Shangombo District
Encyclopedia
Shangombo District with headquarters at Shangombo
is located in Zambia
. As of the 2000 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 70,049 people.
During the Angolan Civil War
, the area was unsafe due to arms smuggling activities and the conflict occasionally spilled over into Zambia, where villagers were killed by combatants. A large number of Angolan refugees were placed in UNHCR camps in the district, the largest was Nangweshi Camp near the Zambezi established in 2000 for 15,000 refugees; by 2003 the district hosted about 26,000 refugees. Roads in the district may become impassable in the rainy season and vehicles can get stuck in sand during the dry, so trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles are the principal mode of transport. Access to Mongu
, the provincial capital relies on the Kalongola Ferry across the Zambezi south of Senanga, and the Senanga-Mongu road, though paved in the past has been in very poor condition, partly due to the heavy trucks used to supply UNHCR programs. The Senanga–Katima Mulilo
–Sesheke
dirt road is also difficult at times. Other tracks go north to Kalabo
, along the eastern bank of the Cuando River and to the Sioma Ngwezi National Park
located in the south of the district.
In 2003 to help supply the Nangweshi camps from Mongu, Luciano Pavarotti
donated through the UNHCR a new ferry at Kalongola from the proceeds of his charity concerts, named Fernando Pavarotti in honour of his father.
Neighbouring regions in Angola and Namibia have extensive national parks and wildlife reserves. Wildlife in the district's own national park, Sioma Ngwezi has held up well despite poaching. With the end of the Angolan war tourism especially wilderness and fishing safaris may develop in Shangombo District, aided by proximity to the Trans–Caprivi Highway at Katima Mulilo just across the district's southern border.
Shangombo
The small town of Shangombo located in Shangombo District in the Western Province of Zambia is one of the most remote towns in the country. It lies on the eastern bank of the floodplain of the Cuando River, and the bank forms the border with Angola.Shangombo town lies at the end of a sandy road,...
is located in Zambia
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....
. As of the 2000 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 70,049 people.
During the Angolan Civil War
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
, the area was unsafe due to arms smuggling activities and the conflict occasionally spilled over into Zambia, where villagers were killed by combatants. A large number of Angolan refugees were placed in UNHCR camps in the district, the largest was Nangweshi Camp near the Zambezi established in 2000 for 15,000 refugees; by 2003 the district hosted about 26,000 refugees. Roads in the district may become impassable in the rainy season and vehicles can get stuck in sand during the dry, so trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles are the principal mode of transport. Access to Mongu
Mongu
Mongu is the capital of Western Province in Zambia and was the capital of the formerly-named province and historic state, Barotseland. Its population is 44,310 , and it is also headquarters of Mongu District.-Geography:...
, the provincial capital relies on the Kalongola Ferry across the Zambezi south of Senanga, and the Senanga-Mongu road, though paved in the past has been in very poor condition, partly due to the heavy trucks used to supply UNHCR programs. The Senanga–Katima Mulilo
Katima Mulilo
Katima Mulilo is the capital of the Caprivi Strip, Namibia's far north–east extension into central Southern Africa. It comprises two electoral constituencies, Katima Mulilo Rural and Katima Mulilo Urban...
–Sesheke
Sesheke
Sesheke is a border town in the Western Province of Zambia, and a district of the same name. It lies on the northern bank of the Zambezi River which forms the border with Namibia's Caprivi Strip at that point....
dirt road is also difficult at times. Other tracks go north to Kalabo
Kalabo
Kalabo is a small town and administrative district in the Western Province of Zambia, on the plains west of the Zambezi River and the Barotse Floodplain, about 70 km from the border with Angola.-Location:...
, along the eastern bank of the Cuando River and to the Sioma Ngwezi National Park
Sioma Ngwezi National Park
Sioma Ngwezi National Park is a 5000-square-kilometre park in the very south west corner of Zambia. It is undeveloped and rarely visited, lacking roads and being off the usual tourist tracks, but this may change in the future....
located in the south of the district.
In 2003 to help supply the Nangweshi camps from Mongu, Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
donated through the UNHCR a new ferry at Kalongola from the proceeds of his charity concerts, named Fernando Pavarotti in honour of his father.
Neighbouring regions in Angola and Namibia have extensive national parks and wildlife reserves. Wildlife in the district's own national park, Sioma Ngwezi has held up well despite poaching. With the end of the Angolan war tourism especially wilderness and fishing safaris may develop in Shangombo District, aided by proximity to the Trans–Caprivi Highway at Katima Mulilo just across the district's southern border.