Lusaka (lōsäˈkə) [key], city (1990 est. pop. 982,400), alt. 4,200 ft (1,280 m), capital of Zambia, S central Zambia. A sprawling city located in a productive farm area, Lusaka is an administrative, financial, and commercial center. Manufactures include foodstuffs, beverages, clothing, and cement (made from limestone quarried nearby). The city is at the junction of the Great North Road (to Tanzania) and the Great East Road (to Malawi) and is on Zambia's main railroad. The Tazara Railway (also known as the Great Uhuru or Tanzam Railway) connects Lusaka and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, providing Zambia access to the ocean. Lusaka was founded by Europeans in 1905 and was named after the headman of a nearby African village. Its main growth occurred after 1935, when it replaced Livingstone as the capital of the British colony of Northern Rhodesia. The city and its surrounding area became a province in 1976. The Univ. of Zambia and an international airport are in Lusaka.
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