Maputo, Mozambique

Maputo, formerly Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription This is Portugal on the walkway of its municipal building. Today it is a port city on the Indian Ocean, with its economy centered around the harbour. According to the 2007 census, the official population is 1,120,360. Coal, cotton, sugar, chromite, sisal, copra, and hardwood are the chief exports. The city manufactures cement, pottery, furniture, shoes, and rubber. There is also a large aluminium smelting plant, Mozal. The city is surrounded by Maputo Province, but is administered as its own province.