Maputo

Maputo is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is close to the southern end of the country, only 120 kilometres from the borders of Eswatini and South Africa. In 2017, over one million people lived in the city. Together with the nearby city of Matola, the Maputo area has more than two and a half million people.

The city is a busy port on a large natural bay of the Indian Ocean, where several rivers meet. Maputo has an interesting history. It started as a small fishing village of the Tsonga people. The Portuguese built a fort there in 1781, and the town grew around it. When Mozambique became independent in 1975, the city became the nation’s capital and was renamed Maputo.

Today, Maputo is known for its beautiful and varied architecture. The city has wide streets with trees and many cultural places, including Independence Square, City Hall, and the central market. Maputo’s port is very important for the country’s trade, handling exports like cotton, sugar, and hardwood. The city is also a place for learning, with several universities including Eduardo Mondlane University, the oldest in Mozambique.

History

Main article: History of Maputo

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Maputo.

Long ago, explorers from Portugal arrived near a big bay called Delagoa Bay, which is part of the Indian Ocean. They named the place after a Portuguese navigator, Lourenço Marques. The town began around 1850 and grew around a Portuguese fort built in 1787.

As time passed, the town became more important, especially when a railroad was built to Pretoria in South Africa. This helped the city grow. By the early 1900s, it was a busy city with many visitors and new people.

When Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975, the city's name was changed to Maputo. The new name came from the Maputo River, which was important during the fight for independence.

Geography

Maputo is located on the west side of Maputo Bay, near where four rivers—the Tembe, Umbeluzi, Matola, and Infulene—meet the sea. The bay is 95 kilometres (59 miles) long and 30 kilometres (19 miles) wide. At the far east end of the city and the bay is the island of Inhaca. The city covers 346 square kilometres (134 sq mi) and borders the city of Matola to the northeast and east, and several districts including Marracuene, Boane, and Matutuíne, all part of Maputo Province. Maputo is about 120 km (75 miles) from the border with South Africa and 80 km (50 miles) from the border with Eswatini.

Maputo has a tropical savanna climate, which means it is warm most of the year with a wet season in the summer and a dry season in the winter. The city gets about 829.6 mm (32.7 in) of rain each year. Temperatures average around 22.8 °C (73.0 °F) throughout the year, with the warmest month being January at about 26.8 °C (80.2 °F) and the coolest month being July at around 18.8 °C (65.8 °F).

Because of its location near the coast, Maputo can be affected by climate change such as cyclones and flooding from sea level rise. This, along with some economic challenges, makes future planning important.

Administrative subdivisions

Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, is divided into seven main parts. Each part has many smaller areas called bairros.

Infrastructure

The central area of Maputo is a planned city with square blocks and wide avenues. It shows Portuguese influences and architecture from the 1970s. After a big change in government in 1974, many people from Portugal moved to Maputo. This made it hard for the city, especially with wars and poor management. It took many years for the city to recover.

Today, Maputo is growing fast, with new buildings and businesses. But it still faces challenges, like poor roads and drainage, which make life hard for many people. The city is also worried about rising sea levels because it is near the coast.

PROMAPUTO

In 2007, Maputo started a project called PROMAPUTO to improve its infrastructure. This project worked with the World Bank to develop better planning and systems. The first phase ran from 2007 to 2010 and focused on getting ready for big changes. The second phase, from 2011 to 2015, spent more money on new technology and road improvements.

Building projects

Maputo is growing quickly, with big new buildings going up. These include a mixed-use building called Edificio 24, a tall office building called the Maputo Business Tower, and a large hotel by the beach. There are also plans for new buildings for businesses and communication services.

Rehabilitation projects

In 2011, the leader of Maputo announced plans to restore a historic building called Vila Algarve. The plan is to turn it into a museum for people who fought in an old war.

Sports facilities

Maputo hosted a big sports event in 2011. New places were built for sports, including a large stadium and a swimming pool. The city also has many other places for football and other sports. There is a big stadium in a nearby area that was used for important events.

Street names

After Mozambique became independent in 1975, the street names in Maputo were changed. The new names were chosen to honor people and places from countries that helped Mozambique.

Transport

Airports

Maputo International Airport is the main airport in Mozambique. A new international terminal opened in 2010, and a domestic terminal was finished in 2012.

Buses

Maputo's main way to get around is by small minibus taxis called chapas. The city’s transport system got help from a company that bought over 270 new buses. There are three big bus stops in the city: one in the downtown area, one near the Museum, and one for regional and national buses.

Ferries

Ferry boats leave Maputo for the KaTembe district during the week. Each ferry can take about 20 vehicles at a time.

Rails

Maputo is where three railway lines end: the Goba railway, the Limpopo railway, and the Pretoria–Maputo railway.

Trams

Maputo once had one of Africa’s first electric tram systems, starting in February 1904. The trams ran from the main train station to the city hall. Trams stopped running in 1936. You can still see parts of the old tram tracks in some places.

Ports

The main port of Maputo was very busy in 1971. It is now run by a company created by Grindrod and DP World. Work has been done to make the port better, and it can now welcome bigger ships. New projects include special areas for coal and containers.

A new area for vehicles was built to help move cars. Plans are for the port to bring in money each year.

Other means

A new way to travel in the city is with three-wheeled bikes called "tchopelas". These are cheaper than regular taxis and are becoming popular.

Architecture

Maputo has a rich history of architecture. In the early 1900s, famous architects came to the city and built beautiful buildings. Some of these buildings were made in a classic European style, like the Central Train Station and the Hotel Polana.

Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, new styles appeared. These styles were clean and simple, and some architects added local art to make the buildings special. Sadly, many old and important buildings have been torn down to make space for new apartments. This has made it hard to protect the city's history. Some trees that gave the city its character have also been removed.

Culture

Maputo is a place where many cultures come together. The main cultures are from the Bantu and Portuguese people, but you can also feel the influence of Arab, Indian, and Chinese cultures.

Before television, movies were popular in Maputo. There were many movie theaters where people watched films. Later, local movies focused on family, farming, and independence. Maputo has been a setting for famous movies like The Interpreter, Blood Diamond, and Ali.

One important cultural center in Maputo is the Associação Núcleo de Arte. It is the oldest group of artists in Mozambique and has helped many famous artists begin their careers. The Núcleo works with painters, sculptors, and ceramists and often holds art shows. Maputo also hosts the Dockanema Documentary Film Festival, where people can see documentaries from all over the world.

Maputo is well-known for its special wooden sculptures called "pshikelekedanas." These tiny carvings often show animals important to Mozambique, like hippos.

Landmarks

Maputo has many interesting buildings from when it was a Portuguese colony. These buildings were once used by leaders and are now important places in the city.

The city's famous landmarks include:

• Fortress of Maputo
• Maputo Railway Station
• Independence Square
• Maputo City Hall
• Samora Machel Statue
• The Museum of Natural History
• Vila Algarve – a place that was once used by Portuguese leaders
• Tunduru Gardens

Places of worship

Maputo has many places where people can worship. Most of these are Christian churches and temples, such as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Maputo, Reformed Church in Mozambique, Igreja Presbiteriana de Moçambique, Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, Assemblies of God, and Zion Christian Church. There are also Muslim mosques where people can pray.

Parks

Maputo does not have many parks yet, but it does have the Tunduru Gardens in the center of the city. It used to be called the Vasco Da Gama Garden. The park was designed by a British architect in the 1880s. The entrance has a special style called Neo-Manueline. After Mozambique became independent, the park was renamed, and a statue of the country’s first president was placed there.

Education

Maputo has many schools for children of all ages, from pre-schools to universities.

The biggest university in Mozambique is the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane. It started in 1968 and has many subjects to study. Almost 8,000 students go to school there in Maputo, with some classes in Beira, Quelimane, Nampula and Inhambane. Recently, many new private schools have opened for higher education too.

Maputo also has well-known private secondary schools, such as:

• Escola Portuguesa de Moçambique
• American International School of Mozambique
• The Aga Khan Academy, Maputo

Health services

Maputo has many hospitals and clinics. The largest is the Hospital Central de Maputo. It has many departments, such as Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Gynaecology, and Obstetrics. The hospital sees many patients each day. It also has special areas for eye care and ear, nose, and throat problems.

Notable people

Maputo is home to many talented people who have done great things in different areas. Some famous people from the city are:

• Al Bowlly, a singer
• Carlos Cardoso, a journalist
• Alberto Chissano, a sculptor
• Moreira Chonguica, a musician, composer, and social activist
• Gilles Cistac, a constitutional lawyer
• Mia Couto, a writer
• José Craveirinha, a poet
• Eusébio, a footballer
• Ruth First, a South African anti-apartheid activist
• Pancho Guedes, an architect
• Teresa Heinz, a philanthropist and political figure, widow of John Heinz and wife of American political figure John Kerry
• Josina Z. Machel, a women's rights activist
• Lucas Macie, a painter
• Malangatana, an artist
• Henning Mankell, an author and dramatist
• Mariza, a fado singer
• Mexer, a footballer
• Maria Mutola, a runner
• Neyma, a singer
• Lucrécia Paco, an actress
• Alexandre Quintanilha, a scientist
• Ricardo Rangel, a photojournalist
• Nelson Saúte, a writer and professor
• Laylizzy, a hip-hop recording artist, songwriter, and performer

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Mozambique

Maputo works with many cities around the world. Some of these cities are:

• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Ankara, Turkey
• Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Charles County, United States
• Chengdu, China
• Chennai, India
• Dili, East Timor
• Durban, South Africa
• Guarulhos, Brazil
• Harare, Zimbabwe
• Jakarta, Indonesia
• Lagos, Nigeria
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Luanda, Angola
• Mbabane, Eswatini
• Port Louis, Mauritius
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Shanghai, China

Cooperation agreements

Maputo also works with:

• Barcelona, Spain