Mahalapye

Botswana: traditional house

Mahalapye, village, eastern Botswana. It lies midway along the rail line between Mafikeng, South Africa, and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and is 125 miles (200 km) northeast of Gaborone, the national capital. The name Mahalapye refers to an impala. The village is situated on a plateau with good pasturage, and its economy is based on cattle raising and extensive mixed farming of sorghum, corn (maize), and beans. Mahalapye has one of the country’s meteorological stations and a branch of the National Library. Textile and small-tool manufacturing are the only important industries. Pop. (2001) 39,719; (2011) 43,289.