Bulawayo

Bulawayo, second largest city in Zimbabwe and the chief city of Matabeleland (i.e., the Ndebele-dominated western third of the country). The city lies along the Matsheumlope River in the southwestern part of the country, 4,405 feet (1,341 metres) above sea level in undulating savanna terrain. The original site was the kraal (headquarters) of Lobengula, king of the Ndebele, who fought a major battle against his rivals there; Bulawayo means “place of slaughter.” Occupied by the British in 1893, the settlement was moved in 1894 to its present location 3 miles (5 km) south and declared a town; it became a municipality in 1897 and a city in 1943. Government House, built by Cecil John Rhodes, now occupies the original site.

Bulawayo is Zimbabwe’s principal industrial centre; its major products are automobiles, tires, concrete and other building materials, radios, television sets, textiles, furniture, and food. As the headquarters of Zimbabwe railways, Bulawayo is the country’s main transshipment point for goods to and from South Africa. The city is laid out on a grid and is modern in appearance, with wide streets and many new buildings. It has two teachers’ colleges, one technical college, and the National Museum. Tourist attractions include Rhodes’s tomb in Matobo National Park, 28 miles (45 km) south, and the Khami Ruins, 12 miles (19 km) west, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. Pop. (2002) 676,650; (2012) 653,337.