Harare - The Capital of Zimbabwe

Population
1,606,000
Language
English
Continent
Africa
Since
1980
Eco Ranking
51/195

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

About Harare

Harare was established in 1890 as Fort Salisbury by British South Africa Company forces, serving as the administrative center of Rhodesia under British colonial authority. It was known as Salisbury until 1982, when it was renamed Harare after independence from Britain in 1980, taking its name from a Shona chief. The transition to majority rule and independence marked the city's transformation from a colonial capital to the capital of Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe, who led the country from 1980 to 2017. Under Mugabe's extended rule, Harare suffered severe economic deterioration. Zimbabwe's hyperinflation crisis, which peaked in 2008 when annual inflation was estimated in the hundreds of millions of percent, devastated the city's infrastructure, public services, and population. Water supply failures, power outages, and the collapse of the healthcare system became characteristic of daily life in the capital. Mugabe was removed in a military-assisted transition in November 2017 and replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa. Harare houses the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Office of the President, and the Supreme Court. Despite its political centrality, the city's infrastructure remains substantially degraded from its pre-crisis peak. Harare gave its name to the Harare Declaration of 1991, which established the modern principles of the Commonwealth of Nations.

About Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a presidential republic in southern Africa governed under a constitution adopted in 2013. It gained independence from British-administered Rhodesia in 1980 after a prolonged guerrilla war. The country's political and economic trajectory was shaped decisively by Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule, which oversaw land seizures, hyperinflation, and international isolation. Emmerson Mnangagwa has governed since 2017. Zimbabwe has faced continued international scrutiny over elections, press freedom, and governance.

View Harare on the map

View Harare - The Capital of Zimbabwe on the map

Flight time from Harare to other capitals

CityDistance (km)Flight Time
Cape Town22002h 35m
Abu Dhabi53006h 14m
Rome69008h 7m
Paris79009h 18m
Singapore82009h 39m
London83009h 46m
Buenos Aires880010h 21m
Canberra1120013h 11m
Washington, D.C.1280015h 4m
Tokyo1280015h 4m

Capitals with similar population to Harare

CityPopulation
Kampala1,680,000
Monrovia1,678,500
Conakry1,667,864
Harare1,606,000
N'Djamena1,605,696
Ulaanbaatar1,584,200
Muscat1,560,330

Capitals with similar eco ranking to Harare

CityEco Rank
Havana49
Port of Spain49
Abu Dhabi51
Harare51
Muscat52
Quito52
Tirana52

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why was Harare called Salisbury?

    The city was named Salisbury by British South Africa Company forces when they established Fort Salisbury in 1890, in honor of British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. The name remained through the colonial and Rhodesian periods until it was changed to Harare in 1982, following independence.

  • When did Harare become the capital of Zimbabwe?

    Harare (then Salisbury) became the capital of independent Zimbabwe on April 18, 1980, when Zimbabwe achieved independence from Britain. The city was renamed Harare in 1982.

  • How did Zimbabwe's economic crisis affect Harare?

    Zimbabwe's hyperinflation crisis, which peaked around 2008, devastated Harare's infrastructure and public services. Water and power systems deteriorated severely, public health collapsed, contributing to a cholera outbreak in 2008-2009, and much of the city's professional population emigrated.

  • Who governs Zimbabwe from Harare today?

    President Emmerson Mnangagwa has governed Zimbabwe from Harare since November 2017, when Robert Mugabe was removed from power in a military-assisted transition after 37 years in office. Harare remains the seat of the presidency, parliament, and judiciary.

  • Is Harare the largest city in Zimbabwe?

    Yes, Harare is the largest city in Zimbabwe. The city proper has a population of approximately 1.6 million, with the wider metropolitan area significantly larger. Bulawayo is the country's second city.

Sights and landmarks

Harare has a green, reasonably spacious city centre with wide boulevards and parks dating back to the colonial urban plan. The National Museum of Zimbabwe holds an extensive collection of Zimbabwe Bird sculptures, the conical stone carvings that represent the symbolic heritage of Great Zimbabwe and appear on the national flag. Harare Gardens Park in the centre is the city's green lung. The National Gallery of Zimbabwe showcases both traditional Shona stone sculpture — for which Zimbabwe is internationally known — and contemporary Zimbabwean art. Mukuvisi Woodlands offers safari-like experiences within the city boundaries. The historic Parliament Building dates from the Rhodesian era.

Climate and best time to visit

Harare has a temperate subtropical highland climate at 1,490 metres above sea level, making it one of the most pleasant climates in southern Africa. Temperatures are mild throughout the year: 16°C to 28°C during the day, rarely below 10°C at night. There are three seasons: the cool dry period from May to August with clear sunny days and cool nights down to 5°C; the hot dry period from September to November; and the rainy season from November to March, when daily afternoon showers keep temperatures pleasantly cool. Annual rainfall is around 828 mm. The best time to visit is April to August, the dry period, with ideal conditions for tourism.

Culture and customs

Harare is the cultural centre of Zimbabwe and home to the world-renowned Shona stone sculpture movement, an artistic tradition that was encouraged in the 1950s and 1960s by the National Gallery and attracted major international attention for carving serpentine stone into expressive figurative forms. The Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) is an annual cultural event bringing together international and local artists. Chimurenga music, inspired by the independence struggle, is a distinctive musical genre that Thomas Mapfumo brought to international prominence. The economic crisis has badly affected the cultural sector through the emigration of artists, but Harare retains a creative undercurrent that is internationally recognised.

Economy

Harare's economy mirrors Zimbabwe's traumatic economic history. The hyperinflation crisis of 2008, during which prices doubled daily, devastated the city's formal economy: factories closed, supermarkets emptied and professionals emigrated en masse to South Africa and the United Kingdom. Zimbabwe dollarised its economy in 2009, introducing the US dollar and other currencies. The reintroduction of a Zimbabwean dollar in 2019 under Mnangagwa was difficult. Today trade, mining services, finance and agro-industry dominate in Harare. Zimbabwe possesses significant resources, including platinum, gold, diamonds and tobacco, the processing and trading of which flows through Harare, but state intervention and currency uncertainty deter foreign investment.
Harare, capital of Zimbabwe
Harare, capital of Zimbabwe

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