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Maputo

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: African Geography

   Maputo, Mozambique
   Skyline of Maputo, Mozambique

   Official flag of Maputo, Mozambique

                                      Official seal of Maputo, Mozambique
   Flag                               Seal
   Location in Mozambique
   Location in Mozambique
   {{{subdivision_type}}} {{{subdivision_name}}}
   Municipal Council President Eneas Comiche
   Area
    - City {{{area_total}}} km²
   Population
    - City (2004) 1,114,000
    - Metro 1,691,000

   Maputo is the capital of Mozambique. A port on the Indian Ocean, its
   economy is centered around the harbour. It has an official population
   of approximately 966,837 (1997), but the actual population is estimated
   to be much higher due to slums and other unofficial settlements. Coal,
   cotton, sugar, chrome, sisal, copra, and hardwood are the chief
   exports. The city manufactures cement, pottery, furniture, shoes, and
   rubber. There is also a large aluminium smelting plant, Mozal. The city
   is surrounded by Maputo Province, but is administered as its own
   province.

   Maputo is located on the west side of Maputo Bay, at the mouth of the
   Tembe River. The bay is 95 km (50 mi) long and 30 km (20 mi) wide. The
   Maputo River empties into the southern end of the bay.

   Founded in the late 18th century, the city was named for Lourenço
   Marques, the Portuguese trader who was the first European to explore
   the area in 1544. In 1895, construction of a railroad to Pretoria,
   South Africa caused the city's population to grow. In 1898, Lourenço
   Marques became the capital of Mozambique. During the Second Boer War,
   Winston Churchill, after being captured by the Boers, made a daring
   escape to Lourenço Marques by slipping past the sentries. After
   independence, the city's name was changed to Maputo. Maputo's name
   reputedly has its origin in an old, fierce tribal leader, Maputa, who
   once ruled over the region.

   Maputo holds the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique's first
   university. The city also has a museum of Mozambique history, a
   military museum, and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of
   Fatima.

   Maputo is a planned city with square blocks and wide avenues, with
   Portuguese traces and their typical architecture of the 70s. The
   Portuguese left in massive numbers at the end of the independence war
   in 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 the declaration of peace.
   Nevertheless, the city itself was never damaged, since it was tacitly
   considered neutral ground during both the colonial and the civil war.
   Recovery has always been very slow due to a lack of investement. In
   many cases new buildings are being erected for the rising middle class,
   rather than existing buildings being renovated, and many city services
   are still precarious.

   The Maputo beach has been spoiled by waste dumped into the bay, so not
   many people want to spend time on it. However, the sea condition seems
   to be improving, and hopefuly, if linked with proper sanitary measures,
   changes could be noticeable in the future.
   Avenida Central in colonial Lourenço Marques (now Maputo), c.1905
   Enlarge
   Avenida Central in colonial Lourenço Marques (now Maputo), c.1905

   Nowadays, Maputo is a melting pot of several cultures, with a strong
   South African influence. The Bantu and Portuguese cultures dominate,
   but the influence of Arab, East Indian, and Chinese cultures is also
   felt. The cuisine is very elaborate, due especially to the Portuguese
   and Muslim heritage. Sea food is also very abundant.
   Maputo harbour and city centre in 2006
   Enlarge
   Maputo harbour and city centre in 2006

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maputo"
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