Kabwe, Zambia

Capital City

Living in one of the world's most polluted cities isn't for the faint-hearted. Kabwe, Zambia's Central Province capital, grapples with severe lead contamination that has devastated local children's health - a direct legacy of decades of unregulated mining operations.

This transportation and agricultural hub, home to 288,598 residents, serves as Zambia Railways' headquarters and was once a thriving mining center. Founded in 1902 as Broken Hill, the city played a pivotal role in Zambian politics during the colonial period, particularly through its powerful railway unions. Today, it's attempting to reinvent itself through agriculture and manufacturing, with commercial farming areas surrounding the city. The critical drawback remains environmental - a 2022 UN report designated it a "sacrifice zone" due to toxic contamination, with ongoing health impacts despite the mine's 1994 closure.