Maputo

Maputo (pop. 544,700), capital (1907) and largest city of Mozambique. Founded around 1780 by Portuguese colonists, it was called Lourenco Marques until 1976, the year after Mozambique gained independence. Maputo is located on the Indian Ocean and is a popular beach resort. It also serves as a rail terminal for several of southern Africa's landlocked nations who ship their goods through Maputo's harbor.