Harare
Harare is the capital city of Zimbabwe and is located in the north-east of Zimbabwe. Originally known as Fort Salisbury after the then British Prime Minister, Harare gained city status in 1935 and today has a population of around 1.6 million comprising with 98% Africans,1% Asians and 1% whites. Salisbury was renamed Harare in 1982 to mark the second anniversary of the country's formally recognised independence from the UK. It has been suggested that the name Harare is derived from the African word 'Haarari' meaning 'he does not sleep', the slogan of an African chief who lived in the area to warn off those who might have considered attacking him and his people during the night.
Originally famous for its safety, today Harare has a somewhat dilapidated feel due to the economic woes of the country and crime is on the rise with tourists, such as there are, being strongly encouraged to traverse the sprawling city (which has many open spaces including the National Botanic Garden) by taxi or car only. Whilst the Zimbabwe economy has been ravaged by hyper inflation until recently, Harare has remained a trading centre for the manufacture of steel, textiles and chemicals as well as having a gold mining presence. After you've watch this video about Harare make a virtual landing at Harare International Airport here then check out our interactive map of Harare below and zoom in on areas of interest.
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