Harare, Zimbabwe

Harare is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe; its population is around 1.6 million in the city and 2.8 million in the metro area. This is where much of Zimbabwe's economic activity takes place, including commercial and manufacturing businesses.

Harare was first established in 1890 as Fort Salisbury; this was named after the then-British Prime Minister, Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, the Third Marquess of Salisbury. Zimbabwe got its independence from Britain in 1980, and the capital became Harare in 1982.

Being a developing country, costs in Zimbabwe are comparably lower; however, job opportunities are also lower with the low prices including cost of living and lack of public transportation. And while Zimbabwe has the highest literacy rates among African nations, it also has among the highest HIV/AIDS outbreaks. There are many tribal languages in Zimbabwe including Shona, Tsonga, and Chewa; English is also spoken. The currency used is the Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWD); one ZWD equals approximately $0.01 USD.

Location

Job Opportunities

In Harare, and Zimbabwe as a whole, the mining industry is commonplace throughout. Zimbabwe is known for its diamond industry for manufacturing. There is also an abundance of factories for steel, gold, iron, copper, and other metal-making; these jobs will primarily take place in a factory setting. Another booming industry is the agricultural sector, consisting of tobacco production and growing crops including maize, cotton, and farm animals. One other industry, although quite small, is the tourism sector with typical opportunities to provide tourists with an excellent experience. In all, the agricultural and mining industries are the most abundant opportunities in Harare and Zimbabwe.

Cost of Living

For smaller units in Harare, prices are very comparable between downtown and city suburbs. For a one-bedroom unit downtown, prices average 255 ZWD ($0.70 USD) while those in the suburbs average 245 ZWD ($0.67 USD). For larger units, three-bedroom city apartments average 560 ZWD ($1.55 USD), and ones outside the city cost around 438 ZWD ($1.21 USD). Other expenses, including utilities, internet and cell usage, in addition to transportation and other necessities, are little because of the lack of job opportunities and the nation's developing economy and infrastructure.

Transportation

Having a car in Harare is more convenient than relying on public transportation regularly; the public transit is mainly found in downtown Harare, with little access into suburbs. Instead, using taxi-cabs and minibus taxis are more advised; they are more cost-effective and more ubiquitous than the city buses.

With transportation options in Harare, be considerate of road conditions. Road conditions are rough on backroads and many roads other than highways. In all, having or renting a car is one's best bet for getting around Harare and Zimbabwe; the buses are not as ubiquitous and using a minibus taxi or taxi-cab is more affordable.

Recreation

Harare is well-known for its scenic parks, from gardens to wildlife viewing. Some gardens include the National Botanical Gardens and the local Harare Gardens. Recreational parks, with options for hiking and wildlife viewing, are abundant around Harare. Lake Chivero Recreational Park, where the city's main water supply is located, features bird-watching, provides shelter for monkeys and rhinos, and hosts fishing tournaments and recreational fishing on its main lake. Haka Game Park and Kingfisher Park are other places for wildlife viewing, particularly giraffes and zebras. There is also the Ngomakurira Mountain Range near Harare, providing for hiking opportunities near the nation's capital. The Victoria Falls are also located in Zimbabwe on the border with Zambia; while the drive is nearly 9 hours from Harare to the Falls, the trip is definitely worthwile to see the Zimbabwe countryside and explore the Falls.

Climate

For those looking for a warmer climate year-round, Harare is ideal. Expect a Summer season of warmer temperatures from October to April. With a sub-tropical climate in Harare, exect average summer highs around 70-80 degrees Farenheit (about 25 degrees celsius) along with occasional thunderstorms. The rain season occurs mostly between November and March, with a larger spread in temperatures. While Harare has somewhat warm and pleasant weather year-round, expect to have lows in the 40s and 50s at night from November to March.