HARARE, Zimbabwe (Pop : 1.606 mn)

Harare, formerly Salisbury, is the capital and the largest city of Zimbabwe, situated in the north-eastern region of the country.  The city was founded in 1890 by the Pioneer Column, a small force under the British Army, and named after the then British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury.  Situated at 1500 metres above mean sea level, the city has a sub-tropical highland climate. Harare is the leading commercial centre of Zimbabwe and the hub of trade in maize and cotton. Once a city of modern buildings and wide thoroughfares, gardens and parks, the city suffered from increasing disrepair owing to Zimbabwe’s economic downward spiral.