Impalila
island in Namibia between the Zambezi river and Chobe River
Impalila (sometimes spelt Mpalila) is an island in the Zambezi Region, the far eastern tip of Namibia, bounded on the north by the waters of the Zambezi river and on the south by the Chobe River. It is home to some 2500–3000 mainly Tswana (from Botswana) and Subia people (from Namibia) in 25 small villages. The largest settlement on the island is Kafubu.
Impalila island is completely cut off from Namibian road infrastructure. It can only be reached by boat. Most residents use the Botswana–Namibia border crossing on the island and buy groceries in Botswana. As a result, inhabitants on Impalila use the Botswana pula as their main currency instead of the Namibian dollar. They are also subject to import duty on their shopping.
There is an air strip with a 1,300 metre runway, used for charter flights to bring tourists to the various lodges on the island. The airport is a relic of a military base used in the 1980s by the South African Defence Forces, strategically positioned within sight of Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Impalila” as island in Namibia between the Zambezi river and Chobe River. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as island in Namibia between the Zambezi river and Chobe River. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 3, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q859664. Authority coordinates are -17.783, 25.223. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Impalila”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Impalila primary sources, Impalila archive and Impalila research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Impalila”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Impalila” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.