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- This article is about the city. For the district, see Beitbridge Town.
Situated in Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe's poorest province, Beitbridge lies on the border with South Africa, 527 kilometers south of Harare, 18 kilometers north of Messina and 548 kilometers north of Johannesburg. The town has a population of approximately 20,000 and serves a district of 80,000 people. An estimated 60 percent of Beitbridge's population is female, reflecting extensive male migration to South Africa.
Beitbridge has an estimated 2,570 houses in formal settlements (primarily for government officials and mid-level private sector staff) and 3,000 in informal settlements. Formal-settlement dwellings are mainly two- to three-room brick houses, while those in the informal settlements are among the worst mud houses in Zimbabwe. Average house occupancy in the low-income and informal settlements varies considerably, as many people do not bring their families to Beitbridge, but includes at least four people. Recreational facilities are limited in low-income areas, consisting largely of bars and soccer pitches.
Coordinates: 21°50′S 30°00′E / -21.833, 30
