Gweru

- 19.41666666666729.833333333333Koordinaten: 19 ° 25 ' S, 29 ° 50'

Gweru, to 1982 Gwelo, is a place in the Midlands, almost in the geographical center of Zimbabwe ( Rhodesia and historically Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland ) on the geological fault of the Great Dyke. It was founded in 1890 as a coaching inn between Bulawayo and the then Salisbury, now Harare. In 1914 it became an independent municipality in 1971 and received city rights.

Today Gweru is with 141 260 inhabitants ( 2002 census ), the fifth largest city in Zimbabwe, its import and export center par excellence, an industrial center for shoe production (Bata ), chromium alloys ( Zimbabwe Alloy ), metal processing and the manufacture of cement. Because the surrounding area is one of the biggest cattle breeding areas of the country, there is an abattoir and tanneries for the skins, which are used in the shoe industry. Furthermore, can be found in the surrounding extensive wine-growing regions.

To the east of Gweru on the Great Dyke are mines in which chromium, platinum, magnesium and other ores are encouraged.

The town lies on the railway lines Bulawayo Harare, Maputo and Masvingo. The section Gweru - Harare was electrified in 1983. National Railways of Zimbabwe operates in Gweru one of the largest railway depots in the country. There is an airport for domestic flights. Eight major roads lead into the surrounding aera.

Gweru hosts a number of educational institutions, the Polytechnic, the Midlands State University, Mkoba Teachers College. It has several schools and hospitals. Urban infrastructure is intact.

Twinning

Gweru has a partnership with Birmingham ( Alabama) and Tsumeb, Namibia.