own by the President, Michael Sata. As of 2015, Ngabwe, before a part of Kapiri Mposhi District, was declared a district on its own, with a proposal for it to become Zambia's new capital city by former infrastructure minister Lucky Mulusa. In 2012, President Michael Sata proposed for Itezhi-Tezhi District to be moved from Southern Province to Central Province, which eventually happened and in February 2018, President Edgar Lungu moved Shibuyunji District from Lusaka Province to Central Province. Chitambo District was also created by splitting Serenje District in 2012 and Luano District was also created by splitting Mkushi District in 2012. Adding Chisamba District, Ngabwe District, Itezhi-Tezhi District, Shibuyunji District, Luano District & Chitambo District to the original districts brings the total to 12 districts as of 2018. On 17 November 2021, President Hakainde Hichilema officially declared Itezhi-Tezhi District as part of Southern Province (no-longer part of Central Province), thereby returning the district to its original province. So, Central Province has 11 districts as of 2022. Geography Central Province has an area of and shares a border with eight other provinces. The total area of forest in the province is . The province has a national park and three game management areas. There are six districts in the province. The province has fertile soil conducive for the growth of cotton and maize. Lukanga Swamp has been identified by the International Monetary Fund as a potential place for a fishing industry. Precious metals are found in the Mkushi area, gold in Mumbwa, and coal in Kapiri Mposhi. Lukanga Swamp is a permanent swamp covering 1,850 km2 at the mouths and along the Lukanga and Kafue rivers. It contains many lagoons like Lake Chiposhye and Lake Suye. TAZARA, the Tanzania-Zambia railway line, has a major terminal in the city. It provides connectivity to the port in Tanzania from Zambia. Demographics According to the 2010 Zambian census, Central Province had a population of 1,307,111, comprising 10.05% of the total Zambian population of 13,092,666. There were 648,465 males and 658,646 females, making the sex ratio 1,016 females for every 1,000 males, compared to the national average of 1,028. The literacy rate stood at 70.90% against a national average of 70.2%. Approximately 74.87% of people lived in rural areas, while 25.13% lived in urban areas. The total area of the province is 94,394 km2 and the population density was 13.80 per km2. The decadal population