Zimbabwe Provinces and Towns Guidelines

Profile manager: Andrew Field [send private message]

Category:Zimbabwe Category:Rhodesia Category:Southern Rhodesia

Scope

This is a guide to Zimbabwean place names. It is a Categorization Project approved aide-memoire to setting up place names, and is inclusive of Southern Rhodesia (pre 1965), and Rhodesia (1965-1980). Please note that most Zimbabwean place name changes only took place in 1982, but for purpose of categorization Zimbabwean new names are effective 1980.

Parent Category

The parent categories shall be Regions/Africa/Zimbabwe.

Mapping

The general mapping of Zimbabwean place name categories is as such:

• Regions
  • Africa
    • Former Countries in Africa
      • Southern Rhodesia
        • Southern Rhodesia, Places
      • Rhodesia
        • Rhodesia, Places
    • Zimbabwe
      • Zimbabwe, Historic Places
        • Southern Rhodesia
          • Southern Rhodesia, Places
        • Rhodesia
          • Rhodesia, Places
      • Zimbabwe, Provinces
        • Province A
          • Province A, Places
            • Town A
            • ...
            • ...
            • Town Z

Historic and New Names

Zimbabwe introduced new place names in 1982, just two years after independence. This table represents a listing of names changes.^[1]

Provinces

Zimbabwe currently has ten provinces:

• [[Category:Bulawayo Province, Zimbabwe]]
• [[Category:Harare Province, Zimbabwe]]
• [[Category:Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe]]
• [[Category:Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe]]
• [[Category:Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe]]
• [[Category:Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe]]
• [[Category:Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe]]
• [[Category:Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe]]
• [[Category:Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe]]
• [[Category:Midlands Province, Zimbabwe]]

The Southern Rhodesian provinces were slightly different and we have chosen to use the five principle provinces (irrespect of the split between north and south, east and west.

• [[Category:Manicaland, Southern Rhodesia]]
• [[Category:Mashonaland, Southern Rhodesia]]
• [[Category:Matabeleland, Southern Rhodesia]]
• [[Category:Midlands, Southern Rhodesia]]
• [[Category:Victoria, Southern Rhodesia]]

Rhodesia follows the same pattern of provinces. For the time being, the Southern Rhodesia, Places and Rhodesia,Places shall be immediately subsidiary to the country name, until other category themes are introduced.

Please note that there are peculiarities which need be noted concerning the Manicaland, Midlands, and Victoria provinces of Southern Rhodesia. Prior to the formation of these provinces, Southern Rhodesia had two administrative provinces, just Matabeleland and Mashonaland. The Midlands Province was formed circa 1948 (date subject to confirmation) being annexed from Matabelelands and a part of Mashonaland. Manicaland and Victoria Provinces were annexed circa 1955 (again dates subject to confirmation), both provinces being originally and entirely within Mashonaland Province.

Places

The standard acceptable format for place name categories shall be:

[[Category:<proper name>, <state, county or province>]]

• proper name being the current official name of the place to be listed;
• Zimbabwe has several provinces. The province should be stated.

Here are a few samples for each province:

• [[Category:Alaska, Mashonaland West Province]]
• [[Category:Antelope Mine, Matabeleland South Province]]
• [[Category:Arcturus, Mashonaland East Province]]
• [[Category:Bannockburn, Midlands Province]]
• [[Category:Basera, Masvingo Province]]
• [[Category:Bembezi, Matabeleland North Province]]
• [[Category:Bindura, Mashonaland Central Province]]
• [[Category:Birchenough Bridge, Manicaland Province]]
• [[Category:Bulawayo, Bulawayo Province]]
• [[Category:Harare, Harare Province]]
• [[Category:Shamva, Mashonaland Central Province]]
• [[Category:Tizvione, Manicaland Province]]
• [[Category:Victoria Falls, Matabeleland North Province]]
• [[Category:Wedza, Mashonaland East Province]]
• [[Category:West Nicholson, Matabeleland South Province]]
• [[Category:Zave, Mashonaland West Province]]
• [[Category:Zimuto Siding, Masvingo Province]]
• [[Category:Zvishavane, Midlands Province]]

[Edited by AD Field 9 Jan 2019]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia List of renamed places in Zimbabwe