Francistown

Francistown is a big city in Botswana.

It sits near two rivers. Long ago, people found gold here. This started a gold rush.

Now, many people work in mines. They also work in farms. The city has a large stadium for sports. Many people live and work in this busy place.

Francistown is a large city in eastern Botswana.

It is the second-largest city in the country. It sits near the Tati and Ntshe rivers. It is also close to the border of Zimbabwe.

Long ago, people found gold near the Tati River. This started a gold rush in Southern Africa. Many old and empty mines still sit around the city. Today, people work in mines and in farming. They also work at the Dumela Industrial Complex. This is a large park for businesses.

Francistown is a busy place for travel.

A railway line connects the city to Gaborone. It also links the city to Harare in Zimbabwe.

There is also an international airport.

Many people enjoy sports here.

The city has many football clubs. A new stadium is being built. It will hold 27,000 people. The weather is often hot. It has a long dry season. The wet season lasts from December to March.

Francistown is a large and busy city in eastern Botswana. It is the second-largest city in the country, after the capital, Gaborone.

The city sits where the Tati and Ntshe rivers meet. It is also located near the Shashe River and the border of Zimbabwe. Many people live here, with about 103,417 inhabitants in the city itself. If you count the surrounding area, there are about 147,122 people. The weather in Francistown is often hot and dry. It has a short wet season from December to March. The rest of the year is a long dry season.

This city has a very interesting way of working. It acts as a major hub for travel and trade. A railway line connects the city to Gaborone and Lobatse in the south. This same line also links the city to Harare in Zimbabwe. There are also many surfaced roads that lead to other places. The city has an international airport that opened in 2011. This airport is much larger than the old one. It was built to handle many more travelers. Mining, farming, and trade are the main ways people earn money here. Companies like Tati Nickel work in the nearby mines. These mines produce metals like copper, nickel, and cobalt.

History tells us that people lived in this area 10,000 years ago. Later, the BaKalanga people lived in villages near where the city is now. In 1867, a man named Karl Mauch found gold along the Tati River. This discovery started the first gold rush in Southern Africa. The modern town was officially founded in 1897. It was named after Daniel Francis, an English prospector. He was a director of the Tati Concessions Company. The town grew around the Monarch mine. At first, the town was just one street running along the railway. That street had banks, shops, and even hotels like the Grand.

There are many important facts to know about life in Francistown. It is the only city in Botswana with an English name. Most people in the area speak Kalanga. Other languages used include SeTswana, isiNdebele, and ChiShona. The city has many schools for children and young adults. Some schools, like Nyangabgwe Primary, are very old. There are also large colleges for learning technical skills.

Sports are also a big part of the culture. Many football clubs play in the country's highest league. A new stadium is being built to hold 27,000 spectators. This will be the largest stadium in northern Botswana.

Francistown connects many different parts of the world. It has sister cities in Belgium and China. These are called twin towns. The city also has a museum called the Supa Ngwao Museum. This place shows the history and heritage of the area. There is even a new nature reserve called Tachila. It was built on an old farm and has many wild animals. People can visit the reserve to see nature. Whether through its old mines or its busy transport routes, the city stays a very important place in Botswana.

Francistown is the second-largest city in Botswana. It serves as a vital center for commerce, transport, and mining. The city is located in eastern Botswana, north-northeast of the capital, Gaborone. It sits at the confluence of the Tati and Ntshe rivers. The city is also positioned near the Shashe River and the international border with Zimbabwe.

According to the 2022 census, the city has a population of about 103,417 inhabitants. If you include the surrounding agglomeration, the population reaches 147,122 people.

The city functions as a major transport hub for the region. A railway line connects Francistown to Gaborone and Lobatse in the south. This same rail line also links the city to Harare in Zimbabwe via Bulawayo.

On the ground, surfaced roads connect the city to Ramokgwebana in the north. They also lead to Kazungula and Kasane via Nata. The city is served by the Francistown International Airport. This airport opened on September 9, 2011, at a cost of P596 million. It replaced an older airport that is now used by the Botswana Defence Force's Air Arm.

Francistown's economy is built on several key pillars. Mining, commerce, and agriculture are essential drivers of local wealth. The Tati Nickel company is a principal mining player. It operates the Selkirk and Phoenix mines. These mines produce cobalt, copper, and nickel. The Dumela Industrial Complex is another important employer in the area. In 2008, plans were underway for the Botswana Metal Refinery nearby. However, high costs caused that specific project to be halted. The city also benefits from the Botswana Meat Commission.

The history of this region is deeply tied to mineral wealth. Evidence shows humans lived here around 10,000 years ago. The area was originally home to villages of the BaKalanga people. In 1867, a prospector named Karl Mauch found gold along the Tati River. This discovery sparked the first gold rush in Southern Africa. This event happened fifteen years before the gold boom at Witwatersrand in South Africa. The modern town was founded in 1897 near the Monarch mine. It was named after Daniel Francis, an English prospector from Liverpool.

As the town grew, it became a major commercial center. In 1897, the Tati Concessions Company sold 300 lots to form the town center. Initially, the town consisted of one street parallel to the railway line. This street housed banks, retail shops, and hotels like the Grand and the Tati. Gold sustained the economy from the late 1800s until the 1930s. During the 1930s, a global recession hit the mining industry hard. Between 1936 and the 1980s, the economy relied on the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association. This company recruited miners from many African countries and moved them through Francistown.

Life in Francistown is shaped by its unique climate and culture. The city has a hot semi-arid climate. It features warm to hot summers and mild winters. There is a short wet season from December through March. The remaining eight months are a long dry season. The driest period occurs from June through August. During these months, the city also experiences its chilliest temperatures. Culturally, Kalanga is the main language spoken in the area. Other languages include isiNdebele, ChiShona, and SeTswana. Interestingly, Francistown is the only city in Botswana with an English name.

The city provides many opportunities for education and recreation. There are many primary schools, such as the historic Nyangabgwe Primary School. Higher education is available at the Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Education. This college opened in 2008 to accommodate 1,500 learners. For sports, the city hosts several football clubs in the Botswana Premier League. A new stadium is under construction to serve these teams. It will be the largest in northern Botswana with a capacity of 27,000 spectators. The city also maintains the Supa Ngwao Museum to preserve its local heritage. The Tachila nature reserve offers a place to see wild animals on an old farm land.