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Mutare (formerly Umtali) is the most populous city in the province of
Manicaland Manicaland is a Provinces of Zimbabwe, province in eastern Zimbabwe. After Harare Province, it is the country's second-most populous province, with a population of 2.037 million, as of the 2012 Zimbabwe census, 2022 census. After Harare and Bulawa ...
, and the third most populous city in
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
, having surpassed
Gweru Gweru is a city in central Zimbabwe. Near the geographical centre of the country. It is on the centre of Midlands Province. Originally an area known to the Northern Ndebele people, Ndebele as "The Steep Place" because of the Gweru River's high ...
in the 2012 census, with an
urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...
population of 224,802 and approximately 260,567 in the surrounding districts giving the wider
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
a total population of over 500,000 people.http://www.zimstat.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/publications/Population/population/census-2012-national-report.pdf Mutare is also the capital of
Manicaland Manicaland is a Provinces of Zimbabwe, province in eastern Zimbabwe. After Harare Province, it is the country's second-most populous province, with a population of 2.037 million, as of the 2012 Zimbabwe census, 2022 census. After Harare and Bulawa ...
province and the largest city in Eastern Zimbabwe. Located near the border with
Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
, Mutare has long been a centre of trade and a key terminus en route to the
port of Beira The Port of Beira is a Mozambican port located in the city of Beira, capital of the Sofala Province. It is located in Sofala Bay, which forms a huge complex with the mouth of the Pungoe River, known as the Beira estuary, facing the Mozambique Ch ...
(in
Beira, Mozambique Beira is the capital and largest city of Sofala Province, where the Pungwe River meets the Indian Ocean, in the central region of Mozambique. It is the fourth-largest city by population in Mozambique, after Maputo, Matola and Nampula. Beira had a ...
). Mutare is hub for trade with
railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
links,
pipeline transport Pipeline transport is the long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas through a system of pipes—a pipeline—typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than of pipeline in 120 countr ...
and highways linking the coast with
Harare Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...
and the interior. Other traditional industries include
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
, papermaking, commerce, food processing, telecommunications, and transportation. In addition the city serves as a gateway to the scenic
Eastern Highlands :''"Eastern Highlands" also refers to Eastern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea, and part of the Great Dividing Range, Australia.'' The Eastern Highlands, also known as the Manica Highlands, is a mountain range on the border of Zimbabwe ...
, nearby
Gorongosa National Park Gorongosa National Park is at the southern end of the Great African Rift Valley in the heart of central Mozambique, Southeast Africa. The more than park comprises the valley floor and parts of surrounding plateaus. Rivers originating on nearby M ...
and the Mozambique coast.https://www.haarlem-mutare.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/AGENDA-SETTING-RESEARCH-ON-CLIMATE-REFUGEES-IN-MUTARE-Final-1.pdf


History

Although the city was founded in the late nineteenth century, the region has a long history of trading caravans passing through on the way to the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
, from ports such as
Sofala Sofala, at present known as Nova Sofala, used to be the chief seaport of the Mwenemutapa Kingdom, whose capital was at Mount Fura. It is located on the Sofala Bank in Sofala Province of Mozambique. It was founded by Somali merchants. This name wa ...
, to inland settlements, such as
Great Zimbabwe Great Zimbabwe is a medieval city in the south-eastern hills of Zimbabwe near Lake Mutirikwi and the town of Masvingo. It is thought to have been the capital of a great kingdom during the country's Late Iron Age about which little is known. Con ...
. Zimbabwe is also renowned for its soapstone carvings and figurines which are evidence of these trade routes, dating as far back as the late
African Iron Age The topic of early iron-metallurgy in Africa encompasses both studies of the technology and archaeology of indigenous iron-production. Some recent studies date the inception of iron metallurgy in Africa between 3000 and 2500 BCE. Evidence exi ...
(c. 900 AD) right up to the colonial period. A large hoard of soapstone carvings, jewellery, weapons, sherds and other objects were found in the vicinity of Mutare by the British archaeologist E M Andrews at the beginning of the twentieth century - they were later donated by the trustees of
Cecil Rhodes Cecil John Rhodes (5 July 1853 – 26 March 1902) was a British mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896. An ardent believer in British imperialism, Rhodes and his Br ...
to the
British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...
in 1905. The soapstone figures, which are both
anthropomorphic Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
and
zoomorphic The word ''zoomorphism'' derives from the Greek ζωον (''zōon''), meaning "animal", and μορφη (''morphē''), meaning "shape" or "form". In the context of art, zoomorphism could describe art that imagines humans as non-human animals. It c ...
, might have been part of a
votive offering A votive offering or votive deposit is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally ...
, as they were discovered near what appeared to be an altar. Mutare was founded in 1897 as a fort, about 8 km from the border with
Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
, and is just 290 km from the Mozambican port of Beira, earning Mutare the title of "Zimbabwe's Gateway to the Sea". It is sometimes also called "Gateway to the Eastern Highlands". Many Zimbabwean locals refer to it as 'Kumakomoyo' (place of many mountains). There is a border railway station on the railway line from Bulawayo to Beira with a railways mechanical workshop. The area was the site of Chief Mutasa's
kraal Kraal (also spelled ''craal'' or ''kraul'') is an Afrikaans and Dutch word, also used in South African English, for an enclosure for cattle or other livestock, located within a Southern African settlement or village surrounded by a fence of th ...
. In 1890 A. R. Coquhoun was given concessionary rights and Fort Umtali (the fort later became Mutare) was established between the Tsambe and Mutare Rivers. The word ''mutare'' originates from the word 'Utare' meaning iron (or possibly meaning gold). The name was probably given to the river as a result of gold being discovered in the
Penhalonga Penhalonga is mining village in Mutasa District of Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe, located 18 km north of Mutare in a valley where the Tsambe and Imbeza Rivers meet the Mutare River. According to the 1982 Population Census, the village had ...
valley through which the Mutare River runs. In 1891 the location was moved to a site now known as Old Mutare, about 14 km north of the city centre. In 1896 the construction of the railway between Beira and
Bulawayo Bulawayo (, ; Ndebele: ''Bulawayo'') is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and the largest city in the country's Matabeleland region. The city's population is disputed; the 2022 census listed it at 665,940, while the Bulawayo City Council cl ...
led to the town being moved a third time so that it was closer to the railway line – compensation was paid by the
British South Africa Company The British South Africa Company (BSAC or BSACo) was chartered in 1889 following the amalgamation of Cecil Rhodes' Central Search Association and the London-based Exploring Company Ltd, which had originally competed to capitalize on the expecte ...
to the townspeople for the cost of moving. The town was proclaimed a municipality on 11 June 1914 and in 1971 it was granted city status. The name was officially changed from Umtali to Mutare in 1982. The white population in Umtali dropped from 9,950 in 1969 to 8,600 in June 1978. The city had a tramway from January 26, 1897 to May 23, 1921 which transported passengers from the Railway station up to the (then Umtali Club) now Mutare Club. The Tramway was at the centre of Main Street where the palm trees now stand. There were plans to set up a Stock Exchange in Umtali. The main post office was at the site where CABS centre now stands.


Climate

Despite its subtropical location, the city has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, of the highland variety moderated by its altitude. The average annual temperature is 19 °C, surprisingly low for its moderate altitude (about the same as
Harare Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...
which is 360 metres higher.) This is due to its sheltered position against the mountain ridge of Cecil Kop which encourages cool breezes from lower altitude to the east and south. The coldest month is July (minimum 6 °C and maximum 20 °C) and the hottest month is October (minimum 16 °C and maximum 32 °C). The annual rainfall is 818 mm. Rain falls mostly in the months December to February although heavy showers are possible before and after this period. The wettest month on record was January 1926 which received 580 mm while January 1991 received only 24 mm. The city's climate is also influenced by its proximity to the ocean, compared to other Zimbabwean cities. This leads to warm to hot summers and mild winters. Winter is not particularly frosty with cool mornings often followed by mild sunny weather. Spring can feature "four seasons in a day" weather, but from March to June it is generally settled and mild. Temperatures during summer can reach 30 °C (86 °F). Due to its maritime influence, Mutare's
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
climate stands out considering its latitude.
Prevailing winds In meteorology, prevailing wind in a region of the Earth's surface is a surface wind that blows predominantly from a particular direction. The dominant winds are the trends in direction of wind with the highest speed over a particular point on ...
in the city are mainly a cool, moist southeasterly and during late spring and winter alternating with subtropical winds from the north in summer.


Location

The town lies north of the
Bvumba Mountains The Bvumba Mountains or Vumba Mountains straddle the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border, and are situated some 10 km south east of Mutare. The Bvumba rise to Castle Beacon at 1,911 metres, and are, together with the Chimanimani Mountains to the south ...
and south of the Imbeza Valley. Christmas Pass is a mountain pass that leads into the city from the west. The pass was so named by some of the colonial pioneers who camped at the foot of the pass on Christmas Day 1890. Mutare is home to several tourist attractions such as, the Mutare Museum, the Utopia House Museum dedicated to
Kingsley Fairbridge Kingsley Ogilvie Fairbridge (5 May 1885 – 19 July 1924) was the founder of a child migration, child emigration scheme from Britain to British Empire, its colonies and the Fairbridge Schools. His life work was the founding of the "Society for t ...
, the
National Gallery of Zimbabwe The National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) is a gallery in Harare, Zimbabwe, dedicated to the presentation and conservation of Zimbabwe's contemporary art and visual heritage. The original National Gallery of Rhodesia was designed and directed by ...
, Murahwa Hill, known for its
rock painting In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also ...
s and
Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
village, Cross Kopje with a memorial to Zimbabweans and Mozambicans killed in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and a
nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...
Cecil Kopje and Tigers Kloof. The Mutare Boys' High Chapel was constructed in honour of former Old boys who perished in World War II, situated on a hilly knoll at Mutare Boys High (then Umtali Boys High). Mutare is served by rail with daily passenger and freight links to Nyazura,
Rusape Rusape is a town in Zimbabwe. Location It is located in Makoni District in Manicaland Province, in northeastern Zimbabwe. It lies approximately , by road, southeast of Harare, the capital and the largest city in Zimbabwe. Rusape is situated on ...
and
Harare Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...
. There are three small aerodromes; the smallest is at Mutare Provincial Hospital, a very small light aircraft strip for emergency evacuation (now defunct),a light plane aerodrome in Sakubva near Mutare Teachers College, and the Grand Reef Airport just outside the city at Irene. There is yet a fourth airport which was constructed in Chiadzwa to carry diamonds for processing in Harare.


Demographics

In 1965, Mutare had a population of 46,000. The racial makeup was split between 36,100 black Africans, 560 Asians, 340
Coloureds Coloureds ( af, Kleurlinge or , ) refers to members of multiracial ethnic communities in Southern Africa who may have ancestry from more than one of the various populations inhabiting the region, including African, European, and Asian. South ...
, and 9,100
whites White is a racialized classification of people and a skin color specifier, generally used for people of European origin, although the definition can vary depending on context, nationality, and point of view. Description of populations as " ...
. The population is predominantly
Shona Shona often refers to: * Shona people, a Southern African people * Shona language, a Bantu language spoken by Shona people today Shona may also refer to: * ''Shona'' (album), 1994 album by New Zealand singer Shona Laing * Shona (given name) * S ...
, the majority of them speaking the Manyika dialect. Manyika people are locally known as Samanyika. According to the 2012 census data, Mutare has a population of 260,567. This marks a rapid increase from a population of 69,621 in 1982 and 131,367 in 1992.


Cityscape

Mutare, like most cities in Zimbabwe, classifies residential suburbs according to population density, Low density, Medium density and High density. In the past, as was done across
Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...
during the colonial period, people were segregated to suburbs according to their racial ethnicity. Whites inhabited the Eastern upmarket suburbs the low-density suburbs, with
Coloured people Coloureds ( af, Kleurlinge or , ) refers to members of multiracial ethnic communities in Southern Africa who may have ancestry from more than one of the various populations inhabiting the region, including African, European, and Asian. South ...
(mixed race) living in suburbs like Florida and black Africans being segregated to the townships of Sakubva and Dangamvura. The most upscale suburbs (low-density suburbs) such as Murambi, Fairbridge Park, Morningside, Tiger's Kloof and the Avenues are located on the north and east ends of the city. The suburb of Avenues is found just east of the city centre on the way to Tiger's Kloof and Murambi, bordering Morningside. East of the CBD is the suburbs of Palmerstone, Darlington, Greenside and Bordervale, which are all near the border with Mozambique. In the west are the medium-density (i.e. middle class) suburbs of
Yeovil Yeovil ( ) is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the district of South Somerset, England. The population of Yeovil at the last census (2011) was 45,784. More recent estimates show a population of 48,564. It is close to Somer ...
(the majority of street names are named after English counties e.g.
Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...
Gardens,
Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
,
Devonshire Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is a ...
), Westlea (the majority all streets in Westlea are named after
Australasia Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologica ...
n cities, (e.g.
Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
,
Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
,
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
,
Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
and
Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
) and Florida (the streets in Florida have English Kings' names, e.g.
Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
,
Alfred Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...
,
Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...
,
George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...
), as well as the high-density suburb of Chikanga, which was constructed in phases, beginning in the late eighties. Further west of Chikanga lies Garikai, Bernwin and Hobhouse. South of the railway tracks, is the working class suburb of
Sakubva Sakubva township is a high-density suburb of the city of Mutare, Zimbabwe, which contains nearly a quarter of the population of Mutare despite an area of less than four square miles. It was the first high-density suburb (township) being establi ...
, which contains nearly half of the city's population despite an area of less than four square miles.
Sakubva Sakubva township is a high-density suburb of the city of Mutare, Zimbabwe, which contains nearly a quarter of the population of Mutare despite an area of less than four square miles. It was the first high-density suburb (township) being establi ...
is considered to be the poorest of Mutare's suburbs, and its economy is centred around a large outdoor food and flea market and the "Musika weHuku" (The Chicken Market). The market has been recently razed in the recent exercise to clean up the city and in light of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
and moved elsewhere. South of the city, hidden from view from the rest of the city by a series of hills, is the high-density suburb of Dangamvura. The affluent areas of Weirmouth (Plots) and Fern Valley are also on the southern outskirts of the city; in these areas, residential lots exceed an acre, and market gardening is an economic activity. Nearby Fern Valley, is home to the new state
university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
, the Manicaland College of Applied Sciences. To the south east, in the mountains from the Prince of Wales viewpoint (with views of Mozambique below), lies the scenic
Vumba The Bvumba Mountains or Vumba Mountains straddle the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border, and are situated some 10 km south east of Mutare. The Bvumba rise to Castle Beacon at 1,911 metres, and are, together with the Chimanimani Mountains to the sou ...
Mountain range, an area of immense great natural beauty and temperate climate, and home to an indigenous
afromontane The Afromontane regions are subregions of the Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions ...
forests, exotic trees, such as pine and oak and the upscale, Leopard Rock Hotel, as well as resort areas for
horse riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, Driving (horse), driving, and Equestrian vaulting, vaulting ...
,
kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...
,
mountain climbing Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, a ...
mountain trails, a food processing plant and large plantations of pine and wattle forests. Further south along the road to
Masvingo Masvingo is a city in south-eastern Zimbabwe and the capital of Masvingo Province. The city is situated close to Great Zimbabwe, the national monument from which the country takes its name and close to Lake Mutirikwi, its recreational park, th ...
, beyond the city limits is the high-density town of Zimunya. Mutare's main industrial areas lie south of the railway and west of
Sakubva Sakubva township is a high-density suburb of the city of Mutare, Zimbabwe, which contains nearly a quarter of the population of Mutare despite an area of less than four square miles. It was the first high-density suburb (township) being establi ...
, although there is some light industry just east of the southern part of the city centre at "Greenmarket" and surrounding areas. These are some of the major suburbs of Mutare.


Infrastructure

The city has one of the most important railway stations on the
Beira–Bulawayo railway Beira-Bulawayo railway, also called Machipanda railway, Beira-Harare-Bulawayo railway and Beira railway, is a railway that connects the city of Beira, Mozambique, to the city of Bulawayo, in Zimbabwe. It is 850 km long, in a 1067 mm gauge.
. Mutare is generally a clean town with the city council collecting rubbish daily, most of the roads in the older parts of the city are paved (or were paved before), however, due to years of neglect and mismanagement and corruption, public infrastructure is in shambles with roads and street lighting in a critical state, there is a main park in the city just before the cricket grounds that is also underutilised and not in good shape. A game park called the Cecil Kop is located in Tigers Kloof and also lacks proper management. most of the buildings in the city are low-rise buildings with the tallest being 8 floors high. however, the city has a pleasant ambience. there are generally no sidewalks on all roads outside the city centre and the downtown area seems more dilapidated and neglected. The post-independent city council does not seem to have strict building codes for new office and commercial buildings in the city centre which would allow for the expansion of high and modern architecture for a growing city that aims to match global standards. Mutareans, like most of zimbabweans, prefer to live in houses made of brick, usually brick under tile or asbestos. there are no shanty towns, shacks or squatter camps in Mutare as they are illegal and residents could face penalties or demolition for not building houses to code. however, as the city expands and develops, the town planners have not considered playgrounds for children, street naming, pedestrian pavements, cycle tracks, proper drainage and flora (tree-lined streets) in their planning of new suburbs generally resulting in unpleasant-looking narrow neighbourhood streets. Mutare has a lot of shops for groceries and hardware. There are high quality furniture shops. There are generally shopping centers in all suburbs with a big shopping mall in Dangamvura.there are clinics in all suburbs as well as a main General Hospital and infectious diseases hospital. Maternity hospitals are also available in the city. The city generally has very good infrastructure that may need a bit of working on.


Transportation

Mutare is well connected by several roads which are asphalted and decent but potholes are increasingly common. The A3 motorway leads inland towards Harare and also passes through
Rusape Rusape is a town in Zimbabwe. Location It is located in Makoni District in Manicaland Province, in northeastern Zimbabwe. It lies approximately , by road, southeast of Harare, the capital and the largest city in Zimbabwe. Rusape is situated on ...
and
Marondera Marondera (known as Marandellas until 1982) is a city in Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe, located about 72 km east of Harare. History It was first known as Marandella's Kraal, corrupted from Marondera, chief of the ruling VaRozvi people who ...
, while the A9 turns southward into the southern
Eastern Highlands :''"Eastern Highlands" also refers to Eastern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea, and part of the Great Dividing Range, Australia.'' The Eastern Highlands, also known as the Manica Highlands, is a mountain range on the border of Zimbabwe ...
and Chimanimani. To the east is EN9 which connects Mutare to
Chimoio Chimoio is the capital of Manica Province in Mozambique. It is the fifth-largest city in Mozambique. Chimoio's name under Portuguese administration was ''Vila Pery''. Vila Pery developed under Portuguese rule as an important agricultural and tex ...
and with the coastal city of Beira. Traffic is often heavy since this is one of Zimbabwe's main routes to the sea. There is also a lot of cross-border traffic with people visiting the nearby cities of Manica and Chimoio. Commuter buses are a popular way of travelling for traffic across the border and from outlying villages. Higher quality intercity buses are also available to both Harare and
Beira, Mozambique Beira is the capital and largest city of Sofala Province, where the Pungwe River meets the Indian Ocean, in the central region of Mozambique. It is the fourth-largest city by population in Mozambique, after Maputo, Matola and Nampula. Beira had a ...
. Mutare is served by a small airport that is largely geared toward small aircraft and chartered flights. The nearest international gateway is in,
Harare Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...
some 214 km (133 mi) west.there is the Aerodrome close to sakubva and the Grand Reef Airport in Irene just a short distance outside the city. The National Railways of Zimbabwe serves Mutare with overnight train service from Harare three times a week, leaving Harare at 9:30PM on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving early the next morning at dawn. There are no cross-border rail services from Mozambique, which are limited to freight. The Mutare railway station is just southwest of the city centre.


Economy

The main activities of the area are
farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
farming- forestry, dairy, horticulture, mining, manufacturing, services - the city's name Mutare is derived from "metal" Utare possibly gold which used to be smelted by the indigenous population for centuries - and forestry. Two of the largest food producers in Zimbabwe, Cairns Foods and Tanganda Tea, operate in Mutare. Mining includes gold at Redwing Mine,
Penhalonga Penhalonga is mining village in Mutasa District of Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe, located 18 km north of Mutare in a valley where the Tsambe and Imbeza Rivers meet the Mutare River. According to the 1982 Population Census, the village had ...
and some smaller mines, diamonds in
Marange The Marange diamond fields are an area of widespread small-scale diamond production in Chiadzwa, Mutare District, Zimbabwe. 'Although estimates of the reserves contained in this area vary wildly, some have suggested that it could be home to one ...
and gravel quarries around the city. There are a number of forestry companies including The Wattle Company, Allied Timbers, formerly FCZ, Border Timbers and Timcon Investments. The main timber products include rough sawn timber, wattle bark, charcoal, various doors and frames and mouldings. The major timber produced is
pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
, sydney blue gum,
black wattle Black wattle is the common name for a number of species of trees that are native to Australia, as listed below: *''Acacia aulacocarpa'' *''Acacia auriculiformis'', also known as Darwin Black Wattle or northern black wattle; *''Acacia concurrens ...
, and some
hardwood Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...
s on a smaller scale. The railway is linked to Mocambique and is Zimbabwes gateway to the sea. The rail system however requires revamping and also including flyovers tunnels and or underpasses to avoid interaction with road traffic. Mutare has numerous hotels including Holiday Inn, Golden Peacock, Mountview, Eastgate and numerous lodges. There are a number of new manufacturing companies such as Willowton which manufactures edible oils, margarines, soaps and also Mega Market a major distributor of rice, spaghetti, various sauces salt, beans and numerous consumer goods. Mutare has a vehicle assembly Quest which assembles Buses Trucks and other vehicles. There are also numerous retail outlets, stationery shops, fuel service stations, computer equipment sellers eg EMachines, Mutare Computers. There are a number of freight companies eg Tinmac, EMaster, Mantray, Augastalane Freight,Madziro, Tisu Anhu Acho among others Banks in Mutare include Stanbic Bank a member of Standard Bank group,CBZ, Nedbank, MBCA, Agribank, POSB, Cabs, Ecobank, BancABC, FBC, First Capital formerly Barclays. Standard Chartered has closed shop in Mutare Civic Center is the Mutare city council headquarters. It issues licenses eg shop licences, parking licenses, dog licensing, housing, industry planning certification online and other local authority by law certifications. Mutare has a small aerodrome that services small aircraft, helicopters. The city is in dire need of a proper airport for meaningful tourism to occur. There is also need for improved road networks, shopping mall/s and improved social amenities


Education

Mutare is home to schools and tertiary institutions :


Primary education

* Baring Primary School * Chancellor Junior School * Chikanga Primary School * Cross Kopje Junior School * Chirovakamwe * Dangamvura Primary School * Hillcrest Preparatory School (Private school) * Mutanda Primary School * Mutare Junior School * New Dangare Primary School * Rujeko Primary School * Sakubva Primary School * Rock of Ages Private Junior School * Murahwa Hill Primary School * St Joseph's Primary School * Sheni Primary School * Zamba Primary School * Zimunya Primary School * Sacred Heart Primary School * Chisamba Primary School * Matika Primary School * Joshua Dhube Primary School * Zhawari Primary School * Dangare primary School * Mutukwa primary School * Hartzell Central Primary School * Elim Primary School Penhalonga * Imbeza Primary School


Secondary education

* Hartzell High School * Chikanga Secondary School * Dangamvura High School * Elise Gledhill High School *
Hillcrest College , established = 1985 , oversight = Hillcrest Schools (Pvt) Ltd , headmaster = Orlando Fernandez , grades_label = Forms , grades = 1–4, Sixth Form , gender ...
(private school) *
Mutare Boys' High School Mutare (formerly Umtali) is the most populous city in the province of Manicaland, and the third most populous city in Zimbabwe, having surpassed Gweru in the 2012 census, with an urban population of 224,802 and approximately 260,567 in the sur ...
*
Mutare Girls' High School Mutare (formerly Umtali) is the most populous city in the province of Manicaland, and the third most populous city in Zimbabwe, having surpassed Gweru in the 2012 census, with an urban population of 224,802 and approximately 260,567 in the sur ...
* Nyamauru High School * Sakubva High School (Dangwe) * Sakubva High 2 School (Rushingo) * St Dominic's High School * St Joseph's High School * St Mary's Secondary School There are a number of private colleges around the city.


Tertiary institutions

*
Africa University Africa University is a "private, Pan-African and United Methodist-related institution." It has over 1,200 students from 36 African countries. It is located 17 km northwest of Mutare, Zimbabwe. It grants bachelor's, master's and PhD degre ...
, a
pan-African Pan-Africanism is a worldwide movement that aims to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all Indigenous and diaspora peoples of African ancestry. Based on a common goal dating back to the Atlantic slave trade, the movement ext ...
United Methodist The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
funded university of about 5,000 students * Marymount Teachers' College * Mutare Teachers College * Mutare Polytechnic * Magamba Training Centre * Manicaland College of Applied Sciences * Zimbabwe College of Forestryhttp://www.forestry.co.zw/forestry-colleges/


Notable residents

*
Washington Arubi Washington Arubi (born 29 August 1985) is a Zimbabwean professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier Soccer League side Marumo Gallants. Career Club He started his career with Lancashire Steel for which he played 29 matches ...
- professional footballer * Onismor Bhasera - professional footballer, formerly at
Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. As of the 2021–22 season, the team are competing in League One, the third tier of English football. They have played at Home Park, ...
in England, now with
SuperSport United F.C. SuperSport United Football Club (often known as SuperSport) is a South African professional football club based in Atteridgeville in Pretoria in the Gauteng province. The team currently plays in the Dstv Premiership. United is known as ''Matsats ...
in South Africa *
Herbert Chitepo Herbert Wiltshire Pfumaindini Chitepo (15 June 1923 – 18 March 1975) led the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) until he was assassinated in March 1975. Although his murderer remains unidentified, the Rhodesian author Peter Stiff says tha ...
- (15 June 1923 – 18 March 1975), Zimbabwe's first black lawyer and Chairman of ZANU July 1963 – 18 March 1975 * Genius Chidzikwe - tennis player * Stephen Courtauld - philanthropist *
Mario Frangoulis Mario Frangoulis ( el, Μάριος Φραγκούλης, Mários Frankoúlis; born 18 December 1967) is a Greek vocalist and theatre actor, famous for his refined tenor vocals. Born in Rhodesia, Frangoulis after his three decade long career has ...
- Greek classical singer *
Godfrey Herbert Captain Godfrey Herbert, DSO and bar, (28 February 1884 – 8 August 1961) was an officer of the Royal Navy who was sometimes referred to as 'Baralong Herbert', in reference to the Baralong incidents, war crimes that took place during Wor ...
- Royal Navy officer of both world wars. *
Willard Katsande Willard Katsande (born 15 January 1986 in Mutoko, Mashonaland East Province) is a retired Zimbabwean professional footballer, a former player of Premier Soccer League club Kaizer Chiefs and the Zimbabwe national team. He also played with DStv ...
- professional footballer with Kaizer Chiefs *
Donal Lamont Donal Raymond Lamont (27 July 1911 – 14 August 2003), was an Irish-Rhodesian Roman Catholic bishop and missionary who was best known for his fight against white minority rule in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Early years Donal Raymond Lamont was ...
- Catholic bishop of Umtali/Mutare 1957–82, an outspoken opponent of the
Ian Smith Ian Douglas Smith (8 April 1919 – 20 November 2007) was a Rhodesian politician, farmer, and fighter pilot who served as Prime Minister of Rhodesia (known as Southern Rhodesia until October 1964 and now known as Zimbabwe) from 1964 to ...
government; expelled from Rhodesia in 1977 after a high-profile trial * Trevor Madondo - (1976–2001), one of the first black cricket players in Zimbabwe *
Blessing Makunike Blessing "YoGo-Yogo" Makunike (24 January 1977 – 13 March 2004) was a Zimbabwean international football player. Club career Blessing Makunike started his career in 1997 with Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League club CAPS United F.C., where he pla ...
(24 January 1977 – 13 March 2004) - professional footballer with
CAPS United CAPS United F.C. is a Zimbabwean football club based in Harare. Formed in 1973, the team rose to prominence in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was formerly nicknamed the Manchester Road Boys because of their former address. The team's curre ...
and Zimbabwe national team *
Supa Mandiwanzira Supa Collins Mandiwanzira (born 18 September 1972) is a Zimbabwean politician and journalist who served as the Minister of Information Communication Technology (2014-2017) and then Minister of Information Communication Technology and Cyber Secu ...
- Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services *
Chiwoniso Maraire Chiwoniso Maraire (5 March 1976 – 24 July 2013) was a Zimbabwean singer, songwriter, and exponent of Zimbabwean mbira music. She was the daughter of Zimbabwean mbira master and teacher Dumisani Maraire (and former officer in the Zimbabwe Mini ...
(5 March 1976 – 24 July 2013) - an accomplished Mbira player, singer, songwriter, and exponent of Zimbabwean mbira music *
Tino Mawoyo Tinotenda Mbiri Kanayi Mawoyo (born 8 January 1986) is a Zimbabwean cricketer. He currently plays for the Mountaineers in the Zimbabwean Domestic Competition. He also serves as an occasional cricket commentator in the domestic cricket matches w ...
- Zimbabwean cricketer, born and raised in Mutare * C.W. Mercer - British author who wrote under the pen name
Dornford Yates Cecil William Mercer (7 August 1885 – 5 March 1960), known by his pen name Dornford Yates, was an English writer and novelist whose novels and short stories, some humorous (the ''Berry'' books), some Thriller (genre), thrillers (the ''Chandos ...
; lived near the city from 1948 until his death in 1960 *
Bjorn Mordt Bjorn Haaken David Mordt (born 29 June 1978) is a Zimbabwean cricketer. Mordt is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm medium pace. He was born at Mutare, Manicaland Province. Mordt joined English county Berkshire in 2003, making his deb ...
- cricketer *
Opa Muchinguri Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri (born Oppah Chamu Zvipange Muchinguri; 14 December 1958) is a Zimbabwean politician, who is the Minister of Defence in the Cabinet of Zimbabwe since 2018. She has also served as Minister of Higher Education and Minister ...
- government minister *
Lawrence Mudehwe Alderman Lawrence Dambudzo Mudehwe (26 July 1933 – 10 August 2022) was a former mayor of Mutare Mutare (formerly Umtali) is the most populous city in the province of Manicaland, and the third most populous city in Zimbabwe, having surpas ...
- the first Executive Mayor to be elected as an independent candidate in Zimbabwe; served for two terms *
Arthur Mutambara Arthur Guseni Oliver Mutambara (born 25 May 1966)
New Zimbabwe
is a Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa - prime minister of
Zimbabwe Rhodesia Zimbabwe Rhodesia (), alternatively known as Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, also informally known as Zimbabwe or Rhodesia, and sometimes as Rhobabwe, was a short-lived sovereign state that existed from 1 June to 12 December 1979. Zimbabwe Rhodesia was p ...
*
Tichafa Samuel Parirenyatwa Tichafa Samuel Parirenyatwa (17 July 1927 – 14 August 1962) was Zimbabwe's first trained black physician, medical doctor and the first vice-president of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU). He rose to prominence during ZAPU's political ...
(1927–1962) - Zimbabwe's first black medical doctor * Douglas Rogers - journalist and memoirist was born in the city in 1968 and raised there *
Edgar Tekere Edgar Zivanai Tekere (1 April 1937 – 7 June 2011), nicknamed "2 Boy", was a Zimbabwean politician. He was the second and last Secretary General of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) who organised the party during the Lancaster House tal ...
(1937–2011) - politician *
Morgan Tsvangirai Morgan Richard Tsvangirai (; ; 10 March 1952 – 14 February 2018) was a Zimbabwean politician who was Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2013. He was President of the Movement for Democratic Change, and later the Movement for Democratic ...
- ex-Prime Minister and MDC opposition leader * Farai Tumbare - Zimbabwean basketball player


Twin towns – sister cities


References


External links

*
City of Mutare website
* Mutare poem (Nhetembo in Shona) at http://nyobvo.com/2018/05/20/mutare/ {{Authority control Mutare District Populated places in Manicaland Province Provincial capitals in Zimbabwe 1897 establishments in the British Empire Populated places established in 1897