It originated as Fort Umtali and was built by prospectors in 1890 near the junction of the Sambi and Umtara rivers. Its name was derived from a local word meaning “metal,” probably referring to the nearby ancient goldworkings. The settlement was moved twice so as to be on the railway between the national capital, Salisbury (now Harare), and Beira (Mozambique), which reached the town in 1898. It was declared a municipality in 1914.
Mutare is picturesquely situated in the foothills of the Eastern Highlands sprawling up the sides of Christmas Pass. It has been known for its wide streets lined with flowering trees, three public parks, a museum (1954), and the Turner Memorial Library (1902). In the mid-1970s Mutare, a border city, became something of a battleground between Rhodesian troops and nationalist guerrillas operating from Mozambique. Mutare in the early 1980s resumed its role as a port of entry and the main rail and commercial centre for the productive eastern region (tea, tobacco, livestock, timber) after Zimbabwe attained independence. Industry includes automobile assembly, the manufacture of textiles, clothing, leather goods, pulp, and board, and oil refining and wattle (acacia) extraction. Tourism to the nearby national parks is an important economic factor. Pop. (2002) 170,466; (2012) 186,208.
