The capital city of Botswana (Gaborone) and the capital city of South Africa (Pretoria) are located in the Limpopo River basin, as are some of the major urban centers of these countries (Francistown, Polokwane, Thohoyandu and Witbank). Other major urban centers (Johannesburg, Maputo and Bulawayo) are found along the basin’s borders, and influence and are influenced by the basin (FAO 2004). With the exception of these major urban centers the Limpopo River basin is generally sparsely populated and rural in setting, particularly Mozambique. On average, 50 % of the 14 million people distributed across the basin occupy the rural areas, ranging from 31% in Botswana to 66% in Zimbabwe.
Estimated rural population in the Limpopo River basin.
|
Country/Province |
2001 rural population estimates for basin provinces |
|
Botswana |
|
835 000 |
|
Central |
540 000 |
|
|
Kwaneng |
190 000 |
|
|
Kgatleng |
60 000 |
|
|
North East |
45 000 |
|
|
Mozambique |
|
1 045 000 |
|
Gaza |
1 000 000 |
|
|
Inhambane |
45 000 |
|
|
South Africa |
|
5 400 000 |
|
Gauteng |
100 000 |
|
|
Limpopo |
4 300 000 |
|
|
Mpumalanga |
500 000 |
|
|
North West |
500 000 |
|
|
Zimbabwe |
|
900 000 |
|
Matabeleland South |
550 000 |
|
|
Masvingo |
250 000 |
|
|
Midlands |
100 000 |
|
|
Total |
|
8 180 000 |
Source: FAO 2004
Collecting water in rural Botswana.
Source: Vogel 2010
( click to enlarge )
