Mongu
Mongu | |
---|---|
City | |
Coordinates: 15°16′39″S 23°7′55″E / 15.27750°S 23.13194°E | |
Country | Zambia |
Province | Western Province |
District | Mongu District |
Elevation | 3,340 ft (1,018 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 179,585 |
Mongu is the capital of Western Province in Zambia and was the capital of the formerly-named province and historic state of Barotseland. Its population is 179,585 (2010 census[1]), and it is also the headquarters of Mongu District. Mongu is the home of the Litunga, King of the Lozi people (currently His Majesty Lubosi Imwiko III).
History
The Lozi people live in concentrated rural areas close to Mongu. Their name comes from a Luyana word Mungu, meaning pumpkin, a type of vegetable historically grown in farmlands.
From the 16th century, it became the seat of the
Geography
Mongu is situated on a small blunt promontory of higher ground on the eastern edge of the 30-kilometre-wide
Demographics
Mongu is the home city of the
At the end of the 18th century, a significant number of Mbunda from Angola settled here.[2]
Climate
The area has an annual average rainfall of 945 mm falling in the rainy season from late October to April.[citation needed] The flood usually arrives by January, peaks in April and is gone by June, leaving a floodplain green with new grass on which a population of about 250,000 moves in to graze a similar number of cattle, catch fish and raise crops in small gardens. Mongu is hot from September to December, with a mean maximum for October of 35.4 °C, and cool from May to August, with a mean maximum in June of 26.9 °C and a mean minimum of 10.3 °C.[citation needed]
Climate data for Mongu (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 39.0 (102.2) |
36.9 (98.4) |
38.2 (100.8) |
39.0 (102.2) |
33.7 (92.7) |
33.8 (92.8) |
35.5 (95.9) |
40.5 (104.9) |
41.5 (106.7) |
41.5 (106.7) |
39.8 (103.6) |
38.0 (100.4) |
41.5 (106.7) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.8 (85.6) |
29.7 (85.5) |
30.2 (86.4) |
30.9 (87.6) |
29.6 (85.3) |
27.8 (82.0) |
27.9 (82.2) |
31.1 (88.0) |
34.7 (94.5) |
35.6 (96.1) |
32.5 (90.5) |
30.3 (86.5) |
30.8 (87.4) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.7 (76.5) |
24.6 (76.3) |
24.7 (76.5) |
23.9 (75.0) |
21.7 (71.1) |
19.3 (66.7) |
19.1 (66.4) |
22.1 (71.8) |
25.9 (78.6) |
27.5 (81.5) |
26.0 (78.8) |
24.8 (76.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) |
19.5 (67.1) |
19.2 (66.6) |
16.9 (62.4) |
13.7 (56.7) |
10.7 (51.3) |
10.2 (50.4) |
13.1 (55.6) |
17.0 (62.6) |
19.4 (66.9) |
19.4 (66.9) |
19.3 (66.7) |
16.5 (61.7) |
Record low °C (°F) | 12.9 (55.2) |
11.5 (52.7) |
9.1 (48.4) |
7.5 (45.5) |
2.7 (36.9) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
7.4 (45.3) |
9.2 (48.6) |
11.1 (52.0) |
13.8 (56.8) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 229.3 (9.03) |
210.8 (8.30) |
141.0 (5.55) |
29.8 (1.17) |
5.1 (0.20) |
0.3 (0.01) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.1 (0.08) |
20.3 (0.80) |
95.1 (3.74) |
227.7 (8.96) |
965.7 (38.02) |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
78.9 | 80.0 | 77.6 | 68.3 | 58.9 | 53.6 | 47.3 | 39.7 | 34.2 | 48.5 | 64.2 | 76.8 | 60.7 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 198.4 | 179.2 | 226.3 | 267.0 | 306.9 | 297.0 | 313.1 | 313.1 | 288.0 | 266.6 | 216.0 | 195.3 | 3,066.9 |
Source: NOAA (humidity, sun 1961–1990)[3][4] |
Ecology
Three ecoregions are represented in Mongu and its vicinity: the floodplain comprises Zambezian flooded grasslands, while the higher dry ground is a mosaic of Central Zambezian Miombo woodlands and Cryptosepalum dry forests. To the east the soil is very sandy and there are many pans which dry out in the dry season, and beyond the Lui River no surface water is available so this zone of scrubby miombo woodland is practically uninhabited as far east as the Luampa River.[citation needed]
Economy
Mongu lies at the end of the 590-km
The city is known for basket and carpet weaving. It produces the best mango and fish in the country, especially the tiger fish. Mongu is also the major rice growing region of Zambia.[citation needed]
It is also home to a
References
- ^ 2010 Census of Population and Housing - Population Summary Report
- ^ The Mbunda Kingdom Research and Advisory Council Archived 2013-06-02 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Mongu". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
- ^ "Mongu MET Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
- ^ a b "Roads and Road Traffic Act | National Assembly of Zambia". www.parliament.gov.zm. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
- ^ "Zambia : The Mongu-Kalabo road has been completed". 8 April 2016.
- General references
- Camerapix (1996). "Spectrum Guide to Zambia." Nairobi: Camerapix International Publishing. ISBN 1-874041-14-8.
- Terracarta/International Travel Maps, Vancouver Canada: "Zambia, 2nd edition", 2000.
- Google Earth has high-resolution photographs of Mongu.
- http://www.barotseland.com/