Chicualacuala District ( Portuguese: Distrito de Chicualacuala) is a district of

Gaza Province Gaza is a province of Mozambique. It has an area of 75,709 km2 and a population of 1,422,460 (2017 census), which is the least populous of all the provinces of Mozambique. Xai-Xai is the capital of the province. Inhambane Province is to t ...

in south-western

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

. It has a population of 41,638 (2011) and covers . The population density of Chicualacuala District 2.1 residents per square kilometers, significantly lower than the average of 17.5 in Gaza Province. The district seat is the town of

Chicualacuala Chicualacuala is a town located in the province of Gaza in Mozambique. The town is better known by this unofficial name (and the name of the district to which the town belongs) than by its official toponym Vila Eduardo Mondlane. History The c ...

. Chicuacuala District is bordered to the north by the

Massangena District Massangena District is a Districts of Mozambique, district of Gaza Province in south-western Mozambique. The administrative center of the district is Massangena. The district is located in the north of the province, and borders with Machaze Distric ...

, to the east by

Chigubo District Chigubo District is a district of Gaza Province in south-western Mozambique. The administrative center of the district is Dindiza. The district is located in the east of the province, and borders with Massangena District in the north, Mabote and F ...

, to the southwest by

Mabalane District Mabalane District is a district of Gaza Province in south-western Mozambique. The administrative center of the district is Mabalane. The district is located at the center of the province, and borders with Chicualacuala District in the north, Chi ...

, to the south by

Massingir District Massingir District is a district of Gaza Province in southwestern Mozambique. The administrative center of the district is in Massingir. The district is located in the west of the province, and borders with Chicualacuala District in the north, M ...

, to the southwest by

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, and to the northwest by

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

. It is home to several villages along the Limpopo River including Dumela, Mbuzi, Kunguma, Mawene, Xicumba, Xicumbane, Ngala, Panhame, Mabuzane, and Xitshutswini. Chicuacuala District has four health centers; the single hospital in the province is located outside the district. The district also lacks a bank.

Geography

The whole district belongs to the drainage basin of the Limpopo, and the Limpopo River flows through the district. Other big rivers in the district are the Nuanetzi River, the Chefu River, the Munene River, and the Singuédzi River. The latter makes the border with Massingir District. The climate is tropical arid and semi-arid, with the annual rainfall varying between and .

Banhine National Park Banhine National Park is a protected area in northern Gaza Province, Mozambique. The park was established on 26 June 1973. In 2013 the limits of Park were updated to better reflect the realities on the ground, particularly the human presence in th ...

, part of Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, is shared between Chigubo, Chicualacuala, and Mabalane Districts. The area of the park within Chicualacuala District is .

Limpopo National Park The Limpopo National Park ( pt, Parque Nacional do Limpopo) was born when the status of Coutada 16 Wildlife Utilisation Area in Gaza Province, Mozambique, was changed from a hunting concession to a protected area. It forms part of the Great Limpop ...

, also part of Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, is shared between Massingir, Chicualacuala, and Mabalane Districts. The area of the park within Chicualacuala District is .

Demographics

As of 2005, 47% of the population of the district was younger than 15 years. 25% of the population spoke Portuguese. The most common mothertongue among the population was

Tsonga Tsonga may refer to: * Tsonga language, a Bantu language spoken in southern Africa * Tsonga people, a large group of people living mainly in southern Mozambique and South Africa. * Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (; born 17 April 1985) i ...

. 69% were analphabetic, mostly women.

Administrative divisions

The district is divided into three postos,

(three localities), Mapai (four localities), and

Pafuri The Makuleke Contractual Park or Pafuri Triangle constitutes the northernmost section of the Kruger National Park, South Africa, and comprises approximately 240 square kilometres of land. The "triangle" is a wedge of land created by the confluenc ...

(two localities). *

: **

Vila Eduardo Mondlane Vila may refer to: People *Vila (surname) Places Andorra * Vila, Andorra, a town in the parish of Encamp Brazil * Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade, a municipality in the State of Mato Grosso * Vila Boa, Goiás, a municipality in the State of ...

Chicualacuala B Chicualacuala is a town located in the province of Gaza in Mozambique. The town is better known by this unofficial name (and the name of the district to which the town belongs) than by its official toponym Vila Eduardo Mondlane. History The c ...

** Litlatlha ** Mahatlane * Mapai: ** Chidulo ** 16 de Junho ** M'Ponze ** Mapai-Rio *

: ** Mbuzi ** Mungumbane

Economy

Agriculture

In the district, there are 6,000 farms, with 60% exploiting less than of land. The main agricultural products are corn,

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively ...

cowpea The cowpea (''Vigna unguiculata'') is an annual herbaceous legume from the genus ''Vigna''. Its tolerance for sandy soil and low rainfall have made it an important crop in the semiarid regions across Africa and Asia. It requires very few input ...

, peanut, and sweet potato. Population of cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats was steadily growing prior to 2005.

Transportation

There is a road network in the district which includes a stretch of the national road EN340 to Chokwe, as well as of secondary roads. The

Limpopo Railroad Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, while the provincial legislature is ...

(Southern System) runs through the district.

References

{{Coord, 22, 05, S, 31, 41, E, region:MZ_type:adm1st, display=title Districts in Gaza Province