Luapula Province
| Luapula | |
|---|---|
| Province | |
 Luapula Province showing its districts |
|
| Country |
 Zambia
|
| Capital | Mansa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 50,567 km2 (19,524 sq mi) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 991,927 |
| • Density | 20/km2 (51/sq mi) |
Luapula Province is one of Zambia's ten provinces, and is located in the northern part of the country. The provincial capital is Mansa. Luapula Province was named after the Luapula River. As per the 2010 Zambian census, Luapula Province had a population of 991,927 accounting to 7.57 per cent of the total Zambian population.
The province borders along Congo and extends along the northern and eastern banks of the river from Lake Bangweulu to Lake Mweru, including waters and islands of those lakes. The province is inhabited by Bemba, who are also the major tribe in the country and Bemba is the most spoken language. The major economic activity is agriculture and fishing, with sweet potato being the major crop in the province. Mutukumbo festival is the major festival celebrated in the province. Lumangwe Falls, Mumbuluma Falls, Mumbotuta Waterfalls, Kundabwika Waterfalls and Chilongo Waterfalls are the major water falls in the province.
The chief artery of the province is the Samfya-Mansa-Mwansabombwe-Nchelenge highway known informally as the Zambia Way. The province is bordered along the Luapula river, through Lake Mweru and to its north by DR Congo. Luapula is one of the poorest provinces in Zambia with 80.5 per cent of the population accounted as poor in 2010 census. It has eight major attractions of the country among its waterfalls, wildlife and cultural heritage. Major mineral deposits found in the province are Manganese, lime, Copper and precious metals.
In the 19th century, the valley was dominated by the Lunda kingdom of Mwata Kazembe. The boundaries of the province between Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo were disputed for many years, running from an 1894 treaty into the late 1960s. The province has a long history of opposing colonial rule through militancy. From the 1950s, there were revolutionary groups that supported Anti Federationist African National Congress. Post independence, the province was the base for the United National Independence Party (UNIP) militants. Laupula has constant migration of labour from Congo DR and also from nearby Copperbelt province. During the 1980s, the then President appointed traditional Chiefs of the region as District Governors or members of the powerful UNIP central committee. The practice was seen similar to colonial rule when local leaders were drafted to political domain. Mwata Kazambe was appointed the District Governor for the province by president Kaunda during the 1980s.
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