Chipata
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| Chipata | |
|---|---|
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|
  Chipata
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| Coordinates: 13°39′S 32°38′E | |
| Country |  Zambia |
| Province | Eastern Province |
| District | Chipata District |
| Elevation | 3,740 ft (1,140 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 98,416 |
Chipata, population 98,416, is the capital of the Eastern Province of Zambia. Having a boma, a market, a hospital, a shopping centre and a number of schools, Chipata is the business and adminstrative hub that serves the region. The town boasts a golf course, an airstrip, a mosque, and even a "welcome arch".
The two languages spoken are Nyanja and English, plus some Indian languages, as a large number of Zambian Indians live in the town. Chipata is located near the border with Malawi, and lies on the Great East Road which connects the capitals Lilongwe (130 km) and Lusaka (550 km). The town is a popular access point for the South Luangwa National Park.
Chipata was formerly known as Fort Jameson, (and informally as "Fort Jimmy"), being named after Jameson, a 19th century politician and adventurer. Even during the colonial period, few agreed that Jameson, who is mainly known for his part in the unwise Jameson Raid, fully deserved the honour of having any town named after him. Like 'Fort Manning' and ' Fort Rosebery', Fort Jameson was called a "fort" because the local government offices, (the "boma"), were once fortified.
Climate
| Climate data for Chipata | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 27 (81) |
27 (81) |
27 (81) |
27 (80) |
27 (80) |
24 (76) |
25 (77) |
26 (79) |
30 (86) |
33 (91) |
33 (91) |
29 (84) |
27.9 (82.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 18 (64) |
17 (63) |
17 (63) |
16 (60) |
14 (57) |
12 (53) |
12 (53) |
13 (55) |
17 (62) |
19 (66) |
19 (67) |
18 (64) |
16 (60.6) |
| Precipitation cm (inches) | 230 (9) |
241 (9.5) |
175 (6.9) |
33 (1.3) |
3 (0.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
3 (0.1) |
3 (0.1) |
15 (0.6) |
86 (3.4) |
213 (8.4) |
1,002 (39.4) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Transport
A rail link to Chipata from Malawi (via Mchinji ) opened in August 2011. Chipata will now act as the Zambian railhead and entry point from Malawi and beyond. In the pipeline since 1982, the short link (about 35 km) provides a through-route for rail traffic from Zambia via Malawi to the Indian Ocean deepwater port at Nacala in Mozambique. The route and alignment of the line has been laid out, including the site of Chipata station and the basic station building. The route will provide an alternative to two existing rail routes to the Indian Ocean, at Dar es Salaam and Beira.
