What country is Harare in?
Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, is located in the north-east of the country. The modern, open city is located on a fertile plateau. Around the city stretches dry savannah. The notorious British adventurer Cecil Rhodes founded the city in 1890 and named it after the then British Prime Minister Salisbury. Names are more than just names. They tell a story and remind of significant ancestors. Therefore, after the end of the colonial era, the inhabitants of Harare reflectedon their famous leaders in history. Since the city was on the territory of the former Shona chief Ne-Harawa, they renamed Salisbury to Harare. The name in the Shona language means “one who does not sleep”.


The business and economic center
Today, the seat of government and the Parliament of Zimbabwe are located in the center. The city is the economic center and the financial center of the country. Modern high-rise buildings, banks, insurance companies, hotels and luxury shops characterise the city centre. In the south of the city, industrial enterprises gather, there are textile factories, car factories, beverage manufacturers, telecommunications companies and numerous workshops. The city has almost 1.6 million inhabitants. But there are probably twice as many people living in the slums all around.
Harare is the largest city in Zimbabwe and at the same time the capital. Here was the power center of Mugabe (president until 2017), as well as banks and embassies. Due to Harare’s geographically central location, the city is a wonderful base and starting point for Zimbabwe trips, because most of the roads lead from here to all regions of the country.
Construction of the city of Harare
The city location of Harare is laid out like a checkerboard: avenues run from east to west and streets from north to south. The extensions of the roads radiate out of the city into the nearby surrounding area and are called roads after the city center. The individual roads are in turn connected transversely to the so-called drives.
Why is Harare famous?
Is Zimbabwe in South Africa?
Which city is Harare?