Lubumbashi
From Roach Busters
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| City seal of Lubumbashi | |
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|---|---|
| Region Mayor | Shaba Floribert Kaseba |
| Area - City - Land | 747 km² 747 km² |
| Population - City (2001) - Density | 1,139,064 1,525/km² |
| Time zone - Summer (DST) | EET (UTC +2) not observed (UTC +2) |
| Coordinates | 11° 40’ S, 27° 29’ E |
Lubumbashi, located near the Zairian-Zambian border, is the regional capital of copper-rich Shaba and the hub of the southeastern part of the country. It was also capital of the short-lived secessionist state of Katanga, under Moise Tshombe It lies at around 1,000 meters above sea level. The Kafue River rises along the Zambian border near the city and meanders through parts of Zambia to the Zambezi River. Under Belgian colonial rule, the city was known as Élisabethville; in 1967, Mobutu Sese Seko (then called Joseph-Désiré Mobutu) gave it its current name.
Lubumbashi serves as an important commercial and national industrial center. Manufactures include textiles, food products and beverages, printing, bricks, and copper smelting. Lubumbashi hosts the modern Luano international airport and a daily newspaper. The city consequently serves as a distribution center for such minerals as copper, cobalt, zinc, tin, and coal.
Attractions in the city include a botanical garden, a zoo, a brewery, and the regional archaeological and ethnological National Museum of Lubumbashi. The city also hosts the major University of Lubumbashi, which maintains a library.
The city sustained heavy damage during the riots of 1991 and 1993; several parts of the city are still in need of restoration.
Note: Much of this article comes from Wikipedia, which is in the public domain. Full credit goes to its authors.
