Sight By Walk : Nyangabgwe Hill

Photo blog : Nyangabgwe Hill 

Francis Town : Botswana

Francis Town is an important North Eestern City of Botswana. This city is last big city near Zimbabwe to the North Estern border of the country.The city is quite an old settlement, as well as second largest urban area of Botswana. The town was founded in 1897 is the major railway stoppage or link for Harare and Bulawayo  railway. This city is now spread in a good length and reach the bank of Tati river. 

Nyangabgwe Hill is iconic hill for this town.  Anyone can see this hill from a good distance and it can be seen from almost any parts of city. It is situated at the just beside the Zimbbwe road and almost in the mid east side of town.  The hill is elevated almost 1083 meters from sea level. 

From Panoramio

There are two walk way to climb and descent from this hill. A small water tank is up there. The hill is the top place of the city, thus, mobile, radio communications towers is standing on the hill. Some five mobile communication tower and antenna can be seen. The hill is a good destination for morning walker. Jubilee Clinic is the nearest public facility of this hill.Government residential area is situated down at southern part of this hill. Government Hospital of FrancisTown is named after this as Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital. 

Geotag:  21° 9'7.88"S  27°30'39.96"E | ifaysal.blogspot.com

Crossing 'Tropic of Capricorn' Line over Botswana

Crossing 'Tropic of Capricorn' Line over Botswana

Mahalapye : Central District : Botswana

Tropic of Capricorn is one of five important geographic latitudinal circle across the Earth, which is 23.5 degree South of the Equator. The opposite line of Tropic of Cancer at Southern Hemisphere. The southern most point of Earth, where sun rays directly at local noon. According to Wikipedia:

"The Tropic of Capricorn is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. As of 22 March 2016, its latitude is 23°26′13.9″ (or 23.43718°) south of the equator, but it is very gradually moving northward, currently at the rate of 0.47 arc seconds, or 15 metres, per year."

This important geographical line has crossed through Three Oceans: The Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean as well as ten countries across the continents from South America toward Oceania. These countries are:

1. Chile, 2.Argentina, 3. Paraguay, 4.Brazil, 5. Namibia, 6. Botswana, 

7. South Africa, 8. Mozambique, 9. Madagascar and 10. Australia. 

Tropic of Capricorn Road Mark

Travelers will find monuments, marks or road sign while crossing this line over the regions of the above mentioned countries.I had an opportunity to cross this line twice over Botswana. Tropic of Capricorn Line is crossed over three places at Botswana, including Kalahari desert. These places are: Khutse Game Reserve, Khule and Mahalapye. 

Monument of Tropic of Capricorn. Photographer: Umme Habiba Jasmine

Monument of tropic of Capricorn : Angular view 01

Tropic of Capricorn monument frontal angular view.

Botswana's only monument on this line is situated near Mahalapye, just beside the A1 Highway. The monument made beside the road. There is a tube stand  affixed on the top of the monument. There are two plates of wrought iron, attached to this markup monument. its very simple monument, just like a geographical benchmark.s There is a little description about this monument is inscribed on plates in English and Setswana. 
Here is the English version:

"THIS POINT IS ON THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN, WHICH IS THE MOST SOUTHERLY LATITUDE REACHED BY THE SUN. HERE THE SUN WILL BE AT THE ZENITH EACH YEAR ON MIDSUMMER DAY AT MIDDAY LOCAL APPARENT TIME WHICH IS ON 22 DECEMBER AT APPROXIMATELY 12 MINUTES PAST TWELVE O' CLOCK NOON AT THE TIME THE SUN WILL SHINE DIRECTLY DOWN THE TUBE ABOVE THE NOTICE"

This is the first time I have seen such type of monuments. Its a very simple monument but I like it for the information, geographical value.24-08-2015

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Geographical Coordinate: 23° 29' 58.41" S  26° 36' 48.75" E