Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe and serves as the primary urban center of the country's Matabeleland region. Located in the western part of the nation along the Matsheumhlope River, the city covers a total area of 546 square kilometres.
The population of Bulawayo is subject to differing reports; while the 2022 census recorded the population at 665,940, the Bulawayo City Council estimates the figure to be approximately 1.2 million. Notably, Bulawayo is one of only two cities in Zimbabwe that also functions as a province.