When Zambia was the colony of of Northern Rhodesia, Kabwe's British name was Broken Hill, due to the hill just south of town which had a natural shaft going through it. This became the location of a large lead and zinc mine, which in turn became the major employer of the town. The mine was later closed, and now has only been partially reopened. Because of the amount of lead in the surrounding soil and local water, Kabwe today has the dubious distinction of being listed as one of the 5 most polluted places on earth.
During the mid-1900's Kabwe played an important role in Zambia's history, as it was here that the movement for independence from Britain really gained momentum and finally reached critical mass. Sadly, since then the national and local government agencies have invested little in the city, and its infrastructure has deteriorated badly (in stark contrast to Lusaka's growth).
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Kabwe
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Kabwe - updated Apr 2024
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Kabwe Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
