British South Africa Company (Lion Country)

The British South Africa Company, BSAC or BSACo, was the company established by Cecil Rhodes after receiving a 'Royal Charter for Zambezia' in 1889. This charter allowed his company to exploit the areas of around the Zambezi river, and claim them on behalf of the British Crown.

It operated in the territory for around 30 years, gaining effective control of the colony in 1891 after the subsiding of the deadly Rhodesian Plague that swept through the region only a few years ago. It opereated in the fields of land acquisition and distribution, mining and farming. The company's 'Southern Rhodesia' territory was brought under direct British control in 1923, and the north in 1924. The jurisdiction of the company coincides with the modern country of Rhodesia (without the territory of Nyasaland).

The company changed forms many times and, following the UDI in 1963, remained in Rhodesia, before was nationalised in 1965. Nowadays it is known as the Rhodesian Land Company, and operates mining enterprises, smelters and farming enterprises.