Upon Mozambican independence in 1975, the city became the national capital and was renamed Maputo. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Lourenço Marques grew both in population and economic development as a port city. In 1898, the colony of Portuguese Mozambique relocated its capital there. A town grew around the fort starting around 1850, and in 1877 it was elevated to city status. The modern city traces its origins to a Portuguese fort established on the site in 1781. It was soon named Lourenço Marques, after the navigator of the same name who first explored the area in 1544. The area on which Maputo stands was first settled as a fishing village by ancient Tsonga people. Maputo is a cosmopolitan city, with Bantu, Tsonga languages being more common, Portuguese, and, to a lesser extent, Arabic, Indian, and Chinese languages and cultures present. Maputo City is the geographically smallest and most densely populated province in Mozambique. The city is surrounded by Maputo Province, but is administered as a self-contained, separate province since 1998. The city consists of seven administrative divisions, which are each subdivided into quarters or bairros. Maputo is situated on a large natural bay on the Indian Ocean, near where the rivers Tembe, Mbuluzi, Matola and Infulene converge. It is also noted for its vibrant cultural scene and distinctive, eclectic architecture. Maputo is a port city, with an economy centered on commerce. The Maputo metropolitan area includes the neighbouring city of Matola, and has a total population of 2,717,437. The city has a population of 1,101,170 (as of 2017 ) distributed over a land area of 347 km 2 (134 sq mi). Located near the southern end of the country, it is positioned within 120 km (75 miles) of the Eswatini and South Africa borders. The city is named after chief Maputsu I of the Tembe clan, a subgroup of Tsonga people. Maputo ( Portuguese pronunciation: ), officially named Lourenço Marques until 1976, is the capital and most populous city of Mozambique.

Isteg merignac