Maputo, Port city on Delagoa Bay, Mozambique
Maputo is a port city on Delagoa Bay in southern Mozambique, stretching along the northern shore of the Espírito Santo Estuary near the Indian Ocean. The city spreads across gentle hills rising from the water, linking neighborhoods with wide avenues lined with flame trees.
A Portuguese fort built in 1787 formed the core of the settlement, which in 1907 replaced the town of Moçambique as the capital of Portuguese East Africa. After independence in 1975, the name changed from Lourenço Marques to Maputo and the city remained the seat of government for the new country.
The name comes from the local language and refers to a river south of the bay. In the streets, wooden market stalls stand beside modern shopping centers, while along the waterfront fishermen lay their nets using traditional methods each morning.
The port district lies close to the center and can be explored on foot, while hills to the north require more effort. Minibuses connect all parts of the city and run regularly along main routes during the day.
The inland railway line dates from the late 19th century and crosses a bridge once designed by a French engineer. In some older neighborhoods, cast-iron balconies with floral patterns still stand, echoing European models of that era.
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