Quelimane

Province

Quelimane (temporarily São Martinho de Quelimane ) is a port and industrial city in Mozambique. Since 1954 it is the seat of the diocese of Quelimane.

Geography

Quelimane is located on the Rio dos Bons Sinai ( flow of good character ), approximately 20 km from the Indian Ocean. It is the capital of the province of Zambezia.

Population

In 1970 the city had 71,786 inhabitants. As a result of the civil war, the number of residents dropped to 1980 on 62 174 people. At the last census in 1997, there were 150 116 people. 2007, the population was 192 876 inhabitants ..

History

Quelimane was originally a trading place in the Swahili, also with the Arabs from Oman traded on Zanzibar. 1498 Vasco da Gama reached the city on his trip to India. 1530 the Portuguese occupied the place, but founded only in 1544, the first commercial station. In 1761 the site was declared a town and received two years later, a City Council ( City Council ). In the 18th and 19th century, the settlement was a trading center for the slave trade. In 1862 David Livingstone British consul in the city.

Economy

In the hinterland there are large coconut plantations. It is produced palm oil for export. In addition, sisal and tea are running. However, most important industry is fishing.

The town is the terminus of a 120 km long railway line from Mocuba. There is also a regional airport and a river port which also can create larger ocean-going vessels. Ships go to Maputo, South Africa and to directly to Europe. Currently, the port is overtaken with support from Germany.

From the nearby Bay of Zalala there is a beach that is used for tourism. Biggest points of interest include Palace of the Governors from 1895 and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Nossa Senhora do Livramento, which was built in 1785.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Eduardo White ( born 1963 ), Mozambican writer and poet