Editing Harare (section)

== History ==
{{see also|Timeline of Harare}}
{{redirect-distinguish|Fort Salisbury|Fort at Salisbury Point}}

===Early colonial history===
[[File:Hoisting the flag at Fort Salisbury.png|thumb|left|The [[Pioneer Column]] hoists the [[Union Jack]] on the [[Inselberg|koppie]] overlooking the city on 13 September 1890]]
[[File:Salisbury in 1930.jpg|thumb|left|Salisbury in 1930]]
The [[Pioneer Column]], a military volunteer force of settlers organized by [[Cecil Rhodes]], founded the city on 12 September 1890 as a fort.<ref name="Gold Fever (Hoste)">{{cite book|last=Hoste|first=Skipper|title=Gold Fever|editor=N.S.Davies|publisher=Pioneer Head|location=Salisbury, Rhodesia|year=1977|isbn=0-86918-013-4}}</ref><ref>Roman Adrian Cybriwsky, ''Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture'', ABC-CLIO, USA, 2013, p. 120</ref> They originally named the city Fort Salisbury after [[Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury|The 3rd Marquess of Salisbury]], then-[[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], and it subsequently became known simply as Salisbury. The Salisbury Polo Club was formed in 1896.<ref name="laffaye">Horace A. Laffaye, ''Polo in Britain: A History'', Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2012, p. 76</ref> Salisbury was declared a municipality in 1897, and it became a city in 1935.<ref>Britannica, [https://www.britannica.com/place/Harare Harare], britannica.com, USA, accessed on 7 July 2019</ref>

[[File:Parlament of Zimbabwe.jpg|thumb|239x239px|The original [[Parliament House, Harare|Parliament House]], constructed in 1895]]

At the time of the city's founding, its site and surroundings were poorly drained. The earliest development was on sloping ground along the left bank of a stream, in an area where the Julius Nyerere Way industrial road runs today. The first area to be fully drained was near the head of the stream and was named Causeway. Causeway is now the site of many important government buildings, including the [[Senate]] House and the Office of the Prime Minister. After the position was abolished in January 1988, the office was renamed for the use of the [[President of Zimbabwe|President]].<ref>Journal of Frederick Courtney Selous, Rhodesiana Reprint Library, Salisbury, 1969</ref>

[[File:1970s Jameson Avenue, Salisbury, Rhodesia 6875739032.jpg|thumb|left|Jameson Avenue, Salisbury (now Samora Machel Avenue, Harare) in 1970|alt=]]

Salisbury was the seat of the [[British South Africa Company]] administrator and became the capital of the [[self-governing colony|self-governing]] British colony of [[Southern Rhodesia]] in 1923.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lee |first=M. Elaine |date=31 December 1975 |title=The origins of the Rhodesian Responsible Government Movement |url=https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/The_origins_of_the_Rhodesian_Responsible_Government_Movement/26458738?file=48108034 |journal=The Journal of Central Africa Historical Association (Rhodesian History) |language=en |volume=6 |publisher=Department of History, University of Rhodesia|pages=33–53}}</ref>

===Post-war period===
In the immediate aftermath of the [[Second World War]], Salisbury expanded rapidly, boosted by its designation as the capital of the [[Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland]]. This growth ushered in a wave of [[liberalism]], investment and [[developmentalism]] from 1953 to 1963, transforming the city's skyline in the process.<ref name="radar.brookes.ac.uk">{{cite journal |last=Mbiba |first=Beacon |date=2017 |title=Harare: from a European settler-colonial 'sunshine city' to a 'zhing-zhong' African city |url=http://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/10.3828/idpr.2017.13 |journal=International Development Planning Review |volume=39 |issue=4 |pages=375–398 |doi=10.3828/idpr.2017.13 |issn=1474-6743}}</ref> This was accompanied by significant post-war immigration by White people, primarily from [[Great Britain]], [[Southern Africa]] and, to a lesser extent, [[Southern Europe]].{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} According to the US Department of State, more than half of white Zimbabweans arrived in Zimbabwe after WW2.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zimbabwe (01/05) |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/outofdate/bgn/zimbabwe/47098.htm |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=U.S. Department of State}}</ref> The rapid rise of motor vehicle ownership and the investment in road development greatly accelerated the outward sprawl of suburbs such as [[Alexandra Park, Harare|Alexandra Park]] and [[Mount Pleasant, Harare|Mount Pleasant]]. At the same time, mostly black suburbs like [[Highfield, Harare|Highfield]] suffered from [[overcrowding]] as their populations boomed.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

The optimism and prosperity of this period proved to be short-lived, as the Federation collapsed, which hindered the city's prosperity.<ref name="radar.brookes.ac.uk"/>{{Additional citation needed|date=July 2024}}

===1960s and 1970s===
{{Expand section|date=July 2024}}
The [[Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland]] was dissolved in 1963. [[Ian Smith]]'s [[Rhodesian Front]] government [[Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence|declared Rhodesia independent]] from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965, with Salisbury retained as the capital. Smith's Rhodesia later became the short-lived state of [[Zimbabwe Rhodesia]]; it was not until 18 April 1980 that the country was internationally recognized as independent as the [[Zimbabwe|Republic of Zimbabwe]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-12 |title=Zimbabwe - Rhodesia, UDI, Independence {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Zimbabwe/Rhodesia-and-the-UDI |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Post-independence years ===
[[File:Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe N.png|thumb|[[New Reserve Bank Tower]], completed in 1997]]
The city initially boomed under a wave of optimism and investment that followed the country's independence in 1980. The name of the city was changed to Harare on 18 April 1982, the second anniversary of Zimbabwean independence, taking its name from the village near Harare Kopje of the [[Shona people|Shona]] chief Neharawa, whose nickname was "he who does not sleep".<ref>{{cite book |last=Room |first=Adrian |title=Placenames of the World: Origins and Meanings of the Names for Over 5000 Natural Features, Countries, Capitals, Territories, Cities and Historic Sights |publisher=McFarland |year=2003 |isbn=9780786418145}}</ref> Before independence, "Harare" was the name of the black residential area now known as [[Mbare, Harare|Mbare]].{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Significant investment in education and healthcare produced a confident and growing [[middle class]], evidenced by the rise of firms such as [[Econet Global]] and innovative design and [[architecture]], exemplified by the [[Eastgate Centre, Harare|Eastgate Centre]]. A notable symbol of this era in Harare's history is the [[New Reserve Bank Tower]], one of the city's major landmarks.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Harare was the location of several international summits during this period, such as the 8th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in September 1986 and the [[1991 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting]].<ref name="thecommonwealth1">{{cite web|url=http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/146799/brief_history_of_chogm/|title=List of previous CHOGMS|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081031223635/http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/146799/brief_history_of_chogm/|archive-date=31 October 2008}}</ref> The latter produced the [[Harare Declaration]], dictating the [[Commonwealth of Nations membership criteria|membership criteria]] of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]. In 1998, Harare was the host city of the 8th Assembly of the [[World Council of Churches]].<ref name="wcc-coe1">{{cite web|url=http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/assembly/index-e.html|title=8th assembly & 50th anniversary|access-date=25 May 2015}}</ref>

However, by 1992, Harare began to experience an economic downturn and the government responded by enacting [[Neoliberalism|neoliberal]] reforms. These policies provoked a boom in [[banking]], finance and agriculture, but also led to significant job losses in [[manufacturing]], thereby greatly increasing unemployment and [[income inequality]]. Domestic firms struggled to compete with imports, leading to the collapse of several institutions, particularly in the textile industry.<ref name="radar.brookes.ac.uk"/>

=== Economic difficulties and hyperinflation (1999–2008) ===
In the early 21st century, Harare was adversely affected by the political and economic crises that plagued Zimbabwe, particularly following the contested 2002 presidential election and 2005 parliamentary elections. The elected council was replaced by a government-appointed commission due to alleged inefficiency.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} Still, essential services such as rubbish collection and street repairs rapidly worsened, and are now virtually non-existent in poorer parts of the city.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} In May 2006, the Zimbabwean newspaper ''[[Financial Gazette]]'' described the city in an editorial as a "sunshine city-turned-sewage farm".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/may19_2006.html#Z13|title=The Zimbabwe Situation|last=kdc|publisher=zimbabwesituation.com}}</ref> In 2009, Harare was voted the world's toughest city to live in according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's livability poll, which factors in stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://calgaryherald.com/Vancouver+world+easiest+city+live+Harare+worst+Poll/1674901/story.html|title=Vancouver world's most livable city, Harare the worst: Poll |first=Kelly|last=Sinoski |agency=The Vancouver Sun|work=Calgary Herald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611165337/https://calgaryherald.com/Vancouver+world+easiest+city+live+Harare+worst+Poll/1674901/story.html |archive-date=11 June 2009 |access-date=8 June 2009}}</ref> The situation was unchanged in 2011, according to the same poll.<ref>{{cite news    |title=Least livable cities |url=https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/least-livable-cities?articleId=USRTR2IWU9 |publisher=Reuters |date=21 February 2011 |access-date=19 August 2016}}</ref>

==== Operation Murambatsvina ====
In May 2005, the Zimbabwean government demolished shanties, illegal vending sites, and backyard cottages in Harare, Epworth and other cities in [[Operation Murambatsvina]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Zimbabwe|title=Zimbabwe – Rhodesia and the UDI|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|date=3 January 2024 }}</ref> ("Drive Out Trash"). It was widely alleged{{Weasel inline|date=August 2018}} that the true purpose of the campaign was to make sure shanty towns would not develop in any urban areas that might favor the [[Movement for Democratic Change (pre-2005)|Movement for Democratic Change]], and to reduce the likelihood of mass action against the government by driving people out of the cities.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}} The government claimed its actions were necessitated by a rise of criminality and disease.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}} This was followed by [[Operation Garikayi/Hlalani Kuhle]] (Operation "Better Living") a year later, which consisted of building poor-quality concrete housing.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}}

=== Economic uncertainty ===
In late March 2010, Harare's Joina City Tower was finally opened after fourteen years of delayed construction, marketed as 'Harare's New Pride'.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.urbika.com/articles/view/16441|title=Joina City- Harare's New Pride – Inside Joina City- Facts & Figures|date=31 March 2010|publisher=Urbika.com|access-date=17 June 2013|archive-date=20 June 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130620054216/http://www.urbika.com/articles/view/16441|url-status=dead}}</ref> Initially, uptake of space in the tower was low, with office occupancy at only 3% in October 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.for-builder.com/stories/2011/10/16/joina-city-occupancy-3pc |title=Joina City Occupancy 3pc |date=16 October 2011 |publisher=ForBuilder |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909144336/http://www.for-builder.com/stories/2011/10/16/joina-city-occupancy-3pc |archive-date=9 September 2013}}</ref> By May 2013, office occupancy had risen to around half, with all the retail space occupied.<ref name=changingspaces>{{cite news|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2013-05-31-00-zimbabwes-changing-spaces|newspaper=Mail and Guardian|title=Zimbabwe's Changing Spaces|last=Moyo|first=Jason|date=31 May 2013|access-date=17 June 2013}}</ref>{{Relevance inline|date=July 2024}}

The [[Economist Intelligence Unit]] rated Harare as the world's least livable city (out of 140 surveyed) in February 2011,<ref>{{cite news|title=Vancouver still world's most livable city: survey |first=Balazs |last=Koranyi |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cities-liveable-idUSTRE71K0NS20110221?pageNumber=1 |work=Reuters |date=21 February 2011 |access-date=28 September 2012}}</ref> rising to 137th out of 140 in August 2012.<ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.eiu.com/public/thankyou_download.aspx?activity=download&campaignid=Liveability2012|title=Liveabililty Ranking and Overview August 2012|author=[[The Economist Intelligence Unit]]|date=August 2012|access-date=17 June 2013}}</ref>

In March 2015, [[Harare City Council]] planned a two-year project to install 4,000 [[solar street light]]s, starting in the central business district, at a cost of $15,000,000.<ref>{{cite web|last = Madalitso Mwando|title = Zimbabwe Capital Turns to Solar Streetlights to Cut Costs, Crime|work = allAfrica.com – Thomson Reuters Foundation|access-date = 2015-03-28|date = 2015-03-27|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/201503270369.html}}</ref>

In November 2017, the biggest demonstration in the history of the Republic of Zimbabwe was held in Harare, which led to the forced resignation of the long-serving 93-year-old [[President of Zimbabwe]], [[Robert Mugabe]], an event which was part of the first successful coup in Zimbabwe.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42035981|title=Zimbabwe crowds rejoice as they demand end to Mugabe rule|work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/zimbabwe-leader-mugabe-under-house-arrest-as-army-tightens-grip-on-capital-2017-11-15|title=Zimbabwe leader Mugabe under house arrest as army tightens grip on capital|work=Market Watch}}</ref>

===Contemporary Harare===
Since 2000, Harare has experienced periods of spectacular decline, particularly in the 2000s, but since the [[Great Recession]] it has stabilised and experienced significant population growth and uneven economic growth.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}{{clarify|date=July 2024}} There has nonetheless been substantial international investment and speculation in the city's [[financial]] and property markets. Development on the urban fringes of the city has occurred in areas such as [[Borrowdale, Harare|Borrowdale]], Glen Lorne, [[The Grange, Zimbabwe|The Grange]], [[Mount Pleasant, Harare|Mount Pleasant Heights]], as well as in the new suburbs of Hogerty Hill, Shawasha Hills, [[Bloomingdale, Zimbabwe|Bloomingdale]] and Westlea. Urban sprawl has also expanded into the nearby areas of [[Mount Hampden]], [[Ruwa]] and Norton.<ref name=McGregor2014>{{cite journal |last=McGregor |first=JoAnn |title=Sentimentality or speculation? Diaspora investment, crisis economies and urban transformation |journal=Geoforum |date=September 2014 |volume=56 |pages=172–181 |doi=10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.07.008 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In addition, inner city areas such as [[Avondale, Harare|Avondale]], Eastlea, Belgravia, [[Newlands, Harare|Newlands]] and Milton Park have seen increased [[gentrification]] driven by speculation from expat Zimbabweans. This speculation has also attracted other foreign buyers, resulting in high property prices and widespread rent increases.<ref>{{cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=A look at Zimbabwe's property market |url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/property/310256/a-look-at-zimbabwes-property-market/}}</ref> Harare sustained the highest population increase and urban development of any major Zimbabwean city since 2000, with other cities such as [[Bulawayo]], [[Gweru]], and [[Mutare]] largely stagnating during the same period.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/international/zimbabwe-property-market-characterised-by-a-high-demand-and-low-supply-20790629|title=Zimbabwe property market characterised by a high demand and low supply|website=www.iol.co.za}}</ref>

Beginning in 2006, the city's growth extended into its northern and western fringes, beyond the city's [[urban growth boundary]]. Predictions that by 2025 the metropolitan area population will reach 4 to 5 million have sparked concerns over unchecked sprawl and unregulated development.<ref name="auto11">{{cite web |title=Why property is more pricey in Zim than SA |url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/thestandard/business/article/206642/why-property-is-more-pricey-in-zim-than-sa |website=The Standard}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=July 2024}} The concentration of real estate development in Harare has also come at the expense of other Zimbabwean cities such as [[Gweru]] and particularly [[Bulawayo]], which is increasingly characterized by stagnation and high unemployment due to the collapse of many of its heavy industries. Today, Harare's property market remains highly priced, more so than regional cities such as [[Johannesburg]] and [[Cape Town]].{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} The top end of the market is completely dominated by wealthy or [[dual-citizen]] Zimbabweans (see [[Zimbabwean diaspora]] and [[Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom]]), Chinese and South African buyers.<ref name=McGregor2014/><ref name="auto11"/> Despite gentrification and speculation, the country's and city's unemployment rates remain high.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

In 2020, Harare was classified as a [[Globalization and World Cities Research Network|Gamma city]] by the [[Globalization and World Cities Research Network]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The World According to GaWC 2020 |url=https://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2020t.html |website=GaWC – Research Network |publisher=Globalization and World Cities |access-date=31 August 2020 |archive-date=24 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824031341/https://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2020t.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>