Lichinga

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Lichinga
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = MOZ
subdivision_type1 = Provinces
subdivision_name1 = Niassa Province
subdivision_type2 = District
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population_total = 142 253
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latd= 13|latm= 19|lats= |latNS=S
longd=35 |longm=14|longs= |longEW=E
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Lichinga is the capital city of Niassa Province of Mozambique. It lies almost 1500 m above sea level on the Lichinga Plateau, east of Lake Niassa (Lake Malawi). The town was founded as Vila Cabral as a farming and military settlement. It is home to Lichinga Airport.

History

Founded by the Portuguese in 1931 as Vila Cabral [ [http://www.niassatourism.com/section-uklichinga/ www.niassatourism.com] , Retrieved on June 14 2008] , the town was designed to become a fast growth urban center, its streets and avenues paying attention to a projected future growth. Vila Cabral was upgraded to city status in 1962. In the early 1960s its population was 27,000 inhabitants. The city developed as an agriculture and Portuguese services center until the independence of Mozambique from Portugal in 1975.

After independence the new government renamed the city to Lichinga. Over a decade of Marxism under the leadership of Mozambique's first president, Samora Machel, transformed the city. The effects of 17 years of civil war (1975-1992) spread famine and disease in Mozambique resulting in many deaths and refugees in the region around Lichinga.

Climate

Owing to its high altitude location the town experiences a temperate-cold climate, with winter months as cold as 0°C and summertime rarely hotter than 32 °C. The town is surrounded by a pine tree plantation.

Demographics

There are a minimum estimated 450,000 Yao people living in Mozambique. They largely occupy the eastern and northern part of the Niassa province and form about 40% of the population of Lichinga, the capital of this province.

Transport

A railway branch line from the port of Nacala terminates in this town.

References

* [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/MZ/7/Lichinga.html FallingRain Map - elevation = 1398m (Red dots are railways)]