Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated metropolitan population in 2007 of 731,003.[2] It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km (273 mi) southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland. The capital of Matabeleland North is now Lupane, as Bulawayo is a stand-alone province. Bulawayo is also known as the 'City of Kings', 'Skies', 'Bluez', 'Bulliesberg' or 'KoNtuthu ziyathunqa' – a SiNdebele word for 'a place of smoky fires'.[citation needed].The majority of the Bulawayo's population belongs to the Ndebele ethnic and language group. Bulawayo has long been and is still regarded as the industrial and business capital of Zimbabwe and is home to the National Railways of Zimbabwe because of its strategic position near Botswana and South Africa. It is the nearest large city to Hwange National Park, Matopo National Park and Victoria Falls. he city was founded by the Ndebele king, Lobengula the son of King Mzilikazi kaMatshobana who settled in modern day Zimbabwe around 1840s after the Ndebele people's great trek from Zululand. The name Bulawayo comes from the SiNdebele word KoBulawayo meaning 'a place where he is being killed.' It is thought that at the time of the formation of the city, there was a civil war and a group of Ndebeles not aligned to Prince Lobengula were fighting him as they felt he was not the heir to the throne, hence he gave his capital the name 'where he (the prince) is being killed'. It is said that when King Lobengula named the place "KoBulawayo" his generals asked "who is being killed mtanenkosi (prince)?" and he replied "Yimi umntwanenkosi engibulawayo", meaning "its me the prince who is being killed". At the time Lobengula was just a prince fighting to ascend his father's (Mzilikazi) throne. It was common at the time for people to refer to Bulawayo as "KoBulawayo UmntwaneNkosi" "a place where they are fighting or rising against the prince". The name Bulawayo is imported from Nguniland which is a place once occupied by the Khumalo people. The place still exists and it is next to Richards Bay.[citation needed] In the 1860s the city was further settled by European inhabitance from Britain when Bulawayo became the centre of imperialist intrigue and many colonial powers cast covetous eyes on Bulawayo and the land surrounding it. Britain made skillful use of private initiative in the shape of Cecil Rhodes and the Chartered Company in order to disarm the suspicion of her rivals. Lobengula once described Britain as a chameleon and himself as the fly.[3] During the 1893 Matabele War the invasion by British South Africa Company troops led the then king, Lobengula to flee from his burning capital and head north, BSAC troops and white settlers occupied the town. On 4 November 1893, Leander Starr Jameson declared Bulawayo a settlement under the rule of the British South Africa Company and Cecil John Rhodes ordered that the new settlement be built on the ruins of Lobengula's royal town, which is where the State House stands today. In 1897, the new town of Bulawayo acquired the status of municipality, Col. Harry White became the first mayor, and in 1943, Bulawayo became a city. Right at the outbreak of the Second Matabele War, in March 1896, Bulawayo was besieged by Ndebele forces and a laager was established there for defensive purposes. The Ndebele had experienced the brutal effectiveness of the British Maxim guns in the First Matabele War, so they never mounted a significant attack against Bulawayo even though over 10,000 Ndebele warriors could be seen near the town. But rather than wait passively the settlers immediately mounted patrols, called the Bulawayo Field Force, under legendary figures such as Frederick Selous and Frederick Russell Burnham who rode out to rescue any surviving settlers in the countryside and went on attack against the Ndebele. Within the first week of fighting, 20 men of the Bulawayo Field Force were killed and another 50 wounded. During the siege, conditions inside Bulawayo quickly deteriorated. By day, settlers could go to homes and buildings within the town, but at night they were forced to seek shelter in the much smaller laager. Nearly 1,000 women and children were crowded into the small area and false alarms of attacks were common. The Ndebele made a critical error during the siege in neglecting to cut the telegraph lines connecting Bulawayo to Mafikeng. This gave both the besieged Bulawayo Field Force and the British relief forces, coming from Salisbury and Fort Victoria, now Harare and Masvingo respectively 300 miles to the North, and from Kimberley and Mafeking 600 miles to the South, far more information than they would otherwise have had. Once the relief forces arrived in late May 1896, the siege was broken and an estimated 50,000 Ndebele retreated into their stronghold of the Matobo Hills near Bulawayo. Not until October 1896 would the Ndebele finally lay down their arms. In recent years, Bulawayo has experienced a sharp fall in living standards coinciding with the severe economic crisis affecting the country. Today it is home to the strongest opposition to the government of Robert Mugabe. The main problems include poor investment and widespread unemployment. Water shortages due to lack of expansion in facilities and supplies have become steadily more acute since 1992. Cholera broke out in 2008. The city sits on a plain that marks the Highveld of Zimbabwe and is close to the watershed between the Zambezi and Limpopo drainage basins. The land slopes gently downwards to the north and northwest. The southern side is hillier, and the land becomes more broken in the direction of the Matobo Hills to the south. Due to its relatively high altitude, the city has a subtropical climate despite lying within the tropics. Under the Köppen climate classification, Bulawayo features a humid subtropical climate (Cwa), though it is a drier version of the climate. The mean annual temperature is 19.16°C (66.44°F),[4] similar to Pretoria at a similar altitude but almost 600 km (373 mi) farther south. As with much of southern and eastern Zimbabwe, Bulawayo is cooled by a prevailing southeasterly airflow most of the year, and experiences three broad seasons: a dry, cool winter season from May to August; a hot dry period in early summer from late August to early November; and a warm wet period in the rest of the summer, early November to April. The hottest month is October, which is usually the height of the dry season. The average maximum temperature ranges from 21°C (70°F) in July to 30°C (86°F) in October. During the rainy season, daytime maxima are around 26°C (79°F). Nights are always cool, ranging from 8°C (46°F) in July to 16°C (61°F) in January. The city's average annual rainfall is 590mm, which supports a natural vegetation of open woodland, dominated by Combretum and Terminalia trees. Most rain falls in the December to February period, while June to August is usually rainless. Being close to the Kalahari Desert, Bulawayo is vulnerable to droughts and rainfall tends to vary sharply from one year to another. In 1915, 748mm of rain fell in the three months up to February (December 1914 is the wettest month on record) while in the three months ending February 1983, only 84mm fell. Bulawayo has long been known as the industrial hub of Zimbabwe. It has a large manufacturing presence, and large industries such as Merlin Textiles, Zimbabwe Engineering Company (Zeco), Hubert Davies, Radar Metal Industries, National Blankets, G & D Shoes, Merlin, Tregers Group, Stewarts & Lloyds, Hunyani Holdings, Cold Storage Commission. However, some of these companies have either moved operations to Harare or no longer exist altogether which has crippled Bulawayo's economy. The industries are deserted and the infrastructure has since been left to deteriorate, further deterring investors from operating in the city. The reason for the city's de-industrialization has been heralded to be the lack of infrastructure to support the size of the city and its operations and an unreliable source of water and the collapse of the rail infrastructure which was a core reason of placing industry in Bulawayo to begin with. Many locals argue that it is because of marginalisation they experience against the government due to cultural differences between the Shona in Harare and the Ndebele Proper in Bulawayo because the National railways of Zimbabwe (Headquarters Bulawayo) is a government parastatal and as such should have been thriving had it not been for embezzlement of allocated funds by company executives who are believed to be Shona. The water issue is not new and had brought about the "help a thirsty Matabele" initiative of the 1970s and the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project which would put an end to the water issue in Matabeleland was drafted, however this project was put on hold soon after independence. these allegations have all been labeled hogwash by the relevant authorities, however they have only fueled the secessionist initiative into a general opinion. Before the collapse of Zimbabwe's rail infrastructure, Bulawayo was an important transport hub, providing rail links between Botswana, South Africa and Zambia and promoting the city's development as a major industrial centre. The city still contains most of what remains of Zimbabwe's heavy industry and food processing capability including a Thermal Power Station which resumed operations in February 2011 after a capitalisation deal with the Government of Botswana where Bulawayo would supply 45 Megawatts in three years. Like many parts of the country, Bulawayo has for the past ten years seen a huge drop in service delivery and an increase in unemployment due to the number of resignations of people seeking better prospects across the border. Many people resorted to farming, mining and the black market for sustenance, while others depended on the little foreign currency that would be sent by family in other countries. However, with the introduction of the multi-currency system in 2009, a new approach is seen by investors in the city who admire the already-available infrastructure and the huge workforce and Bulawayo as great prospects for the future and is set to once again contribute greatly to the economy of Zimbabwe. The city is served by Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport which has been expanded a number of times to cope with the influx of visitors into the region. The Edgars clothing stores are headquartered in Bulawayo. The Rovos rail run luxury train, Pride of Africa makes a stop in Bulawayo for pick up and dropping off passengers. Bulawayo is situated along the Trans-African Highway network important trade route of Cairo – Cape Town Highway. Most of the city's industries are privately owned, especially in the transport sector. These include The Nesbitt Castle The Nesbitt Castle, Bulawayo Ascot Centre NRZ building Bulawayo Centre Nesbitt Castle Fidelity Life Centre National University of Science and Technology Mhlahlandlela Government Complex Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu 1981–1983 Ald. Enos Mdlongwa 1983–1985 Ald. Nicholas Joel Mabodoko 1985–1988 Ald. Israel Gadhlula Clr. Joshua Teke Malinga Ald. Siwela Japhet Ndabeni Ncube Thaba Moyo The Chronicle (Zimbabwe) The Sunday News (Zimbabwe) Umthunywa Newsday B-Metro The Sunday Times Bulawayo is twinned with Aberdeen, Scotland; Durban and Polokwane in South Africa; and Katima Mulilo, Namibia. Bulawayo is home to the Queens Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club, two of the three grounds in Zimbabwe where test match cricket has been played. It is also home to Hartsfield Rugby grounds where many international Test matches have been played. Hartsfield was developed by Reg Hart, after whom the grounds were named, and on which field many of southern Africa's greatest rugby players have competed. It is home to two large football teams, Highlanders[6] and Zimbabwe Saints. Other football teams include Railstars Bantu Rovers Chicken Inn and Quelaton. Other important sporting and recreational facilities include Barbourfields Stadium Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Grounds Kumalo Hockey Stadium Ascot Racecourse Khami Ruins White City Stadium. Bulawayo has a number of museums of national importance, including the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, National Gallery, Bulawayo and the Bulawayo Railway Museum. There are a number of parks, in Bulawayo, including Centenary Park Barham Green Hillside Dams Conservancy Mabukuwene. Ascot Adjoining the Bulawayo Ascot race-course Barbour Fields The suburb was named after a former mayor, H. R. Barbour, who during the colonial era, was greatly interested in the welfare of the indigenous people. There is a place called Barbour in Argyll & Bute. Barbour is a Scottish family name, though it was apparently first recorded on the English side of the border, in Cumbria and Northumberland. The father of Scottish vernacular poetry, John Barbour (1320–1395), is best remembered for his epic poem "The Brus" telling the story of King Robert I. The origin of the name is occupational (a cutter of hair as well as an extractor of teeth during the Middle Ages). Barham Green The suburb was named after two people. The first was a former Bulawayo City Councillor [who later became an Alderman] Mrs. M. E. Barham, M.B.E. and the other was Rev. Rufus Green. The two people were critical in the establishment of this suburb. During the colonial Rhodesia era, the suburb was designated for the Coloured community. Beacon Hill Also known as Beryl Drive, reference is made to fact that it is the high point of the suburbs and:possesses the areas with the highest marking beacon at its summit. Belmont Industrial Area The area was named after a former Bulawayo City Engineer, Mr. Kinmont. Bellevue The suburb was named after estate name. Sometimes spelt Belle Vue. The origin of this universally-popular place name is ultimately French - 'beautiful view'. Belmont Bradfield The suburb was named after Mr. Edwin Eugene Bradfield, a pioneer. Burnside This area used to be a portion of former town Council area, used be part of Matsheumhlope Farms. Name is derived from the reference to the river Matsheumhlophe. Burn is a Scottish and northern English word for a stream. Cement This was named after the surrounding industrial area, responsible for the making of cement. Cowdray Park Donnington Donnington West Douglasdale The Douglas family, descendants of William de Duglas (late 12th Century) was one of the most powerful in Scotland. Eloana Emakhandeni Emakhandeni is the isiNdebele name for Fort Rixon, which was the area where the regiment, aMakhanda were located. eMakhandeni is the locative term. Emganwini Reference is made to the plentiful Amarula trees in the vicinity. Enqameni Enqotsheni Entumbane This is place where King Mzilikazi was buried. One of the dozens of high density suburbs of Bulawayo:commonly referred to as the "Western Suburbs". The first disturbances that led to the Gukurahundi were sparked in Entumbane, hence the term "Impi ye Ntumbane" that refers to the disturbances. Fagadola Famona The suburb was named after, Famona, one of the daughters of King Lobengula. It means jealousy or envy must end *literally- die* Fortunes Gate (Including Mtaba Moya) The suburb name comes from the original property name, and the gates are those of the original Market Building. Four Winds The suburb name comes from the original property name, the first house was on top of a hill. Glencoe This name is etched into the Scottish psyche as the bleak glen in the Highlands where, in 1692, a party of MacDonald men, women and children was treacherously massacred by the Campbells, who were acting under:government orders. Glengary The suburb was named after its estate name. The "Glengarry" bonnet is an oblong woollen cap, popular amongst pipe bands. Glenville (Including Richmond South) The suburb was named after its estate name. Granite Park Greenhill The suburb name comes from the reference to scenery and topography. Gwabalanda Named after one of Ndebele chiefs, Gwabalanda Mathe Harrisvale Helenvale Highmount Hillcrest The suburb name comes from the reference to topography. It is Greenhill's Crest Hillside The suburb name comes from the reference to topography. (Greenhill's slope)) Hillside South The suburb name comes from its position as the south facing slope of Greenhill Hume Park Hume/Home is a Lowland Scottish family name. Hyde Park The name originates from the large amount of residents which trace their ancestry to England Ilanda Ndebele name for the Egret Iminyela The name of the type of tree common in that area. Intini The name was given as a commemoration to the Mhlanga family which originally set out with the Khumalo family under Mzilikazi as gratitude to their contribution to the Ndebele Kingdom, Mthwakazi. the Ntini is the totem of the Mhlanga-Mabuya clan. Jacaranda Reference is made to the Jacaranda trees Kelvin (Industrial area, includes North East and West) The area was named in reference to a suburb of Glasgow. It takes its name from the river Kelvin, a tributary of the river Clyde. Kenilworth The suburb was named after its estate name. Kilallo Killarney Kingsdale Khumalo The suburb was named after the Royal Clan of the Matabele Khumalo North Reference to the position of Kumalo Suburb Lakeside Lakeside is the stretch of water at the junction of the Old Essexvale Road and the road to the suburb of Waterford, and then onto Hope Fountain Mission Lobengula Named after the second and last Matabele King, Lobengula Lobenvale The suburb name is derived from a combination of King Lobengula's name and Umguza Valley Lochview The suburb name is in reference to Lakeside Dam and is famous in the city for its large Scottish residents and the Scottish style houses. According to the Bulawayo City Suburb Names website, the suburb was named in reference to Lakeside Dam Luveve Named after Ndebele chief Luveve. Established in 1935 Mabuthweni The suburb name means “where the soldiers are”, the name was given in reference to a bachelor quarters. Magwegwe The suburb name is named after Magwegwe, who was one of the significant people in King Lobengula's royal Bulawayo town. Magwegwe North Reference to the position relative to that of Magwegwe. Magwegwe West Reference to the position relative to that of Magwegwe. Makokoba The suburb got its name from the actions of Mr. Fallon, who used walk around with a stick. The name comes from the word "umakhokhoba" which was the locals referred to Fallon as, meaning “the little old man who walks with a stick” . The word actually describes the noise of the stick hitting the ground ko-ko-ko or the doors. It is the oldest African dwelling in the city. Political activism was rife pre-Zapu era. Mahatshula Mahatshula is named after one of the Ndebele Indunas. This induna's name was Mahatshula Ndiweni Malindela The suburb was named after the mother of Faluta, who was the mother of Lobengula i.e. named after Lobengula's maternal grandmother. Manningdale Named after of the developer suburb Marlands Matsheumhlope The name comes from the association with river (“White Stones”). White stones in Ndebele Proper and Zulu language are amatshe amhlope. Matshobana The suburb was named after Matshobana, who was a chief of the Khumalo clan and more significantly he was the father of Mzilikazi, the founder of the Ndebele Kingdom. Montrose The suburb was named by the Estate Developers and Street names are of many Cotswold Villages and towns. Montgomery named after Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein a decorated British Army commander Morningside Mpopoma The name comes from a descriptive Ndebele name for the area, which was derived from the sound the Mpopoma river makes when flowing. Munda The Tonga name for a plot of land on which people would farm Mzilikazi Suburb was named after the founder of uMthwakazi, King Mzilikazi. A stone's throw away from Barbourfields suburb separated by a road called Ambulance Drive that leads to one of Zimbabwe's large hospitals called Mpilo. New Luveve Reference is made to the suburb Luveve, see Luveve suburb. Newsmansford Newton Estate name Newton West Reference to position (Newton). Nguboyenja Named after Lobengula’s son and heir. Njube Named after one of Lobengula’s sons Nketa Named after the Traditional Heritage Site of Nketa Hill on which King Lobengula assembled his entire kingdom and divided its citizens according to cultural ethnicity and different stages of incorporation into three groups the Zansi which is Xhosa for "south", referring to the people who left the Zulu Kingdom originally, the Enhla or Nxele which referred to the second mass incorporated group which was the Swati, Pedi, Sotho with whom they settled in Mhlahlandela 1 and the final group was the Hole /ˈxɒli/, which constituted of the Shona, Kalanga and Bakwena. Most historians argued that this was clear evidence of Lobengula's lack of foresight and political tact as he was literally undoing what his father had spent his lifetime trying to achieve, a unified kingdom with a single identity. Nkulumane One of the sons of King Mzilikazi and heir, founder of the Matebele kingdom. North End Reference to direction of Suburb. Northvale Former Town Council area, reference to position and (Umguza) Valley Northlea North Lynne North Trenance Reference to position relative to that of Trenance. Ntaba Moyo Orange Grove Paddonhurst Named after Major Cecil Paddon, O.B.E., (pioneer). Parklands Estate Name. Park Lands Estate A (Portion of original grant to Dominican Sisters). Parkview Situated on the location adjacent to the Centenary Park and proposed location of Bulawayo Zoo Pelandaba Phelandaba translates “The matter is concluded”, a reference to the successful conclusion to the struggle for security. Pumula Phumula means “a resting place”, reference to the fact that many have built homes there to retire to. Pumula South Named in reference to relative position of Pumula Queensdale Queens Park A reference to the Queen and the three main roads – Victoria, Alexandra and Elizabeth Queens Park East A reference to the position relative to that of Queen Park. Queens Park West A reference to the position relative to that of Queen Park. Rangemore Suburb adopted the original estate name. Raylton Suburb adopted the original estate name. Richmond Riverside Derived from the original Estate name, which was in reference to the Umguza River Romney Park The suburb was named after George Romney, a British Painter Sauerstown Named after Dr. Han Sauer, original owner of the land Selbourne Park Named after the main road of Selbourne Avenue, now called L. Takawira Avenue, facing Ascot Mansions Sizinda Battle regiment of Mzilikazi of the Matabele Steeldale Composite name referring to industry. Suburbs This was the first suburb and retained that name. Southdale Souththwold The suburb was named by the Estate Developers and Street names are of many Cotswold Villages and towns. Sunninghill After British Royal residence (given to present Queen at time of marriage). Sunnyside Chosen from list of suggested names Tegela The name is derived from a Ndebele word ukwethekela meaning “to visit”. The Jungle Thorngrove Suburb name came from the large number of Mimosa (Thorn) trees in the area. Trenance Estate name Tshabalala The “isibongo” or praise name for Lobengula’s mother, Fulata, who was of Swazi extraction. Tshabalala Extension Extension in reference to the suburb of Tshabalala Umguza Estate Named after the Umguza River which runs through it Upper Rangemore Name in reference to Rangemore suburb. Waterford Estate name Waterlea Westgate Westondale West Somerton Willsgrove Windsor Park Named after English town or Guildford Castle grounds Woodlands Chosen from a list of suggested names Woodville Woodville Park Retained the old Estate Name.