8 June 2020 |url=https://ucaz.org.zw/members/municipality-of-gwanda/ | title=Municipality of Gwanda: Demographic Highlights | publisher=Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe |access-date=17 July 2020 |author=Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe | location=Harare}}</ref> Most residents of Gwanda are ethnically Ndebele, and isiNdebele and English are the languages most commonly spoken. There are also Shona and Sotho people in Gwanda.

==Notable people== The former president of Zambia, Rupiah Banda, was born in this town, in a place called Miko. Professor Thomas Tlou of the University of Botswana, former Botswana Ambassador to the U.N., was born in Gwanda. He was also co-author with Alec Campbell of ''History of Botswana''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Tlou |first1=Thomas |last2=Campbell |first2=Alec |author-link1=Thomas Tlou |author-link2= Alec Campbell (archaeologist) |date=1984 |title=History of Botswana |location=Gaborone, Botswana |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=9789991278087|oclc=1142866814 }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/1317/2194 Economic burden of malaria on rural households in Gwanda District, Zimbabwe] Published: 28 August 2017.

Category:Gwanda Category:Provincial capitals in Zimbabwe Category:Populated places in Matabeleland South Province Category:Gwanda District