Lourenco Marques was a Portuguese colonial province and is located in southeast Africa in the southern portion of Mozambique. It is presently known as Maputo.

Lourenco Marques was a Portuguese trader and explorer who was sent from Mozambique Island in 1544 to investigate two rivers to the south. He reported that beads could be traded for ivory and also that there were numerous herds of elephants in that area. Initially the bay was named after him.

The Portuguese began sending trading vessels from Mozambique Island but did not really venture far inland. A small fort was built but came under attack and was abandoned. Later another fort and trading post was built, named La Goa, which was manned by a single Catholic Friar and a few merchants. This was soon abandoned as well because of an entirely different reason…. swarms of mosquitoes.