# Bulawayo

> city in Zimbabwe

**Wikidata**: [Q193250](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193250)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulawayo)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bulawayo

## Summary

Bulawayo is a major city and human settlement located in Bulawayo Province, Zimbabwe. Founded in 1840 by Mzilikazi, it serves as a significant urban center with a population of 665,940 as of 2022. Covering an area of 1,706.8 square kilometres at an elevation of 1,358 metres above sea level, Bulawayo has historically served as the capital of the Zulu Kingdom and continues to function as the administrative center of Bulawayo Province.

## Key Facts

- **Country**: Zimbabwe (since December 12, 1979); previously Zimbabwe Rhodesia (June 1, 1979 – December 12, 1979), Rhodesia (November 11, 1965 – June 1, 1979), and Southern Rhodesia (before November 11, 1965)
- **Population**: 665,940 (2022); 653,337 (2012)
- **Area**: 1,706.8 square kilometres
- **Inception**: 1840, founded by Mzilikazi
- **Coordinates**: Latitude -20.166666666667, Longitude 28.566666666667
- **Elevation**: 1,358 metres above sea level
- **Timezone**: UTC+02:00
- **Local Dialing Code**: 9
- **UN/LOCODE**: ZWBUQ
- **Official Website**: http://www.citybyo.co.zw
- **Sister Cities**: Durban, Aberdeen
- **Instance Of**: City, big city
- **Owner Of**: Queens Sports Club

## FAQs

**What is the geographical location of Bulawayo?**
Bulawayo is situated in Bulawayo Province, Zimbabwe, at coordinates -20.166666666667 latitude and 28.566666666667 longitude. The city sits at an elevation of 1,358 metres above sea level.

**Who founded Bulawayo and when?**
Bulawayo was founded in 1840 by Mzilikazi, a historical figure who established the city as a settlement.

**What is the current population of Bulawayo?**
As of 2022, Bulawayo has a population of 665,940. A previous census recorded 653,337 residents in 2012.

**What is Bulawayo's historical political status?**
Bulawayo has been under several different political administrations throughout its history. It was part of Southern Rhodesia until November 11, 1965, then Rhodesia until June 1, 1979, followed by Zimbabwe Rhodesia until December 12, 1979, when it became part of Zimbabwe. It also historically served as the capital of the Zulu Kingdom.

**What are Bulawayo's international city partnerships?**
Bulawayo maintains sister city relationships with Durban, South Africa, and Aberdeen, Scotland.

## Why It Matters

Bulawayo stands as one of Zimbabwe's most significant urban centers, representing a crucial hub in the nation's administrative, cultural, and economic landscape. Its establishment in 1840 by Mzilikazi marks it as a city with deep historical roots in southern African history, particularly connected to the Zulu Kingdom over which it once presided as capital. The city's substantial land area of 1,706.8 square kilometres and population approaching 700,000 residents demonstrates its continued importance as a major population center. Its location at 1,358 metres elevation in the highveld gives it a distinct geographical character, while its sister city relationships with Durban and Aberdeen connect it to broader international networks. The presence of Queens Sports Club indicates its role in regional sporting culture, and its comprehensive documentation across major encyclopedic sources including Encyclopædia Britannica, Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, and numerous national library authorities underscores its recognized significance in global geographical knowledge bases.

## Notable For

- Founded in 1840 by Mzilikazi, making it one of the older established cities in the region
- Former capital of the Zulu Kingdom, holding significant historical importance
- Current administrative center of Bulawayo Province
- One of Zimbabwe's major urban centers with a population exceeding 665,000 residents
- Extensive international documentation with entries in over 65 language versions of Wikipedia
- Maintains sister city relationships with Durban and Aberdeen
- Home to Queens Sports Club, a notable sporting venue
- Recognized by major international encyclopedic authorities including Encyclopædia Britannica

## Body

### Geography and Location

Bulawayo occupies a strategic position in southern Africa within Bulawayo Province, Zimbabwe. The city's precise coordinates place it at latitude -20.166666666667 and longitude 28.566666666667. At 1,358 metres (4,455 feet) above sea level, Bulawayo sits in the highveld region, contributing to its temperate climate characteristics. The city encompasses a substantial land area of 1,706.8 square kilometres, making it one of the larger metropolitan areas by land area in Zimbabwe.

### Historical Development

The city traces its origins to 1840 when it was founded by Mzilikazi, establishing it as a significant settlement in the region. Throughout its history, Bulawayo has served as the capital of the Zulu Kingdom, marking its importance in pre-colonial African political structures. The city's political affiliation has undergone several transitions through the 20th century: it was part of Southern Rhodesia until November 11, 1965, subsequently falling under Rhodesia until June 1, 1979. A brief period as part of Zimbabwe Rhodesia followed from June 1, 1979 to December 12, 1979, after which it became incorporated into the modern nation of Zimbabwe on December 12, 1979.

### Demographics and Population

Bulawayo's population has shown steady growth in recent decades. The 2012 census recorded 653,337 residents, while the 2022 census indicates a population of 665,940, representing an increase of approximately 12,600 residents over the decade. This population figure establishes Bulawayo as one of Zimbabwe's major urban centers, classified explicitly as both a "city" and "big city" in official classifications.

### Administrative and Political Status

Currently serving as the administrative center of Bulawayo Province, the city maintains its governmental and administrative importance in Zimbabwe's provincial structure. The official website (http://www.citybyo.co.zw) serves as the digital portal for municipal information and services. The city operates in the UTC+02:00 timezone, aligning with Central Africa Time. Local telecommunications are facilitated through the local dialing code 9.

### International Relations and Partnerships

Bulawayo maintains sister city relationships with two international municipalities: Durban (South Africa) and Aberdeen (Scotland). These partnerships facilitate cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and municipal collaboration between the cities.

### Transportation and Logistics

The city is identified in international trade and logistics systems through its UN/LOCODE designation ZWBUQ, facilitating its identification in global shipping and freight documentation. Its presence in the OpenStreetMap database (node ID 4155841482) ensures geographic accessibility for modern navigation systems.

### Cultural and Sporting Assets

Bulawayo owns and operates Queens Sports Club, a significant sporting venue in the region. The city's cultural significance is further emphasized by its inclusion in the Genadendal Music Archive, indicating its role in regional musical heritage documentation. The municipal administration maintains a visitor center (identified as Q67604142) to support tourism and public information dissemination.

### Media and Documentation

Bulawayo's significance is reflected in its extensive documentation across global knowledge systems. The city is covered in Wikipedia across 65 language versions including English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and numerous African languages including Swahili, Zulu, and Shona. It appears in major encyclopedic works including the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition and online as place/Bulawayo), Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana, Hrvatska Enciklopedija, and the Great Russian Encyclopedia. The city maintains topic categories on platforms including Quora (Bulawayo-Zimbabwe) and Reddit (r/bulawayo).

### Academic and Library References

The city holds authoritative records in major library systems worldwide. Its Library of Congress Authority ID is n83002925, and it appears in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (ID 121586754), National Library of Israel (ID 987007562267505171), and Canadiana Name Authority (ncf12004653). Additional academic references include the GND (German National Library) ID 4080574-8, IDREF ID 030103894, VIAF ID 143100352, and FAST ID 1223750. The WorldCat Entities system identifies Bulawayo as E39PBJwhCrRcrT77m94khDTvHC.

### Digital and Semantic Web Presence

Bulawayo maintains extensive digital identifiers across semantic web and knowledge graph systems. Its Wikidata entry serves as a central hub for structured data, while additional identifiers include GeoNames ID 894701, Freebase ID /m/01zsfx, BBC Things ID 19b313f7-8fb0-4323-92f9-f381c85d9db0, Who's On First ID 421168015, and MusicBrainz Area ID 981188ed-b071-40ef-8388-24fe0da86342. Naturalist platforms recognize Bulawayo through its iNaturalist Place ID 48744. The city also maintains a presence on Google Play (Store ID: Bulawayo) and is indexed in the Curlie web directory under Regional/Africa/Zimbabwe/Localities/Matabeland_North/Bulawayo/.

### Visual and Symbolic Representation

The city possesses official visual identifiers including a flag (available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Flag_of_Bulawayo.svg) and a coat of arms (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Bulawayo_Zimbabwe_COA.svg). Photographic documentation includes an image of the Central Business District (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Bulawayo_CBD.jpg), a page banner for wiki applications, and a locator map image (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Bulawayo_district.png). The main category for Bulawayo on Wikimedia Commons is "Category:Bulawayo."

### Categorical Classifications

Bulawayo is classified as both a "city" and "big city" (instance_of), and is maintained under WikiProject Cities and WikiProject Zimbabwe on Wikipedia. Related categorical classifications include categories for people born in Bulawayo (Category:Births in Bulawayo), people from Bulawayo (Category:People from Bulawayo), and deaths in Bulawayo (Category:Deaths in Bulawayo). The topic's main category is "Category:Bulawayo."

## References

1. archINFORM
2. [Source](http://www.durban.gov.za/City_Services/IGR/sistercities/Pages/default.aspx)
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. BnF authorities
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. MusicBrainz
7. [Source](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/zimbabwe/cities/)
8. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
9. GeoNames
10. BBC Things
11. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/zw.htm)
12. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
13. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)