Francistown is the second largest city in
Botswana, with a population of about 100,079 and 150,800 inhabitants for its agglomeration at the 2011 census. and often described as the "Capital of the North". It is located in eastern Botswana, about north-northeast from the capital,
Gaborone. Francistown is located at the confluence of the
Tati and Inchwe rivers, and near the
Shashe River (
tributary to the
Limpopo) and 90 kilometres from the international border with
Zimbabwe. Francistown was the centre of southern
Africa's first
gold rush and is still surrounded by old and abandoned
mines. The City of Francistown is an administrative district, separated from North-East District. It is administered by Francistown City Council.