A city since 1887, it superseded the Island of Mozambique as the capital of Mozambique in 1898. A commission was sent by the Portuguese government in 1876 to drain the marshy land near the settlement, to plant the blue gum tree, and to build a hospital and a church. The growing importance of the Transvaal led, however, to greater interest being taken back in Portugal in the development of a port. In 1871, the town was described as a poor place, with narrow streets, fairly good flat-roofed houses, grass huts, decayed forts, and a rusty cannon, enclosed by a recently erected wall 1.8 metres (6 ft) high and protected by bastions at intervals. The town developed around a Portuguese fortress completed in 1787. The existing town dates from about 1850, the previous settlement having been entirely destroyed by the natives. The forts and trading stations that the Portuguese established, abandoned and reoccupied on the north bank of the river, were all called Lourenço Marques.

They explored the lower courses of the rivers emptying their waters into Delagoa Bay, notably the Espírito Santo. On the northern bank of Espírito Santo Estuary of Delagoa Bay, an inlet of the Indian Ocean, Lourenço Marques was named after the Portuguese navigator who, with António Caldeira, was sent in 1544 by the governor of Mozambique on a voyage of exploration. The city is surrounded by Maputo Province, but is administered as its own province. The city manufactures cement, pottery, furniture, shoes, and rubber. Cotton, sugar, chromite, sisal, copra, and hardwood are the chief exports. According to the 2007 census, the population is 1,766,184. Today, it is a port city, with its economy centered on the harbour. 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. Maputo ( Portuguese pronunciation: ), known as Lourenço Marques before independence, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. Coordinates: Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 668: callParserFunction: function '#coordinates' was not found.

Isteg maputo