Harare

Capital of Zimbabwe, in Mashonaland East Province, about 1,525 m/5,000 ft above sea level; population (2002 est) 1,444,500. It is the centre of a rich farming area producing tobacco and maize. The city's industries include flour-milling, textiles, electrical and mechanical engineering, motor assembly, railway rolling stock, chemicals, plastics, furniture, clothing, cigarettes, and metallurgical and food processing.

The British established a military post at the site in 1890 and named it Fort Salisbury in honour of Lord Salisbury, then prime minister of the UK. It was capital of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1953–63. The city became capital of the British colony of Southern Rhodesia in 1923 and retained the name Salisbury until it was renamed Harare after independence in 1980.

It is the major educational and cultural centre of Zimbabwe, with institutions which include the University of Zimbabwe (1955), the Gwebi College of Agriculture (1950), the Zimbabwe College of Music (1948), and the National Archives. Harare has an international airport, and is on

the main railway line that crosses the more densely settled areas of the country. It is 560 km/348 mi from Beira, Mozambique, the nearest port.