Matabeleland

Western portion of Zimbabwe between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers, inhabited by the Ndebele people; population (1992) 1,855,300. It is divided into two provinces (Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South); area 181,605 sq km/70,118 sq mi. Towns and cities include Bulawayo and Hwange. The region features rich plains watered by tributaries of the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. Industries include gold and other mineral mines, and engineering. Agricultural products include cotton, sugar, maize, and cattle. The language spoken is Ndebele.

History
Matabeleland was granted to the British South Africa Company in 1889 and was occupied in 1893 after attacks on white settlements in Mashonaland. It was included in Southern Rhodesia in 1923 and became part of independent Zimbabwe in 1980. Zimbabwean politician Joshua Nkomo is from this area.