Mufulira is a town in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. Mufulira means "Place of Abundance and Peace". The town developed around the Mufulira Copper Mine in the 1930s. The town also serves as the administrative capital of Mufulira District.

Geography

Location

Mufulira is located approximately 19 km southwest of the town of Mokambo, at the international border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A tarmac highway to the south-west (the M4 road) connects Mufulira to Kitwe, 43 km away. The city of Ndola, the commercial and transport hub of the Copperbelt, lies approximately 105 km, by road, southeast of Mufulira. A shorter, less well-maintained road (the M4 road) exists and measures 70 km. Mufulira is connected to the Mokambo Border and eventually the Luapula Province of Zambia by the Congo Pedicle road. The section from Mufulira to Mokambo is designated as the M5 road while the route through the Congo Pedicle to the Chembe Border is named the Congo Pedicle road. The geographical coordinates of Mufulira are:12°32'08.0"S, 28°14'31.0"E (Latitude:-12.535556; Longitude:28.241944). Mufulira sits at an average elevation of 4180 ft above mean sea level.

Overview

The town of Mufulira developed around the Mufulira Copper Mine in the 1930s. A branch of Zambia Railways, carrying freight only, serves the mine. Mufulira is the south-western end of the Congo Pedicle road connecting the Copperbelt Province to the Luapula Province, making that province Mufulira's commercial hinterland.

Population

In 1990, the population of Mufulira was 123,936 people. In 2000, there were 122,336 people. The 2010 population census and household survey enumerated the population of the town at 151,309 inhabitants. The table below illustrates the same data in tabular format.

Economy

The Mufulira Mine is now owned and operated by Mopani Copper Mines, which employs 10,000 permanent workers and produced about 300000 tonne of copper bars in 2007. The Mufulira Copper Smelter was rehabilitated by SMEC South Africa. Production and employment levels went down from the 1969 peak when the Copperbelt made Zambia the world's 4th largest copper producer.

Sports

In Zambia, Mufulira is well known for being the home of the successful Mufulira Wanderers F.C., a professional soccer club.

Notable people