Chegutu
| Chegutu | ||
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 Chegutu
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| Coordinates: 18°08′24″S 30°09′00″E / 18.14000°S 30.15000°ECoordinates: 18°08′24″S 30°09′00″E / 18.14000°S 30.15000°E | ||
| Country | Zimbabwe | |
| Province | Mashonaland West | |
| District | Chegutu District | |
| City | Chegutu Municipality | |
| Elevation | 1,180 m (3,870 ft) | |
| Population (2012) | ||
| • Total | 50,590 | |
| Time zone | CAT (UTC+2) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+1) | |
| Climate | Cwa | |
Chegutu (formerly Hartley) is a town in Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe.
The town is located in Chegutu District, Mashonaland West, in central northern Zimbabwe. It lies in the Hartley Hills 107 kilometres (66 mi), southwest of the capital Harare at an altitude of 1,180 metres (3,870 ft) above sea level.
The 1982 population census recorded 19,621 inhabitants, rising to 30,122 by 1992. The population was estimated at 36,000 in 2002. By 2012 it had grown to 50,590 inhabitants.
Chegutu lies on the A5 highway between Harare and Bulawayo. It is also on the railway line between the two cities. Secondary roads link it to Chinhoyi, Chakari and the Mhondoro communal lands.
Annual rainfall in Chegutu averages 775 millimetres (30.5 in). The town's mean temperatures vary between 23 °C in the hottest month to 14 °C in the coldest.
Chegutu is the commercial and administrative centre of the surrounding district. Having been established as a mining settlement by gold prospectors, mining for gold and nickel remains important in the area. Its agricultural economy was developed significantly after the Second World War, with maize and cotton becoming major crops. One of Zimbabwe's largest textile mills was established there. Wheat is grown with the aid of irrigation from the nearby Mupfure River, and cattle rearing is also a significant activity. The Cotton and Grain Marketing Boards established depots in Chegutu for cotton and grain respectively, and by 1984 sixteen grain silos had been built in the town for the bulk storage and delivery of grain.
The town has 12 large grain silos, each capable of holding 5,000 tons of grain, but most are unused.
The two major stores in Chegutu are TM SupermarketPick n Pay Stores and OK Zimbabwe Limited. Some of the popular stores include Zapalala, Denmag and MJ Stores. Just like most towns in Zimbabwe, vending is hype in Chegutu. Vendors sell wares from clothes to fruits and vegetables. The traditional shops like OK Zimbabwe and TM Pick & Pay have point of sale terminals and Ecocash merchant codes. The prices of most commodities does not significantly differ from those in Harare. Prolific shops like Edgars, Topics and Number One have also established their presence in Chegutu. Teachers Furniture, Coloursel and TV Sales and Homes make up the furniture stores found in the town. There are four service stations; Total Service Station, Engen, Zuva Service Station; all situated along Harare-Bulawayo High-way.
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Wikipedia