Harare

Also known as Salisbury, Rhodesia, Fort Salisbury, Salisbury, Zimbabwe

Harare ( ), formerly known as Salisbury, is the capital and largest city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of , a population of 1,849,600 as of the 2022 census, and an estimated 2,487,209 people in its metropolitan province. The city is situated in north-eastern Zimbabwe in the country's Mashonaland region. Harare Metropolitan Province incorporates the city and the municipalities of Chitungwiza, Epworth and Ruwa. The city sits on a plateau at an elevation of above sea level, and its climate falls into the subtropical highland category.

AI overview

Harare is the capital and largest city of Zimbabwe, located in the northeastern part of the country with a population of about 1.8 million people in the city proper and roughly 2.5 million in its greater metropolitan area. The city matters as Zimbabwe's political and economic center, situated on a high-altitude plateau in a subtropical highland climate region.

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Place details

Locality: Harare
Region: Harare Province
Country: Zimbabwe
Population: 1,542,813
Timezone

Travel guide

Understand

Harare is home to over two and a half million people, with most in central Harare but some 500,000 in the surrounding districts of Norton, Chintungwiza and Epworth. Though a city of modern buildings, wide thoroughfares, numerous parks and gardens, it suffered from increasing neglect thanks to Zimbabwe's economic crisis, however in the 2010s there has finally been some new investments in infrastructure. Despite this, Harare is still one of Africa's most pleasant cities to visit with plenty of attractions and friendly locals.

Get around

thumb|250x250px|Light aircraft at Chikwenya Camp near Mana Pools National Park. Harare is very spread out. The best option to get around is by car, which is easier now that dollarization has made fuel shortages a thing of the past. Fuel is readily available at most outlets for cash or through a coupon system. Most operators now import fuel by themselves and prices are independently set. Most service stations close in the evening, while some offer 24-hour service.

See

There is a strong appreciation for the city's cultural and historical heritage and a number of the older buildings have been preserved. The Mining Pension Fund Building at Central Avenue and Second Street is one example and many more are to be found along Robert Mugabe Road between Second Street and Julius Nyerere Way.

Buy

thumb|250px|Eastgate shopping mall

All purchases in larger stores are made with US dollars or the Zig which is the national currency.

Anything made locally is generally very affordable. Look for Zimbabwean goods as they tend to be of high quality. Everything that is imported is relatively expensive compared to other African countries, due to high import taxes and a lack of competition. Cans of Coca-cola typically cost $1, for example.

If you want to experience shopping the way it is traditionally done in many African countries, you could stroll around at the open flea-market at Mbare or the more upscale experience at Avondale market. Here tourists could feast their eyes on a colourful array of baskets, food, clothing and other items. Most locals prefer to do their shopping in shopping centres of which Borrowdale and Westgate are among the most prestigious.

ATMs give US dollars. The ATMs at Ecobank, Stanbic, Nedbank will accept international Visa or Mastercards.

~39 min read

Article

33 sections

Contents

History
Early colonial history
Post-war period
1960s and 1970s
Post-independence years
Economic difficulties and hyperinflation (1999–2008)
Operation Murambatsvina
Economic uncertainty
Contemporary Harare
Demographics
Geography
Topography
Suburbs
Climate
Economy
Shopping and retail
Transportation
Education
Sports
Popular teams
Media
Television and radio
Notable institutions
Culture
Green spaces
Places of worship
Sister cities
Gallery
Notable
See also
References
Bibliography
External links

The city was founded in 1890 by the Pioneer Column, a small military force of the British South Africa Company, and was named Fort Salisbury after the British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. Company administrators demarcated the city and ran it until Southern Rhodesia achieved responsible government in 1923. Salisbury was thereafter the seat of the Southern Rhodesian (later Rhodesian) government and, between 1953 and 1963, the capital of the Central African Federation. It retained the name Salisbury until 1982 when it was renamed Harare on the second anniversary of Zimbabwe's independence from the United Kingdom. The national parliament moved out of Harare upon completion of the New Parliament Building in Mount Hampden in April 2022.