Beira, Mozambique

[an error occurred while processing this directive] Beira is a coastal city in central Mozambique. With a population of 570,000 (2011 estimate), it is the second largest city in the country. Beira is on the coast facing the Indian Ocean, at the mouth of the Pungue River, in Sofala Province. The city is the main port for goods heading to the central and interior parts of Mozambique.

The city of Beira was founded in 1890. Originally called Chiveve, it was renamed in honor of the Crown Prince of Portugal, Prince Dom Luís Filipe. Traditionally, the prown princes of Portugal carry the title Prince of Beira (just as the crown princes of Great Britain are titled Prince of Wales), after Beira in Portugal.

In 1907 Beira was given city status. It also superceded the town of Sofala as the main port in Portuguese-controlled Mozambique. The city prospered through trade that passing through its harbor, which has some of the most modern facilities in East Africa. The city also grew as a tourist destination supporting a steady stream of white tourists from white Rhodesia. As a result, many people in Beira, particularly those working in the tourism industry, are able to converse fluently in English.

Women pounding and husking rice in Beira, Mozambique
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mozambique010.jpg
Author: Steve Evans

Visiting Beira

You can fly to Beira, arriving at Beira Airport (BEW), which receives flights from Chimoio, Johannesburg, Maputo, Nampula, Pembe and Tete.

Places of Interest in Beira

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.