Maputo

Maputo is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It lies near the southern end of the country, just 120 kilometres from the borders of Eswatini and South Africa. As of 2017, the city had a population of over one million people, and together with the nearby city of Matola, the Maputo metropolitan area is home to 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 a rich history, beginning 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 gained independence in 1975, the city became the nation’s capital and was renamed Maputo.

Today, Maputo is known for its beautiful and varied architecture, mixing old Portuguese colonial styles with modern designs. The city has wide streets lined with trees and many cultural attractions, 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 center of 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, because he helped discover the area. The town began around 1850, growing 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 and become busier. By the early 1900s, it was a lively city with many people from different places visiting and living there.

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 found on the west side of Maputo Bay, close to where four rivers—the Tembe, Umbeluzi, Matola, and Infulene—flow into the water. The bay stretches 95 kilometres (59 miles) in length and 30 kilometres (19 miles) in width. At the far east end of the city and the bay lies the island of Inhaca. The city covers an area of 346 square kilometres (134 sq mi) and shares borders with the city of Matola to the northeast and east, and with 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 receives 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 is vulnerable to effects of climate change such as cyclones and flooding from sea level rise. This, combined with economic challenges in some areas of the city, makes it important to plan for the future.

Administrative subdivisions

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

Infrastructure

The central area of Maputo is a planned city with square blocks and wide avenues, showing 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, and 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. This building used to belong to a group that controlled the country during colonial times. 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, including when the country became independent.

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, and to remove names from the colonial past.

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 recently got help from a state-owned 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 became less popular when cars and buses started to grow in number, and they stopped running altogether in 1936. You can still see parts of the old tram tracks sticking up from the road in some places.

Ports

The main port of Maputo was very busy in 1971, handling 17 million tons of goods. 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 over 50,000 cars a year. Plans are for the port to bring in about US$160 million each year by 2020. By 2030, the port aims to handle up to 25 trains and 1,500 trucks every day.

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 created beautiful buildings. Some of these buildings were designed 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, but 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. Even some trees that gave the city its character have 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 a big part of life in Maputo. There were many movie theaters, and people of different backgrounds watched films in their own special places. Later, local movies focused on ideas about 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. It is also known for turning old weapons into art pieces, which helped bring peace after a war. The Núcleo’s art has traveled the world, even being shown in the British Museum in 2006. 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, made with a small knife, 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, Convenção Baptista 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 and was designed by a British architect in the 1880s. The entrance to the park 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 quality can vary depending on whether the school is run by the government or private groups.

The biggest university in Mozambique is the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, which started in 1968. It has many different subjects to study and almost 8,000 students in Maputo, with some classes also in Beira, Quelimane, Nampula and Inhambane. In recent years, many new private schools have opened to offer 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, which has 1,500 beds and around 3,000 staff. It has many departments, such as Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Gynaecology, and Obstetrics. The hospital sees about 700 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 individuals who have made their mark in different fields. Some well-known people from the city include:

• 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 is twinned with many cities around the world, including:

• 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 has a cooperation agreement with:

• Barcelona, Spain