Kariba

Kariba is a town located in the Zambezi Valley Mashonaland West Province in Zimbabwe. Kariba town offers accommodation for tourists who visit the Kariba dam. The town also houses the hydroelectric power station, Zimbabwe Power Company.

Kariba

Population (2012)	27 000
Website	www.karibamun.org.zw

1 Population
2 Background
3 Activities
4 Locations
5 Pictures

Population

According to a 2012 population census Kariba had a population of 27 000. The population comprises of both sexes of different nationalities although the majority are local Zimbabweans.

Background

The town was established to cater for employees, who were constructing the dam in the 1950s. Operation Noah, a 5‐year wildlife rescue operation, rescued over 6,000 animals, most of which were relocated to the Matusadona National Park whilst the Lake filled up upon completion of the Dam. Besides wildlife, a large number of families were relocated and homed in new towns and villages, now on the shores of the Lake such as Kariba, Binga, Mlibizi and Siavonga. The filling of the Lake between 1958 and 1963 caused more than 20 earthquakes of greater than 5 magnitude on the Richter Scale. The Lake then became a tourist attraction on both the Zambian and Zimbabwean side of the Lake, frequented by local and international visitors. Kariba has many mooring opportunities both on the mainland and on islands and offers idyllic waterfalls in places like the Sanyati Gorge ^[1]

Activities

There are two casinos in the town and several restaurants. Many of the attractions in Kariba for the tourist are water-based: Fishing, game-viewing and house-boating are the most popular activities. Tourists visit the Kariba Dam wall and the crocodile farm.

Besides tourism and fishing, the electricity-production for the country is another important industry: The Zimbabwe Power Company ZPC employs workers in the hydroelectric power station.

Locations

Kariba has three main suburbs, the high-density areas of Mahombekombe and Nyamhunga as well as Kariba Heights, the inland suburb and home to the Operation Noah monument. Kariba Heights is located on hills and gives a bigger view of the Lake Kariba. ^[2]