Quelimane () is a seaport in Mozambique. It is the administrative capital of the Zambezia Province and the province's largest city, and stands from the mouth of the Rio dos Bons Sinais (or "River of the Good Signs"). The river was named when Vasco da Gama, on his way to India, reached it and saw "good signs" that he was on the right path. The town was the end point of David Livingstone's west-to-east crossing of south-central Africa in 1856. Portuguese is the official language of Mozambique, and many residents of the areas surrounding Quelimane speak Portuguese. The most common local language is Chuwabu language. Quelimane, along with much of Zambezia Province, is extremely prone to floods during Mozambique's rainy season.
History
Pre-colonial era
The town originated as a
Swahili people trade centre, and then grew as a
slavery of the Indian Ocean slave trade. Quelimane was founded by
Muslim traders (see
Kilwa Sultanate) and was one of the oldest towns in the region.
Etymology
The origins of the name 'Quelimane' are obscure. One tradition alleges that Vasco da Gama, in 1498, inquired about the name of the place from some inhabitants labouring in the fields outside the settlement. Thinking he was asking what they were doing, they simply replied
kuliamani ('we are cultivating').
An alternative explanation is that when the Portuguese reached the settlement, they were welcomed by a notable Arab, or half Arab, who acted as interpreter between them and the natives. The name which the Portuguese applied to this individual, and his settlement, was 'Quelimane' (pronounced Kelimãn), because in the corrupt Arabic spoken on the East African coast 'Kalimãn' is the word for 'Interpreter'. In Swahili it is 'Mkalimani'.[ British Central Africa, Sir Harry H. Johnston, K.C.B., New York, Edward Arnold, 70 Fifth Avenue, 1897, p. 55-56]
In 1761, the settlement became a town.[ Quelimane, Britannica.com, USA, accessed on July 7, 2019] Until 1853 trade was forbidden to any other than Portuguese.[ QUELIMANE, a film of the cosmopolitan port of Quelimane and tea centre of Vila Junqueiro, Portuguese Mozambique, before 1975.] By 1970, Quelimane had 71,786 inhabitants.
Independence
Mozambique became independent from Portugal in 1975, after the April 1974 Carnation Revolution at
Lisbon. Although its location on the Rio dos Bons Sinais is less important today than in the past, Quelimane remains a major town with a large
hospital, two
, a
mosque, and a public university for teachers. Due to its heat, humidity, and distance from the beach, Quelimane is not among Mozambique's major tourist destinations. However, its status as a provincial capital and the fourth-largest city in Mozambique and the increasing ease of access by plane (Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique runs flights) and road contribute to a small but relatively steady stream of visitors. In addition, Quelimane is home to branches of many international NGOs, and frequent visits from foreign aid consultants, workers, and government officials also contribute to the economy. The city received a further boost when Quelimane hosted the Ninth Annual
Frelimo Party Convention in November 2006. After decades of municipal decline, the current mayor, Manuel de Araujo, is reportedly overseeing a renewed civic effort at economic and infrastructural restoration.
Tropical Cyclones
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Cyclone Filao in 1988 made landfall near Quelimane, causing many deaths. The damage was also the heaviest from this storm in Quelimane.
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Cyclone Nadia in 1994 struck the northern coast of Mozambique, including Quelimane.
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Cyclone Bonita in 1996 struck the northern coast of Mozambique 2 years after Nadia.
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Cyclone Hudah in 2000 made landfall in Northern Mozambique after making landfall in Madagascar.
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Cyclone Idai affected Quelimane as a tropical depression in 2019.
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Severe Tropical Storm Chalane in 2020 was a category 1-equivalent cyclone that made landfall in Madagascar and northern Mozambique before moving across Southern Africa, into the South Atlantic, and then dissipating.
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Cyclone Freddy made landfall near Quelimane in the 2022–23 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season after crossing over from the Australian region and making landfall in Madagascar and again in Mozambique. This storm caused tons of damages and fatalities for everywhere it impacted.
Places of worship
Among the places of worship, they are predominantly
Christianity churches and temples: Roman Catholic Diocese of Quelimane (
Catholic Church), (Reformed Church in Mozambique (World Communion of Reformed Churches), Igreja Presbiteriana de Moçambique (World Communion of Reformed Churches), Convenção Baptista de Moçambique (Baptist World Alliance), Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, Assemblies of God, Zion Christian Church.
[J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 1985] There are also
Islam mosques.
Demographics
|
| 1997 | 150,116 |
| 2007 | 193,343 |
| 2017 | 349,842 |
Climate
Quelimane has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification
Aw).
See also
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Railway stations in Mozambique
-
Quelimane Airport
-
Cyclone Freddy - A tropical cyclone that made landfall near Quelimane
-
Cyclone Filao - A tropical cyclone that made landfall near Quelimane
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Quelimane is twinned with:
External links
