Southern Province

Southern Province exists because the Zambezi River exists—and more specifically, because the river drops 108 meters at Victoria Falls, creating one of earth's most spectacular waterfalls and the tourism industry that sustains Livingstone, Zambia's first capital. David Livingstone reached the falls in 1855, and the town named for him became British colonial headquarters until Lusaka took over in 1935. The Kariba Dam, completed in 1959, created the world's largest artificial lake by volume and generates the hydroelectric power that lights Zambia and Zimbabwe. But the 2024 drought reduced Kariba to 13% capacity, forcing both countries to ration electricity and demonstrating climate vulnerability that water-dependent infrastructure faces. The Tonga people, traditional inhabitants of the Zambezi valley, were forcibly relocated when Kariba's waters rose—a displacement that created lasting grievances and disrupted livelihoods dependent on riverine resources. Choma, the provincial capital, sits in drier agricultural zone producing maize and cattle. The SADC regional offices are headquartered in the province, giving it diplomatic significance beyond its economic weight. Tourism concentrates around Livingstone, where Victoria Falls Bridge connects Zambia to Zimbabwe and visitors divide between the two countries' competing hospitality industries. The Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park offers wildlife viewing near urban infrastructure. By 2026, Southern Province's trajectory depends on water—whether rains refill Kariba, whether climate adaptation protects agriculture, and whether Victoria Falls' mists continue attracting tourists or become irregular enough to damage the industry built around them.