Harare:
Known
in its glory days as “the sunshine city”, Harare is
the capital city of Zimbabwe and the largest urban centre in the
country. Harare has an estimated population of about 1.2 million
people. The general standards of living in the city have sadly
dropped significantly over the last decade and basic services such
as garbage collection, roads and street lighting.
The city’s
slum inhabitants bore the brunt of a government program implemented
in 2005. The program involved the destruction of slums and shanty
towns in the city and the forced relocation of their residents.
This move drew widespread criticism from the International Community.
Harare was established in 1890 as a military outpost. It was
known as Salisbury and became the capital of the Rhodesian
colony. Zimbabwe attained its independence on the 18th of April
1980
and two years later, the city’s name was changed from
Salisbury to Harare.
Harare is home to the University of Zimbabwe; the largest institute
of higher learning in the country, situated in the suburb of
Mt. Pleasant. The city is also home to the Harare International
Airport which is the key airport in the country. Harare is one
of the most entertaining cities in Zimbabwe. Here you will find
a variety of interesting places to visit such as the Mbare Market,
Borrowdale Park for horse racing, restaurants, pubs, nightclubs,
movie theaters and galleries. The city is also home to a number
of good hotels.
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