Katima Mulilo

Katima Mulilo is the capital of the Zambezi region of Namibia, on the banks of the Zambezi River in the Caprivi Strip. Its name comes from the Lozi language and means to quench the fire, referring to nearby rapids on the river, and the town was founded on 28 January 1935 when the administrative centre of the Caprivi Strip moved there from Schuckmannsburg. As of 2023 the town had 46,401 inhabitants, up sharply from 22,134 in 2001, and the opening of the Katima Mulilo Bridge in 2004, linking the Zambian Copperbelt with the Namibian deep sea port at Walvis Bay, transformed the local economy into a boom town that draws significant investment, home to an export processing zone and the largest open market in Namibia. The area held strategic importance during the Second World War and again during the South African Border War because of its position near international borders and transport routes.