Great North Road (Zambia)
Encyclopedia
The Great North Road is a major route in Zambia
, running north from Lusaka
through Kabwe, Kapiri Mposhi
(the road continues by way of a right turn just north of Kapiri Mposhi) Serenje, Mpika
, Kasama
, Mbala
and Mpulungu
. 82km North of Mpika is a signposted left turn onto a well maintained gravel road leading to Shiwa Ng'andu (12km) and Kapishya Hot Springs (32km). Historically speaking, it is the Zambian section of the Cape to Cairo Road
envisioned by Cecil John Rhodes
. In this context, the road from Zambia's border with Zimbabwe
at Chirundu
to Lusaka is also regarded as being part of the Great North Road, and the portion from Mbala to Mupulungu could be regarded as a spur linking to the Lake Tanganyika
steamer service
which was popular with travellers up to the 1950s.
When the Mpika-Tanzania
highway (the Tanzam Highway) via Tunduma
was upgraded in the 1960s and provided a good route through to Dar es Salaam
and Arusha
, this section became known as the Great North Road rather than the Mpika-Mbala section which might be referred to as the Old Great North Road.
In the centre of Lusaka, the Great North Road is named Cairo Road
and this became the city's business and commercial centre, and busiest thoroughfare, now by-passed by heavy goods vehicles for through traffic by Lumumba Road.
on the Zimbabwe
an border to Tunduma
on the Tanzania
n border.
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, running north from Lusaka
Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head...
through Kabwe, Kapiri Mposhi
Kapiri Mposhi
Kapiri Mposhi is a small town in Zambia. Located north of Lusaka, it stands on the Great North Road and is significant for the railway connection between Zambia Railways line from Kitwe to Lusaka and Livingstone and western terminal of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority from Dar-es-Salaam since...
(the road continues by way of a right turn just north of Kapiri Mposhi) Serenje, Mpika
Mpika
Mpika is a town in the Northern Province of Zambia, lying at the junction of the Great North Road to Kasama and Mbala and the Tanzam Highway to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It also has a railway station on the TAZARA Railway about 5 km away. Mpika is situated between the Muchinga Escarpment to...
, Kasama
Kasama, Zambia
Kasama is the capital of the Northern Province of Zambia, situated on the central-southern African plateau at an elevation of about 1400 m. Its population, according to the 2000 census, is approximately 200,000. It grew considerably in the 1970s and 1980s after construction of the TAZARA Railway...
, Mbala
Mbala
Mbala is Zambia’s most northerly large town and seat of Mbala District, occupying a strategic location close to the border with Tanzania and controlling the southern approaches to Lake Tanganyika, 40 km by road to the north-east, where the port of Mpulungu is located. It had a population of about...
and Mpulungu
Mpulungu
Mpulungu is a town in the Northern Province of Zambia, at the southern tip of Lake Tanganyika.From Mpulungu, boats reach DR Congo, Tanzania and Burundi...
. 82km North of Mpika is a signposted left turn onto a well maintained gravel road leading to Shiwa Ng'andu (12km) and Kapishya Hot Springs (32km). Historically speaking, it is the Zambian section of the Cape to Cairo Road
Cape to Cairo Road
The Cape to Cairo Road or 'Pan-African Highway', sometimes called the Great North Road in sub-Saharan Africa, was an imperial dream envisioned by the British Empire that would see a road stretch the length of Africa, from Cape Town to Cairo, similar to the Pan-American Highway...
envisioned by Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes PC, DCL was an English-born South African businessman, mining magnate, and politician. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%...
. In this context, the road from Zambia's border with Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
at Chirundu
Chirundu
Chirundu may refer to:* Chirundu, Zambia, town on the northwest bank of the Zambezi river* Chirundu, Zimbabwe, village on the southeast bank of the Zambezi river* Chirundu Bridge, connecting Chirundu, Zambia with Chirundu, Zimbabwe...
to Lusaka is also regarded as being part of the Great North Road, and the portion from Mbala to Mupulungu could be regarded as a spur linking to the Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake...
steamer service
MV Liemba
The MV Liemba, formerly the Graf von Götzen, is a passenger and cargo ferry that runs along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika...
which was popular with travellers up to the 1950s.
When the Mpika-Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
highway (the Tanzam Highway) via Tunduma
Tunduma
Tunduma is a Tanzanian border town in Mbeya Region with border posts for both the Tanzam Highway and the TAZARA railway linking the two countries. It is...
was upgraded in the 1960s and provided a good route through to Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
and Arusha
Arusha
Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania. It is the capital of the Arusha Region, which claims a population of 1,288,088, including 281,608 for the Arusha District . Arusha is surrounded by some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks...
, this section became known as the Great North Road rather than the Mpika-Mbala section which might be referred to as the Old Great North Road.
In the centre of Lusaka, the Great North Road is named Cairo Road
Cairo Road
Cairo Road is the main thoroughfare of Lusaka, Zambia and the principal business, retail and services centre of the city. It was a section of the Great North Road and was so named because it is a link in Cecil Rhodes' then dream of a Cape to Cairo Road through British colonies in Africa.Cairo Road...
and this became the city's business and commercial centre, and busiest thoroughfare, now by-passed by heavy goods vehicles for through traffic by Lumumba Road.
External links
Map at www.greatnorthroad.org showing the Great North Road in Zambia from Chirundu
Chirundu, Zambia
Chirundu, Zambia is a town in Zambia at the border with Zimbabwe and is a key point on the Great North Road. It is the site of two of the five major road or rail bridges across the Zambezi river, the Chirundu Bridges....
on the Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an border to Tunduma
Tunduma
Tunduma is a Tanzanian border town in Mbeya Region with border posts for both the Tanzam Highway and the TAZARA railway linking the two countries. It is...
on the Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
n border.