Beira

Beira is a port city in central Mozambique on the coast of the Mozambique Channel, where the Pungwe and Buzi rivers flow into the sea. The settlement stretches along the shoreline and forms a natural anchorage for vessels from the region and southern Africa.

The settlement began in 1887 as headquarters of the Mozambique Company, a trading firm with a royal charter. By 1942, the site had grown into an important administrative center under Portuguese colonial rule.

The Macuti lighthouse, built in 1904, stands at the end of a narrow sand spit and once guided ships entering the harbor. Local fishermen still use small wooden dhows along the waterfront, a sailing tradition connecting the city to centuries of Indian Ocean trade.

The harbor sits near the city center and is accessible through wide avenues left from the colonial street grid. The tropical climate brings hot temperatures year-round, with a rainy season from December to March.

Along the banks of the Pungwe lie old shipwrecks in different stages of decay, reminders of past storms and mishaps. The wrecks are visible from the shore and draw photographers who capture the rusting hulls in the river delta.

Location: Beira District

Inception: 1887

Elevation above the sea: 14 m

Website: http://municipiobeira.gov.mz

GPS coordinates: -19.82871,34.84178

Latest update: December 13, 2025 19:26