Maputo
Encyclopedia
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique
. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia
trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its municipal building. Today it is a port city on the Indian Ocean
, with its economy centered around the harbour. According to the 2007 census, the population is 1,766,184. Cotton
, sugar
, chromite
, sisal
, copra
, and hardwood are the chief exports. The city manufactures cement
, pottery
, furniture
, shoe
s, and rubber
. The city is surrounded by Maputo Province
, but is administered as its own province.
It is estimated that 80% of the city's population lives in slum
s without running water
or electricity
, but the city has little money to invest in infrastructure. Inequality in Maputo has grown considerably as it experienced economic growth rates as high as 9% annually.
, near the Estuário do Espírito Santo where the rivers Tembe, Umbeluzi, Matola
and Infulene drain. The bay is 95 kilometers long and 30 kilometers wide. At the extreme east of the city and bay is the island of Inhaca
.The total area covered by the municipality of Maputo is 346 km² and borders the city of Matola
northeast and east, the districts of Marracuene
to the north; Boane
in the east and Matutuíne
at the south all of which are part of Maputo Province. The city is 120 kilometers from the South African border at Ressano Garcia and 80 kilometers from the border with Swaziland
near the town of Namaacha.
The city is divided into seven main administrative divisions. Each of these consists of several smaller city quarters or bairros.
, Lourenço Marques was named after the Portuguese navigator
, who with a companion (António Caldeira) was sent in 1544 by the governor of Mozambique
on a voyage of exploration. They explored the lower courses of the rivers emptying their waters into Delagoa Bay, notably the Espírito Santo. The various forts and trading stations which the Portuguese established, abandoned and reoccupied on the north bank of the river were all called Lourenço Marques. The existing town dates from about 1850, the previous settlement having been entirely destroyed by the natives. The town developed around a Portuguese fortress completed in 1787. In 1871 the town was described as a poor place, with narrow streets, fairly good flat-roofed houses, grass huts, decayed forts and rusty cannon, enclosed by a wall 6 ft. high then recently erected and protected by bastions at intervals. The growing importance of the Transvaal
led, however, to greater interest being taken in Portugal in the port. A commission was sent by the Portuguese government in 1876 to drain the marshy land near the settlement, to plant the blue gum tree, and to build a hospital and a church. A city since 1887, it superseded the Island of Mozambique
as the capital of Mozambique
in 1898. In 1895, construction of a railroad to Pretoria
, South Africa
caused the city's population to grow.
In the early 1900s, with a well equipped seaport, with piers, quays, landing sheds and electric cranes, enabling large vessels to discharge cargoes direct into the railway trucks, Lourenço Marques developed under Portuguese rule and achieved great importance as a lively cosmopolitan city. It was served by British, Portuguese and German liners, and the majority of its imported goods were shipped at Southampton
, Lisbon
and Hamburg
. With the continuous growth of the city's population and its expanding economy centered on the seaport, from the 1940s, Portugal's administration built a network of primary and secondary schools, industrial and commercial schools as well as the first university in the region - the University of Lourenço Marques opened in 1962. Portuguese, Islamic (including Ismaili
s), Indian (including from Portuguese India
) and Chinese (including Macanese
) communities managed to achieve great prosperity - but not the unskilled African majority - by developing the industrial and commercial sectors of the city. Prior to Mozambique's independence in 1975, thousands of tourists from South Africa and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) frequented the city and its scenic beaches, high-quality hotels, restaurants, casinos and brothels.
The Mozambique Liberation Front, or FRELIMO, formed in Tanzania
in 1962. Led by Eduardo Mondlane
, FRELIMO fought for independence from Portuguese rule. The Mozambican War of Independence
lasted over 10 years, ending only in 1974 when the Estado Novo regime was overthrown in Lisbon
by a leftist military coup - the Carnation Revolution
. The new government of Portugal granted independence to all Portuguese overseas territories.
was proclaimed on 25 June 1975 in accordance with the Lusaka Accord
signed in September 1974. A parade and a state banquet completed the independence festivities in the capital, which was expected to be renamed Can Phumo, or "Place of Phumo," after a Shangaan
chief who lived in the area before the Portuguese navigator Lourenço Marques
first visited the site in 1545 and gave his name to it. However, after independence, the city's name was changed
(in February 1976) to Maputo. Maputo's name reputedly has its origin in the Maputo River
. The statues to Portuguese heroes were removed and most were stored at the fortress, and black soldiers carrying Russian rifles replaced Portuguese Army
soldiers (both black and white) with western arms in city barracks and on the streets. Most city streets, named for Portuguese heroes or important dates in Portuguese history
, had their names changed too.
After the Carnation Revolution in Lisbon, over 250,000 ethnic Portuguese
pulled out virtually overnight, leaving unmanageable Mozambique's economy and administration. With the exodus of trained Portuguese personnel, the newly independent country had no time to allocate resources in order to maintain its well-developed infrastructure. In addition, authoritarian Marxist
policies and failed central planning made the newly independent country slip into an extremely precarious condition since the beginning, and so the economy plummeted. FRELIMO, now the governing party, turned to the communist governments of the Soviet Union
and East Germany for help. By the early 1980s the country was bankrupt. Money was worthless and shops were empty. Starting shortly after independence, the country was plagued from 1977 to 1992 by a long and violent civil war opposing FRELIMO to RENAMO - the Mozambican Civil War
.
Since the peace agreement was signed in 1992, the country has returned to its pre-independence levels of political stability. This level of stability is an encouraging sign that makes Mozambique a promising country for foreign investment.
(1974) military coup in Lisbon
, Portuguese refugees fled in massive numbers close to the date of independence (1975), and the resultant lack of skills and capital, in the context of a fierce civil war and government mismanagement, contributed to its state of dereliction in the years following these events. Nevertheless, the city itself was never damaged, since it was tacitly considered neutral ground during both the colonial and the civil war.
Recovery of the older infrastructure has been slow and most property developers in recent years have decided to invest in the construction of new properties rather than rehabilitating any of the existing ones. The rates for property in the city are high as investment increases, larger numbers of businesses are hoping to locate within easy reach of the airports, banks and other facilities. The infrastructure is expected to spread out across vacant areas of the city hopefully easing property prices within the next couple of years.
(IDA) of the World Bank
. The first phase (PROMAPUTO1) took place between 2007 and 2010 and was chiefly concerned with developing the systems, knowledge and planning required to support the gradual overhaul of the infrastructure. The project was broken into several key areas and a budget allocated to each of these, namely: Institutional Development, Financial Sustainability, Urban Planning, Urban Infrastructure Investment and Maintenance, Metropolitan Development (services such as waste collection and disposal). The total financial allocation for this phase was USD 30 million.
In 2011, PROMAPUTO2, the second phase of the project began. This phase is to last until 2015 and a total of USD 105 million will be invested. A special Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) will be developed and implemented together with Geographic Information System
(GIS). These systems will help the municipality control its budgets and manage tenders, while the GIS will allow for precise information about land location and titling to be kept. Several roads will be expanded and improved and the Avenida Julius Nyerere will finally be completed. Financial sustainability for the project will be guaranteed through the improved collection of property tax (IPRA). The project also coincides with the recent overhaul of the Road Safety and Traffic Regulations (final completion 2020) which was an antiquated system that had not seen changes since the 1950s. Amongst the new regulations, heavy penalties and fines now apply to:
In addition, electronic parking meters have now been installed in some areas of the CBD to curb a chronic shortage and wrongful use of parking space.
is one of Africa's largest telecommunications companies based in South Africa
. It is projected to cost around $35 million and construction is to be completed by 2010. The building is designed to produce 30% of the energy it requires.
announced that the Vila Algarve would be restored to its former conditions and the building transformed into a museum for the veterans of the civil war. The Vila Algarve belonged to the Portuguese Secret Police (PIDE) during colonial rule. It was where political prisoners and others accused of conspiring to harm the regime were taken for interrogation and torture. There are claims that several individuals were executed in the building. No dates have been released on when the renovation is to commence. The building has changed ownership several times and has been an off-on residence for squatters. It is considered one of the city's most beautiful pieces of architectural work.
, Estádio do Maxaquene
and the Estádio do Costa do Sol
which can seat 32,000, 15,000 and 10,000 people respectively. The largest stadium in the Metropolitan Area is, however, the Estádio da Machava
(opened as Estádio Salazar), located in neighbouring Matola
municipality. It opened in 1968, in Machava and was at the time the most advanced in the country conforming to standards set by FIFA
and the International Cycling Union (UCI). The cycling track could be adjusted to allow for 20,000 more seats. It was the site where Portugal
officially handed over the country to Samora Machel
and FRELIMO on 25 June 1975. In 2005, the Birmingham
based reggae
group UB40
held a one-night-only concert in the stadium filled to maximum capacity. A newer stadium called the Estádio do Zimpeto
which is located in the suburb of Zimpeto will be opened in 2011. The stadium will be built in time for the 2011 All-Africa Games
with a capacity for 42,000 spectators.
Beginning in the 1950s, motorsport was introduced to the city. At first race cars would compete in areas around the city, Polana and along the marginal but as funding and interest increased, a dedicated race track was built in the Costa Do Sol area along and behind the marginal with the ocean to the east with a length of 1,5 kilometers. The initial surface of the new track, named Autódromo de Lourenço Marques did not provide enough grip and an accident in the late 1960s killed 8 people and injured many more. Therefore, in 1970, the track was renovated and the surface changed to meet the safety requirements that were needed at large events with many spectators. The length then increased to 3,909 kilometers. The city became host to several international and local events beginning with the inauguration on the 26th of November, 1970. The track was abandoned after 1975 and events only occurred sporadically such as in 1981 when the government allowed the sport again. Since 2000, interest has been rekindled by the Automovel & Touring Club de Moçambique (ATCM) and several events including go-carting, drag racing and motocross are planned.
is the main international airport of Mozambique. The new terminal was opened in 2010 with a capacity for 900,000 passengers per year. Work has begun on the construction of a new Domestic Terminal which will have a capacity for 580 passengers at any given time. The construction work will require the current building to be demolished.
had only begun its own limited tramway lines for the city of Blackpool
in 1887. At first the lines ran from the Central Train Station (CFM) to the City Municipality building. It is said that the establishment of the tram system caused great social upheavals as certain classes were excluded from its use. Trams lost favor in the second half of the 20th century as cars and buses became more common. They have not been in use at all since 1975 although tracks can still be seen at the extremes of the city.
A new terminal for vehicles is also planned which will allow for 57,000 vehicles to be moved per year (Phase 1) with a peak 250,000 under an agreement with Höegh Autoliners as potential trans-shipment route between the Middle East
and Europe
. Coal will also be exported from the Matola
side at a rate of 10 million tons per year. It is envisaged that by 2020, the port will generate about USD 160 million per year. By 2030, the port will be able to handle up to 25 trains a day and 1,500 trucks for a total of 50 million tons of cargo per year. The total investment will exceed USD 500 million.
, India
n, and Chinese
cultures is also felt. The cuisine is diverse, owing especially to the Portuguese and Muslim
heritage, and seafood
is also quite abundant.
, Herbert Baker
and Thomas Honney amongst others. The earliest architectural efforts around the city focused on classical European designs such as the Central Train Station (CFM) designed by architects Alfredo Augusto Lisboa de Lima, Mario Veiga and Ferreira da Costa and built between 1913 and 1916 (sometimes mistaken with the work of Gustav Eiffel), and the Hotel Polana designed by Herbert Baker
.
As the 1960s and 1970s approached, Maputo was yet again at the center of a new wave of architectural influences made most popular by Pancho Guedes
. The designs of the 60s and 70s were characterized by modernist movements of clean, straight and functional structures. However, prominent architects such as Pancho Guedes
fused this with local art schemes giving the city's buildings a unique Mozambican theme. As a result most of the properties erected during the second construction boom take on these styling cues.
The movies screened at the theaters during Portuguese rule were heavily censored. Movies containing sex, violence and themes with a political nature were not allowed but despite the restrictions, it was the first time Mozambicans were able to enjoy entertainment that was for the most part in line with what was prevalent in the rest of the world, thereby greatly increasing cultural affinity. After 1975 and the ensuing mass exodus of European whites, for a time no censorship regulations were in place and Mozambicans could watch content that was previously banned by the dictatorship – at this time Bruce Lee
and his films became immensely popular. However, once FRELIMO and the nationalist movement gained momentum, any external influence considered as originating from the "decadent West" was again not allowed. It was at this moment that Mozambique's ruling party FRELIMO realized the immediate potential films could have in delivering propaganda relatively easily.
For much of the late 1970s and 1980s, the local film industry was geared towards creating "home-made" productions depicting Socialist ideologies which placed great influence on the family unit, the non-commercialized production of agriculture and political autonomy. Maputo has been the setting for many Hollywood blockbuster movies such as The Interpreter
, Blood Diamond
and Ali
.
. The exhibition of art objects such as the Chair of the African King
and the Tree of Life was shown around the world, among others in the British Museum
in 2006.
Maputo is home to the Dockanema
Documentary Film Festival, and international festival showcasing documentary films from around the world.
. It was designed in the 1880s by a British
architect, Thomas Honney. The entrance of the park is designed in the neo-Manueline
style. After independence, the name was changed to the current one and a statue of the country's first president was erected.
which was established in 1968 as the Universidade de Lourenço Marques. Most of the universities faculties and departments are located in the city of Maputo with nearly 8,000 students attending 10 faculties. Some faculties also exist in Beira
, Quelimane
, Nampula and Inhambane
.
Since the 1990s there has also been a rapid growth of private education houses offering higher education such as Instituto Superior de Ciências e Tecnologias de Moçambique (ISCTEM) and Instituto Superior de Tecnologias e Gestão (ISTEG).
, South Africa
and Waterford Kamhlaba
in Mbabane
, Swaziland
.
The construction of Hospital Miguel Bombarda began in 1900. In 1976, Samora Machel
renamed the hospital as Hospital Central de Maputo (HCM). The hospital has 1500 beds for in-patients and has an estimated staff number of 3000. It is made of a multi-block structure with 35 separate buildings spanning an area of 163,800 m2. The hospital has six departments: Medicine
, Surgery
, Pediatrics
, Orthopedics
, Gynaecology
and Obstetrics
. It also has divisions for Ophthalmology
and Otolaryngology
and a morgue. The hospital provides services for an average 700 out-patients a day and over 1000 kilograms of washing is done daily. In the early 1990s, a section of the hospital was divided and turned into a private clinic offering higher quality services for those who could afford it called the Clínica Especial de Maputo. The residence for the head of medicine is on the corner of Avenida Eduardo Mondlane and Avenida Salavador Allende. It is a historically valuable structure which was completed in 1908 and has since the 1990s been converted into a charming restaurant with colonial themes called Restaurante 1908. The upper floors are still used by the hospital as offices.
that borders on a humid subtropical climate
. Maputo is a relatively dry city, averaging 761 mm of precipitation per year. The city has relatively short rainy season lasting from November through March. Maputo also features noticeably warmer and cooler seasons, with its warmest month (January) on average about 8 °C warmer than its coolest month (July).
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its municipal building. Today it is a port city on the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, with its economy centered around the harbour. According to the 2007 census, the population is 1,766,184. Cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, chromite
Chromite
Chromite is an iron chromium oxide: FeCr2O4. It is an oxide mineral belonging to the spinel group. Magnesium can substitute for iron in variable amounts as it forms a solid solution with magnesiochromite ; substitution of aluminium occurs leading to hercynite .-Occurrence:Chromite is found in...
, sisal
Sisal
Sisal is an agave that yields a stiff fibre traditionally used in making twine, rope and also dartboards. The term may refer either to the plant or the fibre, depending on context...
, copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
, and hardwood are the chief exports. The city manufactures cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
, pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
, shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
s, and rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
. The city is surrounded by Maputo Province
Maputo Province
Maputo is a province of Mozambique; the province excludes the city of Maputo . The province has an area of 26,058 km² and a population of 1,072,086 .Matola is the capital of the province....
, but is administered as its own province.
It is estimated that 80% of the city's population lives in slum
Slum
A slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
s without running water
Running Water
Running Water may be:* Running Water, Tennessee, former name of Whiteside, Tennessee* Running Water, South Dakota, a community in Bon Homme County, South Dakota* "Running Water" from the 1983 album The Present...
or electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
, but the city has little money to invest in infrastructure. Inequality in Maputo has grown considerably as it experienced economic growth rates as high as 9% annually.
Geography
Maputo is located on the west side of Maputo BayMaputo Bay
Maputo Bay , formerly Delagoa Bay, Baía da Lagoa is an inlet of the Indian Ocean on the coast of Mozambique, between 25° 40' and 26° 20' S, with a length from north to south of over 90 km long and 32 km wide....
, near the Estuário do Espírito Santo where the rivers Tembe, Umbeluzi, Matola
Matola
Matola is a city in southern Mozambique, which lies 12 kilometers to the west of the country's capital, Maputo. Matola is the capital of Maputo Province and has had its own elected municipal government since 1998. It has a port and also the biggest industrial area in Mozambique...
and Infulene drain. The bay is 95 kilometers long and 30 kilometers wide. At the extreme east of the city and bay is the island of Inhaca
Inhaca
Inhaca is a settlement in Mozambique, on the subtropical Inhaca Island off the East African coast. Inhaca settlement is centered on a missionary station located about 32km east of Maputo.-Geography and administration:...
.The total area covered by the municipality of Maputo is 346 km² and borders the city of Matola
Matola
Matola is a city in southern Mozambique, which lies 12 kilometers to the west of the country's capital, Maputo. Matola is the capital of Maputo Province and has had its own elected municipal government since 1998. It has a port and also the biggest industrial area in Mozambique...
northeast and east, the districts of Marracuene
Marracuene District
Marracuene District is a district of Maputo Province in southern Mozambique. The principal town is Marracuene. The Incomati River flows through the district....
to the north; Boane
Boane District
Boane District is a district of Maputo Province in southern Mozambique. The principal town is Boane.-Further reading:*...
in the east and Matutuíne
Matutuíne District
Matutuíne District is a district of Maputo Province in southern Mozambique. The principal town is Bela Vista.-Further reading:*...
at the south all of which are part of Maputo Province. The city is 120 kilometers from the South African border at Ressano Garcia and 80 kilometers from the border with Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
near the town of Namaacha.
The city is divided into seven main administrative divisions. Each of these consists of several smaller city quarters or bairros.
| Administrative Division | City Quarters or Bairros |
|---|---|
| KaMpfumo | Central A/B/C - Alto Maé A/B - Malhangalene A/B - Polana Cimento A/B - Coop - Sommerschield |
| Nlhamankulu | Aeroporto A/B - Xipamanine - Minkadjuíne - Unidade 7 - Chamanculo A/B/C/D - Malanga - Munhuana |
| KaMaxaquene | Mafalala - Maxaquene A/B/C/D - Polana Caniço A/B - Urbanização |
| KaMavota | Mavalane A/B - FPLM - Hulene A/B - Ferroviário - Laulane - 3 de Fevereiro - Mahotas - Albazine - Costa do Sol |
| KaMubukwana | Bagamoyo - George Dimitrov (Benfica) - Inhagoia A/B - Jardim - Luís Cabral - Magoanine - Malhazine - Nsalene - 25 de Junho A/B(Choupal) - Zimpeto |
| KaTembe | Gwachene - Chale - Inguice - Ncassene - Xamissava |
| KaNyaka | Ingwane - Ribjene - Nhaquene |
Portuguese rule
On the northern bank of Espírito Santo Estuary of Delagoa Bay, an inlet of the Indian OceanIndian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, Lourenço Marques was named after the Portuguese navigator
Lourenço Marques
Lourenço Marques was a 16th century Portuguese trader and explorer.-Biography:He explored the area that is now Maputo Bay in 1544. He settled permanently in present-day Mozambique, where he spent most of his life with his black wife and mixed-race children.By order of King John III the bay was...
, who with a companion (António Caldeira) was sent in 1544 by the governor of Mozambique
Island of Mozambique
The Island of Mozambique lies off northern Mozambique, between the Mozambique Channel and Mossuril Bay. It has a population of around 14,000 people and is part of Nampula Province.-History:...
on a voyage of exploration. They explored the lower courses of the rivers emptying their waters into Delagoa Bay, notably the Espírito Santo. The various forts and trading stations which the Portuguese established, abandoned and reoccupied on the north bank of the river were all called Lourenço Marques. The existing town dates from about 1850, the previous settlement having been entirely destroyed by the natives. The town developed around a Portuguese fortress completed in 1787. In 1871 the town was described as a poor place, with narrow streets, fairly good flat-roofed houses, grass huts, decayed forts and rusty cannon, enclosed by a wall 6 ft. high then recently erected and protected by bastions at intervals. The growing importance of the Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
led, however, to greater interest being taken in Portugal in the port. A commission was sent by the Portuguese government in 1876 to drain the marshy land near the settlement, to plant the blue gum tree, and to build a hospital and a church. A city since 1887, it superseded the Island of Mozambique
Island of Mozambique
The Island of Mozambique lies off northern Mozambique, between the Mozambique Channel and Mossuril Bay. It has a population of around 14,000 people and is part of Nampula Province.-History:...
as the capital of Mozambique
Portuguese East Africa
Mozambique or Portuguese East Africa was the common name by which the Portuguese Empire's territorial expansion in East Africa was known across different periods of time...
in 1898. In 1895, construction of a railroad to Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
caused the city's population to grow.
In the early 1900s, with a well equipped seaport, with piers, quays, landing sheds and electric cranes, enabling large vessels to discharge cargoes direct into the railway trucks, Lourenço Marques developed under Portuguese rule and achieved great importance as a lively cosmopolitan city. It was served by British, Portuguese and German liners, and the majority of its imported goods were shipped at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. With the continuous growth of the city's population and its expanding economy centered on the seaport, from the 1940s, Portugal's administration built a network of primary and secondary schools, industrial and commercial schools as well as the first university in the region - the University of Lourenço Marques opened in 1962. Portuguese, Islamic (including Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
s), Indian (including from Portuguese India
Portuguese India
The Portuguese Viceroyalty of India , later the Portuguese State of India , was the aggregate of Portugal's colonial holdings in India.The government started in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de...
) and Chinese (including Macanese
Macanese
Macanese may refer to:* Macanese people, the people of Macau* Macanese people , an ethnic group in Macau of mainly Portuguese, and some with African, Cantonese, South Asian, Southeast Asian or other origins...
) communities managed to achieve great prosperity - but not the unskilled African majority - by developing the industrial and commercial sectors of the city. Prior to Mozambique's independence in 1975, thousands of tourists from South Africa and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) frequented the city and its scenic beaches, high-quality hotels, restaurants, casinos and brothels.
The Mozambique Liberation Front, or FRELIMO, formed in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
in 1962. Led by Eduardo Mondlane
Eduardo Mondlane
Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane served as President of the Mozambican Liberation Front from 1962, the year that FRELIMO was founded in Tanzania, until his assassination in 1969.-Early life:...
, FRELIMO fought for independence from Portuguese rule. The Mozambican War of Independence
Mozambican War of Independence
The Mozambican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front or FRELIMO , and Portugal...
lasted over 10 years, ending only in 1974 when the Estado Novo regime was overthrown in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
by a leftist military coup - the Carnation Revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
. The new government of Portugal granted independence to all Portuguese overseas territories.
After independence from Portugal
The People's Republic of MozambiquePeople's Republic of Mozambique
The People's Republic of Mozambique , was a self-declared socialist state that lasted from June 25, 1975 through December 1, 1990, becoming the present day Republic of Mozambique.After gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, the People's Republic of Mozambique was established shortly...
was proclaimed on 25 June 1975 in accordance with the Lusaka Accord
Lusaka Accord
The Lusaka Accord was signed in Lusaka on 7 September 1974, between the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique and the Portuguese government installed after the Carnation Revolution in Lisbon. In the agreement, Portugal formally recognized the right of the Mozambican people to independence and...
signed in September 1974. A parade and a state banquet completed the independence festivities in the capital, which was expected to be renamed Can Phumo, or "Place of Phumo," after a Shangaan
Shangaan
The Tsonga people inhabit the southern coastal plain of Mozambique, parts of Zimbabwe and Swaziland, and the Limpopo Province of South Africa...
chief who lived in the area before the Portuguese navigator Lourenço Marques
Lourenço Marques
Lourenço Marques was a 16th century Portuguese trader and explorer.-Biography:He explored the area that is now Maputo Bay in 1544. He settled permanently in present-day Mozambique, where he spent most of his life with his black wife and mixed-race children.By order of King John III the bay was...
first visited the site in 1545 and gave his name to it. However, after independence, the city's name was changed
Geographical renaming
Geographical renaming is the changing of the name of a geographical feature or area. This can range from the uncontroversial change of a street name to a highly disputed change to the name of a country. Some names are changed locally but the new names are not recognised by other countries,...
(in February 1976) to Maputo. Maputo's name reputedly has its origin in the Maputo River
Maputo River
The Maputo River , also called Great Usutu River, Lusutfu River or Suthu River, is a river in South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique. The name Suthu refers to Basotho people who lived near the source of the river, who were attacked and displaced by Swazis...
. The statues to Portuguese heroes were removed and most were stored at the fortress, and black soldiers carrying Russian rifles replaced Portuguese Army
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
soldiers (both black and white) with western arms in city barracks and on the streets. Most city streets, named for Portuguese heroes or important dates in Portuguese history
History of Portugal
The history of Portugal, a European and an Atlantic nation, dates back to the Early Middle Ages. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it ascended to the status of a world power during Europe's "Age of Discovery" as it built up a vast empire including possessions in South America, Africa, Asia and...
, had their names changed too.
After the Carnation Revolution in Lisbon, over 250,000 ethnic Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
pulled out virtually overnight, leaving unmanageable Mozambique's economy and administration. With the exodus of trained Portuguese personnel, the newly independent country had no time to allocate resources in order to maintain its well-developed infrastructure. In addition, authoritarian Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
policies and failed central planning made the newly independent country slip into an extremely precarious condition since the beginning, and so the economy plummeted. FRELIMO, now the governing party, turned to the communist governments of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and East Germany for help. By the early 1980s the country was bankrupt. Money was worthless and shops were empty. Starting shortly after independence, the country was plagued from 1977 to 1992 by a long and violent civil war opposing FRELIMO to RENAMO - the Mozambican Civil War
Mozambican Civil War
The Mozambican Civil War began in 1977, two years after the end of the war of independence. The ruling party, Front for Liberation of Mozambique , was violently opposed from 1977 by the Rhodesian- and South African-funded Mozambique Resistance Movement...
.
Since the peace agreement was signed in 1992, the country has returned to its pre-independence levels of political stability. This level of stability is an encouraging sign that makes Mozambique a promising country for foreign investment.
Infrastructure
The central area of Maputo corresponds to a planned city with square blocks and wide avenues, with Portuguese traces and their typical architecture of the 1970s. After the Carnation RevolutionCarnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
(1974) military coup in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portuguese refugees fled in massive numbers close to the date of independence (1975), and the resultant lack of skills and capital, in the context of a fierce civil war and government mismanagement, contributed to its state of dereliction in the years following these events. Nevertheless, the city itself was never damaged, since it was tacitly considered neutral ground during both the colonial and the civil war.
Recovery of the older infrastructure has been slow and most property developers in recent years have decided to invest in the construction of new properties rather than rehabilitating any of the existing ones. The rates for property in the city are high as investment increases, larger numbers of businesses are hoping to locate within easy reach of the airports, banks and other facilities. The infrastructure is expected to spread out across vacant areas of the city hopefully easing property prices within the next couple of years.
PROMAPUTO
In 2007, the municipality of Maputo began a project to seriously consider rehabilitating the city's infrastructure. PROMAPUTO was a project that began as co-operation between the local city council and the International Development AssociationInternational Development Association
The International Development Association , is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. It complements the World Bank's other lending arm — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — which serves middle-income countries with capital investment and...
(IDA) of the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
. The first phase (PROMAPUTO1) took place between 2007 and 2010 and was chiefly concerned with developing the systems, knowledge and planning required to support the gradual overhaul of the infrastructure. The project was broken into several key areas and a budget allocated to each of these, namely: Institutional Development, Financial Sustainability, Urban Planning, Urban Infrastructure Investment and Maintenance, Metropolitan Development (services such as waste collection and disposal). The total financial allocation for this phase was USD 30 million.
In 2011, PROMAPUTO2, the second phase of the project began. This phase is to last until 2015 and a total of USD 105 million will be invested. A special Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) will be developed and implemented together with Geographic Information System
Geographic Information System
A geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
(GIS). These systems will help the municipality control its budgets and manage tenders, while the GIS will allow for precise information about land location and titling to be kept. Several roads will be expanded and improved and the Avenida Julius Nyerere will finally be completed. Financial sustainability for the project will be guaranteed through the improved collection of property tax (IPRA). The project also coincides with the recent overhaul of the Road Safety and Traffic Regulations (final completion 2020) which was an antiquated system that had not seen changes since the 1950s. Amongst the new regulations, heavy penalties and fines now apply to:
- Vehicles causing considerable levels of pollution
- Vehicles emitting unreasonably loud mechanical sounds
- Drivers of light vehicles under the influence of alcohol (random breath testing is carried out)
- Performing illegal road maneuvers not in accordance with new road directions
- Commercial vehicles circulating in the city outside of stipulated hours
In addition, electronic parking meters have now been installed in some areas of the CBD to curb a chronic shortage and wrongful use of parking space.
Building Projects
In spite of its previous instability, Mozambique is experiencing one of the fastest growth rates for a developing country in the world. The projected growth rate for 2011 is expected to be around 7.5%, some of it centered around the construction of several capital intensive projects in Maputo. Some of the more notable developments are listed below.Edificio 24
Is a mixed-use development that will be located at the center of the city along Avenida 24 Julho and Avenida Salvador Allende. There will be a total of 12 floors, with the bottom two designed for underground car parking. The project has been designed to accommodate 25 retail establishments as well as number of offices and apartments on the topmost floors. Amenities include a gym, swimming pool and a spa. Construction began in 2010.Maputo Business Tower
The Maputo Business Tower is a 47 storey building that, at its expected completion in 2013 or 2014, will be considered the tallest building in the country at 190 metres. The $110 million project is being developed by a U.S. company with construction breaking ground in late November 2010. The building has 5 floors available for parking roughly 600 vehicles. The ground floor will have space for retail establishments and the topmost floors will be reserved for luxury apartments.Radisson Blu Hotel
The international hotel chain, Radisson Blu has begun construction of a 12 storey building with 154 rooms in one of the city's trendiest spots on the marginal along the beach. This new property will feature a modern design. The hotel is due to open in the third quarter of 2011.Vodacom
This is a 15 storey building for the second largest telecommunication company in the country. VodacomVodacom
Vodacom is a pan-African mobile telecommunications company, and was the 1st cellular network in South Africa. It provides GSM service to more than 35 million customers in South Africa, Tanzania, Lesotho, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2008...
is one of Africa's largest telecommunications companies based in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is projected to cost around $35 million and construction is to be completed by 2010. The building is designed to produce 30% of the energy it requires.
Maputo waterfront
It is an urban regeneration project that is being developed at site of the former annual industrial fair grounds (FACIM). When it is complete it will offer a number of facilities both for leisure and commerce. The estimated cost for the entire project is expected to be $1.2 billion.Rehabilitation projects
In February 2011, the president Armando GuebuzaArmando Guebuza
Armando Emílio Guebuza is a Mozambican politician and the President of Mozambique since 2005.- Career :Armando Emílio Guebuza was born in 20 January 1943 in Portuguese East Africa...
announced that the Vila Algarve would be restored to its former conditions and the building transformed into a museum for the veterans of the civil war. The Vila Algarve belonged to the Portuguese Secret Police (PIDE) during colonial rule. It was where political prisoners and others accused of conspiring to harm the regime were taken for interrogation and torture. There are claims that several individuals were executed in the building. No dates have been released on when the renovation is to commence. The building has changed ownership several times and has been an off-on residence for squatters. It is considered one of the city's most beautiful pieces of architectural work.
Sports facilities
Maputo has a number of stadiums designed for football, which can be modified for other purposes, such as the new Estádio do ZimpetoEstádio do Zimpeto
Estádio do Zimpeto is a multi-use stadium in Zimpeto - an outlying neighborhood of Maputo, Mozambique, which was inaugurated on 23 April 2011 . It will be mainly used for football and will be the main stadium for the 2011 All-Africa Games. It will have a capacity of 42,000 spectators. The stadium...
, Estádio do Maxaquene
Estádio do Maxaquene
Estádio do Maxaquene is a multi-purpose stadium in Maputo, Mozambique. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Clube de Desportos do Maxaquene. The stadium holds 15,000 people....
and the Estádio do Costa do Sol
Estádio do Costa do Sol
Estádio do Costa do Sol is a multi-purpose stadium in Maputo, Mozambique. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Clube de Desportos da Costa do Sol. The stadium holds 10,000 people....
which can seat 32,000, 15,000 and 10,000 people respectively. The largest stadium in the Metropolitan Area is, however, the Estádio da Machava
Estádio da Machava
Estádio da Machava is a multi-purpose stadium in Machava, a mainly residential town in the northwestern outskirts of Maputo, Mozambique. It is used for football matches and can hold 45,000 spectators...
(opened as Estádio Salazar), located in neighbouring Matola
Matola
Matola is a city in southern Mozambique, which lies 12 kilometers to the west of the country's capital, Maputo. Matola is the capital of Maputo Province and has had its own elected municipal government since 1998. It has a port and also the biggest industrial area in Mozambique...
municipality. It opened in 1968, in Machava and was at the time the most advanced in the country conforming to standards set by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
and the International Cycling Union (UCI). The cycling track could be adjusted to allow for 20,000 more seats. It was the site where Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
officially handed over the country to Samora Machel
Samora Machel
Samora Moisés Machel was a Mozambican military commander, revolutionary socialist leader and eventual President of Mozambique...
and FRELIMO on 25 June 1975. In 2005, the Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
based reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
group UB40
UB40
UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
held a one-night-only concert in the stadium filled to maximum capacity. A newer stadium called the Estádio do Zimpeto
Estádio do Zimpeto
Estádio do Zimpeto is a multi-use stadium in Zimpeto - an outlying neighborhood of Maputo, Mozambique, which was inaugurated on 23 April 2011 . It will be mainly used for football and will be the main stadium for the 2011 All-Africa Games. It will have a capacity of 42,000 spectators. The stadium...
which is located in the suburb of Zimpeto will be opened in 2011. The stadium will be built in time for the 2011 All-Africa Games
2011 All-Africa Games
The 10th All-Africa Games took place between September 3–18, 2011 in Maputo, Mozambique. Maputo's hosting marked only the third time the Games was held in the southern part of the continent.-Host awarding:...
with a capacity for 42,000 spectators.
Beginning in the 1950s, motorsport was introduced to the city. At first race cars would compete in areas around the city, Polana and along the marginal but as funding and interest increased, a dedicated race track was built in the Costa Do Sol area along and behind the marginal with the ocean to the east with a length of 1,5 kilometers. The initial surface of the new track, named Autódromo de Lourenço Marques did not provide enough grip and an accident in the late 1960s killed 8 people and injured many more. Therefore, in 1970, the track was renovated and the surface changed to meet the safety requirements that were needed at large events with many spectators. The length then increased to 3,909 kilometers. The city became host to several international and local events beginning with the inauguration on the 26th of November, 1970. The track was abandoned after 1975 and events only occurred sporadically such as in 1981 when the government allowed the sport again. Since 2000, interest has been rekindled by the Automovel & Touring Club de Moçambique (ATCM) and several events including go-carting, drag racing and motocross are planned.
City planning
In the years directly after the independence of the country, city planning efforts were put on hold because of a lack of expertise and a limited budget available for renewal projects. However, due to the speedy growth of the city as well as the increased interest for tourism, foreign investment groups have developed plans independently.Airports
Maputo International AirportMaputo International Airport
Maputo International Airport , also known as Lourenço Marques Airport, is an airport located northwest of the center of Maputo, the largest city and capital of Mozambique. It is the largest airport in Mozambique, and hub for LAM Mozambique Airlines and Kaya Airlines...
is the main international airport of Mozambique. The new terminal was opened in 2010 with a capacity for 900,000 passengers per year. Work has begun on the construction of a new Domestic Terminal which will have a capacity for 580 passengers at any given time. The construction work will require the current building to be demolished.
Buses
Maputo's transportation needs are mainly served by minibus taxis called chapas, which are believed to transport the majority of the city's commuters. In an effort to resolve a public transport crisis in the city, the state-owned company, Transporte de Moçambique (TPM) has recently acquired a new fleet of 270+ buses. There are three major bus terminals in the city: at Baixa (downtown/central), Museu (Museum), and at Junta (regional and national buses).Ferries
Ferry boats departing from Maputo to the district of KaTembe are available during the week. A ferry can carry approximately 8 vehicles per trip.Trams
Maputo was home to one of the first tram systems in the world commencing in 1904. By comparison BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
had only begun its own limited tramway lines for the city of Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
in 1887. At first the lines ran from the Central Train Station (CFM) to the City Municipality building. It is said that the establishment of the tram system caused great social upheavals as certain classes were excluded from its use. Trams lost favor in the second half of the 20th century as cars and buses became more common. They have not been in use at all since 1975 although tracks can still be seen at the extremes of the city.
Ports
The main port of Maputo handled 17 million tons of cargo in 1971, at its peak. It was part of the trio of Mozambique's main ports for the Nacala-Beira-Maputo route. Today, it is managed by the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC), a joint venture of Grindrod and DP World. The government has allowed the firm to manage the port until 2030 in order to upgrade much of its infrastructure that has been destroyed after years of stagnation. In 2010, the dredging works in the channel were finished and the Port of Maputo can now handle larger vessels - such as the Panamax vessels - with more cargo. In addition, investments are being made for specific types of terminals such as:- Bulk liquids
- Granite
- Metals
- Coal
A new terminal for vehicles is also planned which will allow for 57,000 vehicles to be moved per year (Phase 1) with a peak 250,000 under an agreement with Höegh Autoliners as potential trans-shipment route between the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Coal will also be exported from the Matola
Matola
Matola is a city in southern Mozambique, which lies 12 kilometers to the west of the country's capital, Maputo. Matola is the capital of Maputo Province and has had its own elected municipal government since 1998. It has a port and also the biggest industrial area in Mozambique...
side at a rate of 10 million tons per year. It is envisaged that by 2020, the port will generate about USD 160 million per year. By 2030, the port will be able to handle up to 25 trains a day and 1,500 trucks for a total of 50 million tons of cargo per year. The total investment will exceed USD 500 million.
Other means
A recent introduction and an alternative are three-wheelers commonly known as tuk-tuks in some Asian countries. The three-wheeled bikes are cheaper to own and run and have posed a serious threat to motor vehicle taxis.Culture
Maputo is a melting pot of several cultures. The Bantu and Portuguese cultures dominate, but the influence of ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n, and Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
cultures is also felt. The cuisine is diverse, owing especially to the Portuguese and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
heritage, and seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
is also quite abundant.
Architecture
Maputo had always been the center of attention during its formative years and this strong artistic spirit was responsible for attracting some of the world's most forward architects at the turn of the 20th century. The city is home to masterpieces of building work by Gustav Eiffel, Pancho GuedesPancho Guedes
Pancho Guedes, often Amancio Guedes is a Portuguese architect, sculptor, and painter. An archetype Eclectic Modernist born in Lisbon, Portugal, he went to the Portuguese territory of Mozambique when he was 7 years old...
, Herbert Baker
Herbert Baker
Sir Herbert Baker was a British architect.Baker was the dominant force in South African architecture for two decades, 1892–1912....
and Thomas Honney amongst others. The earliest architectural efforts around the city focused on classical European designs such as the Central Train Station (CFM) designed by architects Alfredo Augusto Lisboa de Lima, Mario Veiga and Ferreira da Costa and built between 1913 and 1916 (sometimes mistaken with the work of Gustav Eiffel), and the Hotel Polana designed by Herbert Baker
Herbert Baker
Sir Herbert Baker was a British architect.Baker was the dominant force in South African architecture for two decades, 1892–1912....
.
As the 1960s and 1970s approached, Maputo was yet again at the center of a new wave of architectural influences made most popular by Pancho Guedes
Pancho Guedes
Pancho Guedes, often Amancio Guedes is a Portuguese architect, sculptor, and painter. An archetype Eclectic Modernist born in Lisbon, Portugal, he went to the Portuguese territory of Mozambique when he was 7 years old...
. The designs of the 60s and 70s were characterized by modernist movements of clean, straight and functional structures. However, prominent architects such as Pancho Guedes
Pancho Guedes
Pancho Guedes, often Amancio Guedes is a Portuguese architect, sculptor, and painter. An archetype Eclectic Modernist born in Lisbon, Portugal, he went to the Portuguese territory of Mozambique when he was 7 years old...
fused this with local art schemes giving the city's buildings a unique Mozambican theme. As a result most of the properties erected during the second construction boom take on these styling cues.
Film and cinema
Before television was introduced in 1981, film and cinema had a prominent position as a form of entertainment in the lives of Mozambicans especially in Maputo where there were no less than a dozen movie theaters by the time of independence. In the 1950s and 1960s, at the height of racial segregation, most of the movie-goers were either European whites or South Asians - each group having their own designated locale. Black Mozambicans, although more heavily discriminated against, also enjoyed movies in make-shift theatres (rooms that were temporarily converted to handle a projector, screen and chairs). Some of the cinemas can still be seen today, such as the Charlot, Gil Vicente, the Scala, 222 and the Dicca, although not all are functioning for their intended purpose.The movies screened at the theaters during Portuguese rule were heavily censored. Movies containing sex, violence and themes with a political nature were not allowed but despite the restrictions, it was the first time Mozambicans were able to enjoy entertainment that was for the most part in line with what was prevalent in the rest of the world, thereby greatly increasing cultural affinity. After 1975 and the ensuing mass exodus of European whites, for a time no censorship regulations were in place and Mozambicans could watch content that was previously banned by the dictatorship – at this time Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
and his films became immensely popular. However, once FRELIMO and the nationalist movement gained momentum, any external influence considered as originating from the "decadent West" was again not allowed. It was at this moment that Mozambique's ruling party FRELIMO realized the immediate potential films could have in delivering propaganda relatively easily.
For much of the late 1970s and 1980s, the local film industry was geared towards creating "home-made" productions depicting Socialist ideologies which placed great influence on the family unit, the non-commercialized production of agriculture and political autonomy. Maputo has been the setting for many Hollywood blockbuster movies such as The Interpreter
The Interpreter
The Interpreter is a 2005 political thriller film starring Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, and Catherine Keener. It was the final film to be directed by Sydney Pollack.-Plot:...
, Blood Diamond
Blood Diamond (film)
Blood Diamond is a 2006 political thriller film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou...
and Ali
Ali (film)
Ali is a 2001 American biographical film directed by Michael Mann. The film tells the story of boxing icon Muhammad Ali, played by Will Smith, from 1964 to 1974 featuring his capture as of the heavyweight title from Sonny Liston , his conversion to Islam, criticism of the Vietnam War, banishment...
.
Associação Núcleo de Arte
An important cultural and artists' centre in Maputo is the Associação Núcleo de Arte. It is the oldest collective of artists in Mozambique. Seated in an old villa in the centre of Maputo the Núcleo has played a significant role in metropolitan cultural life for decades. Over one hundred painters, sculptors and ceramists are member of the Núcleo, which regularly stages exhibitions on its own premises and over the last few years has actively participated in exchanges with artists from abroad. The Núcleo became well known for their project transforming arms into tools and objects of art. It played an important role for reconciliation after the Mozambican Civil WarMozambican Civil War
The Mozambican Civil War began in 1977, two years after the end of the war of independence. The ruling party, Front for Liberation of Mozambique , was violently opposed from 1977 by the Rhodesian- and South African-funded Mozambique Resistance Movement...
. The exhibition of art objects such as the Chair of the African King
Throne of Weapons
The Throne of Weapons is a sculpture created by Cristóvão Canhavato out of disused weapons. It has been owned by the British Museum since 2002...
and the Tree of Life was shown around the world, among others in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
in 2006.
Maputo is home to the Dockanema
Dockanema
DOCKANEMA is an annual international documentary film festival held in Maputo, Mozambique. The first edition was held September 2006, and included more than 70 films. The festival is produced by the Mozambican production company Ebano Multimedia, in association with AMOCINE...
Documentary Film Festival, and international festival showcasing documentary films from around the world.
Notable landmarks
- Fortress of Maputo
- Central Railway Station (CFM)
- Municipal Council of Maputo - inaugurated on the 1st of December 1947 and designed by Carlos César dos Santos after he won a tender several years earlier
- Cathedral of Maputo
- The Museum of Natural History
- Vila Algarve - The former location of Portuguese Secret Police (PIDE)
- Hotel Polana
- Tunduru Gardens
- The Lion That Laughs - designed by Pancho GuedesPancho GuedesPancho Guedes, often Amancio Guedes is a Portuguese architect, sculptor, and painter. An archetype Eclectic Modernist born in Lisbon, Portugal, he went to the Portuguese territory of Mozambique when he was 7 years old...
- Radio Moçambique
Parks & recreation
The city does not yet have a very expansive list of parks and other recreational areas. However, at the center of the city lies the Jardim Tunduru (Tunduru Gardens) which formerly assumed the title Jardim de Vasco Da GamaVasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
. It was designed in the 1880s by a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
architect, Thomas Honney. The entrance of the park is designed in the neo-Manueline
Manueline
The Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral...
style. After independence, the name was changed to the current one and a statue of the country's first president was erected.
Education
Maputo offers several options for education with pre-schools, primary, secondary schools and higher education institutions. The quality of the syllabus is said to differ greatly depending on whether an institution is private or public.Higher education
Mozambique's largest higher education institution is the Universidade Eduardo MondlaneUniversidade Eduardo Mondlane
The Eduardo Mondlane University is the oldest and largest university in Mozambique. The UEM is located in Maputo and has about 8,000 students.-History:...
which was established in 1968 as the Universidade de Lourenço Marques. Most of the universities faculties and departments are located in the city of Maputo with nearly 8,000 students attending 10 faculties. Some faculties also exist in Beira
Beira
Beira can refer to:*Beira , the mother to all the gods and goddesses in the Celtic mythology of Scotland*Beira, Azores, a small village on São Jorge Island....
, Quelimane
Quelimane
Quelimane is a seaport in Mozambique. It is the administrative capital of the Zambezia Province and the province's largest city, and stands 25 km from the mouth of the Rio dos Bons Sinais . The river was named when Vasco da Gama, on his way to India, reached it and saw "good signs" that he was on...
, Nampula and Inhambane
Inhambane
Inhambane, Terra de Boa Gente is a city located in southern Mozambique, lying on Inhambane Bay, 470 km northeast of Maputo. It is the capital of the Inhambane Province and according to the 2008 census has a population of 65,837, growing from the 1997 census of 54,157...
.
Since the 1990s there has also been a rapid growth of private education houses offering higher education such as Instituto Superior de Ciências e Tecnologias de Moçambique (ISCTEM) and Instituto Superior de Tecnologias e Gestão (ISTEG).
Secondary education
In the secondary education market, there is again a strong divergence between private and public schooling. Maputo's private schools include the Maputo International School, American International School of Maputo amongst others. Some expatriates have chosen to enroll their children in schools in NelspruitNelspruit
Nelspruit is a city of more than 500,000 people situated in northeastern South Africa. It is the capital of the Mpumalanga province . Located on the Crocodile River, Nelspruit lies about west of the Mozambique border and east of Johannesburg. The towns of Nelspruit are Kanyamazane and Pienaar...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Waterford Kamhlaba
Waterford Kamhlaba
Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa is one of thirteen international UWC schools and colleges and is located in Mbabane, Swaziland...
in Mbabane
Mbabane
-References:...
, Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
.
Health services
Maputo has several hospitals and clinics, including the city and country's largest hospital, the Hospital Central de Maputo (Maputo Central Hospital). Other hospitals include the public Hospital Geral José Macamo, and the private Clinica Sommerschield and the Clínica Cruz Azul in baixa.The construction of Hospital Miguel Bombarda began in 1900. In 1976, Samora Machel
Samora Machel
Samora Moisés Machel was a Mozambican military commander, revolutionary socialist leader and eventual President of Mozambique...
renamed the hospital as Hospital Central de Maputo (HCM). The hospital has 1500 beds for in-patients and has an estimated staff number of 3000. It is made of a multi-block structure with 35 separate buildings spanning an area of 163,800 m2. The hospital has six departments: Medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, Surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, Pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
, Orthopedics
Orthopedics
Orthopedics is the study of the musculoskeletal system. The Greek word 'ortho' means straight or correct and 'pedics' comes from the Greek 'pais' meaning children. For many centuries, orthopedists have been involved in the treatment of crippled children...
, Gynaecology
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
and Obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
. It also has divisions for Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
and Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology or ENT is the branch of medicine and surgery that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders....
and a morgue. The hospital provides services for an average 700 out-patients a day and over 1000 kilograms of washing is done daily. In the early 1990s, a section of the hospital was divided and turned into a private clinic offering higher quality services for those who could afford it called the Clínica Especial de Maputo. The residence for the head of medicine is on the corner of Avenida Eduardo Mondlane and Avenida Salavador Allende. It is a historically valuable structure which was completed in 1908 and has since the 1990s been converted into a charming restaurant with colonial themes called Restaurante 1908. The upper floors are still used by the hospital as offices.
Climate
Maputo features a tropical savanna climateTropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
that borders on a humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
. Maputo is a relatively dry city, averaging 761 mm of precipitation per year. The city has relatively short rainy season lasting from November through March. Maputo also features noticeably warmer and cooler seasons, with its warmest month (January) on average about 8 °C warmer than its coolest month (July).
Notable Previous & Current Residents
- Alexandre QuintanilhaAlexandre QuintanilhaAlexandre Tiedtke Quintanilha, GOSE is a Portuguese scientist, former director of the Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular of the University of Porto and Professor at ICBAS - Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences.-Biography:Alexandre Tiedtke Quintanilha, GOSE was born in Lourenço...
, scientist - EusébioEusébioEusébio da Silva Ferreira, GCIH, GCM , commonly known simply as Eusébio, is a retired Mozambican-born Portuguese football forward. He is considered one of the best footballers of all-time by the IFFHS, experts and fans...
, footballer - Carlos CardosoCarlos CardosoCarlos Cardoso was a Mozambican journalist. His murder in 2000 followed his newspaper's investigation into corruption in the privatisation of Mozambique's biggest bank.-Early life:...
, journalist - Teresa Heinz, philantropist
- MarizaMarizaMariza is the stage name of a popular fado singer. She was born Marisa dos Reis Nunes on 16 December 1973 in Lourenço Marques, Mozambique. At the time, Mozambique was known as the Portuguese Overseas Province of Mozambique....
, fado singer - NeymaNeymaNeyma Julio Alfredo is a Mozambican singer, born on 6 May 1979 in Maputo.-Biography:Neyma's passion for music began at a young age where she sang at various events in and around Maputo.-Career:...
, singer - Mia CoutoMia CoutoAntónio Emílio Leite Couto , better known as Mia Couto, is a world-renowned Mozambican writer.-Early years:Couto was born in the city of Beira, Mozambique’s second largest city, where he was also raised and schooled. He is the son of Portuguese emigrants who moved to the former Portuguese colony in...
, writer - Maria MutolaMaria MutolaMaria de Lurdes Mutola is a female athlete from Mozambique who has specialized in the 800 m. She was born in Maputo, earning her the suiting nickname of "The Maputo Express. She is the fourth track & field athlete to compete at six Olympic Games.-Teenage years:Mutola was born in the Chamanculo...
, runner - Al BowllyAl BowllyAlbert Allick Bowlly was a Southern-African singer, songwriter, composer and band leader, who became a popular Jazz crooner during the 1930s in the United Kingdom and later, in the United States of America. He recorded more than 1,000 records between 1927 and 1941...
, singer - Pancho GuedesPancho GuedesPancho Guedes, often Amancio Guedes is a Portuguese architect, sculptor, and painter. An archetype Eclectic Modernist born in Lisbon, Portugal, he went to the Portuguese territory of Mozambique when he was 7 years old...
, architect - Kok Nam, photojournalist
- Jose CraveirinhaJosé CraveirinhaJosé Craveirinha , was born in Maputo, Mozambique and is today considered the greatest poet of that country....
, poet - Ricardo RangelRicardo RangelRicardo Achiles Rangel was a Mozambican photojournalist and photographer.-Early life:Rangel was born in the city of Lourenço Marques, now known as Maputo, Portuguese East Africa in February 1924. His father was a Greek businessman and Rangel was of African, European and Chinese descent...
, photojournalist - Malangatana, artist
- Henning MankellHenning MankellHenning Mankell is a Swedish crime writer, children's author, leftist activist and dramatist, best known for a series of mystery novels starring his most famous creation, Inspector Kurt Wallander.-Life and career:...
, author, dramatist - Gonçalo Mabunda, artist, sculptor
See also
- Delagoa Bay
- Lourenço MarquesLourenço MarquesLourenço Marques was a 16th century Portuguese trader and explorer.-Biography:He explored the area that is now Maputo Bay in 1544. He settled permanently in present-day Mozambique, where he spent most of his life with his black wife and mixed-race children.By order of King John III the bay was...
- 2011 All-Africa Games2011 All-Africa GamesThe 10th All-Africa Games took place between September 3–18, 2011 in Maputo, Mozambique. Maputo's hosting marked only the third time the Games was held in the southern part of the continent.-Host awarding:...
- List of cities in Mozambique by Population