Chiengi District with headquarters at Chiengi is the smallest and most northerly district in the

Luapula Province Luapula Province is one of Zambia's ten provinces located in the northern part of the country. Luapula Province is named after the Luapula River and its capital is Mansa. As per the 2010 Zambian census, the Province had a population of 991,92 ...

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...

and was carved out of

Nchelenge District Nchelenge District is a district of Zambia, located in the Luapula Province. The capital lies at Nchelenge. As of the 2000 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 111,119 people. Nchelenge is one of the twelve districts of Luapula Prov ...

after Zambia's

independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

. As of the 2010 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 109,147 people. Most of its population live in fishing villages along the 70 km (approx.) of the north-east shore of Lake Mweru which lies within the district. The largest settlement is Puta, 5 km south of Chiengi town, named after Chief Puta. The district is bounded by the DR Congo border in the north,

Kaputa District Kaputa District is a Districts of Zambia, district of Zambia, located in Northern Province, Zambia, Northern Province. The capital lies at Kaputa. As of the 2000 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 87,233 people. History In March 20 ...

in the east and the

Kalungwishi River The Kalungwishi River flows west in northern Zambia into Lake Mweru. It is known for its waterfalls, including the Lumangwe Falls Lumangwe Falls on the Kalungwishi River in northern Zambia is the largest waterfall wholly within the country, wit ...

in the south.Google Earth
/ref> The eastern edge of the district is a hilly wilderness, partly in the

Mweru Wantipa National Park Mweru Wantipa National Park is named after Lake Mweru Wantipa in the Northern Province, Zambia, Northern Province of Zambia. Once hosting abundant wildlife including lion, elephant, and black rhinoceros, it has had no management and protection fo ...

. The hills have always been known for their wildlife, early colonial officers sustained themselves through hunting. The district commissioner's residence had wooden bars on the

verandah A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure. Although the form ''vera ...

so that the officer could sit there in the evening while lions roamed through the settlement.Mr Justice J B Thomson
"Memories of Abandoned Bomas No. 8: Chiengi"
''

Northern Rhodesia Journal The ''Northern Rhodesia Journal'', often referred to simply as "NRJ", was produced between 1950 and 1965, by the Northern Rhodesian Government Printer, to record some of the early history of Northern Rhodesia. It is one of the most important sour ...

'', Vol II, No. 6 (1954), pp67−77. Elephants used to be seen on the dambo below the boma, but most of the population in the district have been killed by poachers.Camerapix: "Spectrum Guide to Zambia." Camerapix International Publishing, Nairobi, 1996. Chiengi District today is undeveloped and suffers from a lack of infrastructure. The main road is of gravel construction and is frequently cut by rains and collapsing bridges; there is no telephone or television service although plans are in hand for a satellite link, subject to securing adequate funding.''The Times of Zambia'' online: "Chienge district still lagging behind" by Austin Kalumba
. Website accessed 22 April 2007. Quote: "The major hindrance has been the bad road which can only be likened to the notorious 1970’s Hell Run."

References

https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=27404 {{coord, 8.4828, S, 28.9347, E, source:wikidata, display=title Districts of Luapula Province