Africa · Eastern Africa

Mozambique

Republic of Mozambique

Flag of Mozambique
Local Time
--:--:--
UTC+02:00
🏛️ Capital
Maputo
👥 Population
34,090,466
📐 Area
801,590 km²
💱 Currency
Mozambican metical (MT)
🗣️ Languages
Portuguese
📞 Calling Code
+258
🕐 Time Zones
UTC+02:00
🌐 Region
Africa / Eastern Africa

About Mozambique

Mozambique is East Africa's most underrated coastal paradise — a long, slender country stretching 2,500 kilometres down the Indian Ocean shore, blessed with some of the finest beaches, coral reefs, and marine life on the African continent. Its shoreline is studded with remote archipelagos, mangrove-fringed islands, and deserted white sand beaches where dhow-sailed fishing boats drift silently across turquoise shallows. Unlike its more famous neighbours to the west, Mozambique retains an authenticity and wilderness that makes every visit feel like a discovery rather than a package tour.

The country bears the distinctive imprint of Portuguese colonial culture — the capital Maputo is a city of faded Art Deco buildings, wide tree-lined boulevards, and an extraordinary live music scene rooted in the marrabenta rhythm, Mozambique's homegrown dance genre. The cuisine blends African staples with Portuguese flavours and Indian Ocean spice, producing dishes of remarkable complexity — particularly the justly celebrated prawns of Maputo Bay, grilled with butter and piri piri and considered among the finest in the world. Colonial-era cafés and renovated Art Deco villas give Maputo a languid, sophisticated atmosphere that surprises first-time visitors.

The Bazaruto Archipelago and the Quirimbas Archipelago in the far north offer world-class diving, snorkelling, and island experiences that rival anything in the Indian Ocean. Dugong sightings are possible in the shallow seagrass beds of Bazaruto; whale sharks cruise the channels between islands in Tofo; and Pemba, the gateway to the Quirimbas, is a town where time moves at the pace of the tide. For wildlife beyond the coast, Gorongosa National Park — spectacularly revived after decades of civil war — is one of Africa's great conservation success stories.

History & Background

Mozambique's history begins with Bantu-speaking communities who settled the territory around two thousand years ago, followed by Arab and Swahili traders who established coastal trading ports from the ninth century onward, trading gold, ivory, and enslaved people with the Islamic world and India across the Indian Ocean. Vasco da Gama stopped at the island of Mozambique in 1498 on his way to India, and Portugal gradually established control over the coast throughout the sixteenth century. The island of Mozambique became a vital waystation on the spice route, its Arab-Portuguese blend of fort, mosque, and cathedral creating a remarkable heritage that earned it UNESCO World Heritage status.

Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975, led by Frelimo under Samora Machel — one of Africa's most visionary liberation leaders, killed in a plane crash in 1986 under circumstances still disputed. Almost immediately, a devastating civil war broke out between Frelimo and Renamo, supported respectively by the Soviet Union and apartheid-era South Africa, lasting until 1992 and causing massive destruction and population displacement. Since the peace agreement, Mozambique has undergone a remarkable if uneven transformation — massive natural gas discoveries off the northern coast have attracted billions in international investment, though translating those resources into broad human development remains the country's central challenge.

Culture & People

Mozambican culture is one of remarkable diversity and resilience, shaped by over ten distinct Bantu ethnic groups, centuries of Arab and Indian Ocean trade, Portuguese colonisation, and the scars and triumphs of a sixteen-year civil war. The country's people are predominantly Bantu-speaking, with the Makua in the north and the Tsonga in the south being the largest groups, though each region has its own traditions, ceremonies, and musical styles. Marrabenta — a genre born in the 1950s in Maputo's suburban compounds from the meeting of African rhythms and Portuguese influence — is the sound of Mozambique, joyful and rhythmic and instantly recognisable.

Religion is pluralistic: Islam is the dominant faith in the north, along the historically Arab-influenced coastal strip, while Christianity — both Catholic and evangelical Protestant — is widespread in the centre and south. Traditional animist beliefs and ancestor veneration coexist with both faiths, practised alongside Sunday Mass and Friday prayers. Craftsmanship is highly valued: Makonde woodcarving, produced primarily by the Makonde people of the north, is internationally recognised for its intricate figurative sculptures. Capulana — vibrant printed cotton wraps worn by women throughout the country — are as much a cultural statement as a garment, expressing identity, status, and mood.

Food & Cuisine

Mozambican cuisine is one of the Indian Ocean's great hidden culinary pleasures, combining African staples with Portuguese techniques and the spices of Arabia and India into a cooking tradition that is deeply flavourful and distinctly its own. Prego no pão — a grilled beef steak in a crusty Portuguese roll — is Maputo's definitive street food, eaten at roadside stands and cafés across the city. But it is the prawns that have made Mozambique famous among food lovers: the enormous, succulent Peneaus indicus prawns from Maputo Bay, simply grilled and served with piri piri butter, are one of the most celebrated dishes in all of Africa and worth planning an entire trip around.

Caril de caranguejo — crab curry in a rich coconut-milk sauce — and matapa, a slow-cooked dish of cassava leaves with peanuts and sometimes prawns, are dishes found across the country and represent the deeply satisfying comfort food of Mozambican home cooking. Xima, a firm maize porridge similar to ugali or sadza, is the universal staple accompanying most dishes in the interior. Bolo polana — a rich cake of potatoes, cashews, and butter — is the country's national dessert, named after an upscale Maputo neighbourhood. Fresh tropical fruit is abundant: mangoes, coconuts, papaya, and pineapple appear at every market and roadside stall.

Top Attractions

  • Bazaruto Archipelago — A national marine park of five islands surrounded by extraordinary coral reefs, dugong, manta rays, whale sharks, and turquoise sandbanks accessible from the town of Vilanculos.
  • Quirimbas Archipelago — A chain of 32 pristine coral islands in the far north, offering world-class diving, historic Ibo Island with its Portuguese fort, and exclusive island lodge experiences.
  • Tofo Beach — The mellow, backpacker-friendly surf town south of Inhambane, globally famous for reliable whale shark and manta ray encounters just offshore.
  • Gorongosa National Park — One of Africa's greatest conservation recovery stories, where lion, elephant, hippo, and buffalo are rebounding dramatically in a spectacular Great Rift Valley setting.
  • Island of Mozambique (Ilha de Moçambique) — A UNESCO World Heritage Site — a tiny coral island bearing 500 years of Portuguese, Arab, and African history in its fortress, churches, and mosques.
  • Maputo's Lower City — A vibrant quarter of Art Deco buildings, the Municipal Market full of prawns and spices, the Central Train Station designed by Gustave Eiffel's firm, and some of Africa's best live music venues.

Practical Travel Tips

  • Carry both US dollars and Mozambican meticais — dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas but meticais are needed for local markets and small purchases.
  • A 4WD vehicle is essential for exploring outside of main cities, especially in the north and during or after the rainy season.
  • Malaria is present throughout the country — consult your doctor about prophylactics well before travel and bring repellent and a bed net.
  • Book island resorts and dive camps well in advance during peak season (July to September) as accommodation is limited and fills quickly.
  • Portuguese is the official language; learning a few basic phrases is warmly appreciated as English is not widely spoken outside tourist facilities.
  • Police roadblocks are common — always carry your passport and vehicle documents and be polite and patient.
  • Travel insurance with emergency medical evacuation cover is essential; medical facilities outside Maputo are limited.

Visa Overview

Most nationalities, including citizens of the USA, UK, EU member states, Australia, and Canada, can obtain a tourist visa on arrival at Maputo International Airport and at major land borders for stays of up to 30 days, extendable to 60 days. The on-arrival visa fee is payable in US dollars. Citizens of some Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries enjoy visa-free access. It is advisable to check the latest requirements at the Mozambican embassy or consulate in your country before travelling, as policies and fees are subject to change.

Getting Around

Maputo International Airport connects the capital to Johannesburg, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and several other African hubs. Domestic flights with LAM Mozambique and charter operators connect Maputo to Vilanculos, Pemba, Inhambane, and Beira. Road conditions vary enormously — the EN1 coastal highway from Maputo north is sealed but potholed in stretches; roads in the north require a 4WD vehicle. Chapas (minibuses) are the local transport of choice and reach most towns cheaply. Speedboats and dhows connect the islands and coastal settlements, with schedules dictated by tides and weather.

Safety Notes

Mozambique is generally safe for tourists in established areas, but petty theft and bag-snatching occur in Maputo and busy markets. Armed robbery has been reported on some isolated roads and in parts of northern Mozambique, where an insurgency in Cabo Delgado Province has created ongoing instability — the far north should be avoided unless specific security guidance advises otherwise. Avoid beaches at night. The Indian Ocean coast carries serious rip current risks; always ask local advice before swimming.

Live Exchange Rates

Current exchange rates for currencies used in Mozambique.

Mozambican metical (MZN) MT
Updated: 2026-10-05
⌕
Currency CodeRate
1INCH 0.150120
AAVE 0.000087
ADA 0.058738
AED 0.057533
AFN 1.010334
AKT 0.019775
ALGO 0.119629
ALL 1.280797
AMD 5.675098
AMP 24.759971
ANG 0.028207
AOA 14.374888
APE 0.093382
APT 0.019820
AR 0.003501
ARB 0.077924
ARS 24.003688
ATOM 0.008995
ATS 0.192756
AUD 0.022582
AVAX 0.001438
AWG 0.028042
AXS 0.011960
AZM 133.162984
AZN 0.026633
BAKE 65.235849
BAM 0.027397
BAT 0.152525
BBD 0.031332
BCH 0.000049
BDT 1.926455
BEF 0.565085
BGN 0.027397
BHD 0.005890
BIF 47.215637
BMD 0.015666
BNB 0.000020
BND 0.020082
BOB 0.187630
BRL 0.081791
BSD 0.015666
BSV 0.000784
BSW 37.712556
BTC 0.000000
BTCB 0.221048
BTG 0.023680
BTN 1.510881
BTT 41,834.318455
BUSD 0.015629
BWP 0.216369
BYN 0.047085
BYR 306.615515
BZD 0.031531
CAD 0.022378
CAKE 0.006272
CDF 36.211846
CELO 0.148973
CFX 0.290523
CHF 0.013003
CHZ 0.937329
CLP 15.350152
CNH 0.105130
CNY 0.105042
COMP 0.000625
COP 51.390576
CRC 7.176535
CRO 0.229456
CRV 0.040908
CSPR 6.077161
CUC 0.015644
CUP 0.375155
CVE 1.544673
CVX 0.006726
CYP 0.008199
CZK 0.342182
DAI 0.015646
DASH 0.000263
DCR 0.000850
DEM 0.027397
DFI 23.679806
DJF 2.793687
DKK 0.104697
DOGE 0.164412
DOP 0.937739
DOT 0.012910
DYDX 0.108227
DZD 2.094405
EEK 0.219180
EGLD 0.003508
EGP 0.824737
ENJ 0.468651
EOS 0.162466
ERN 0.234990
ESP 2.330751
ETB 2.557663
ETC 0.001748
ETH 0.000006
EUR 0.014008
EURC 0.013982
FEI 0.015644
FIL 0.014935
FIM 0.083288
FJD 0.035309
FKP 0.011860
FLOW 0.495411
FLR 2.168661
FRAX 0.015784
FRF 0.091887
FTT 0.061272
GALA 6.317150
GBP 0.011860
GEL 0.040659
GGP 0.011860
GHC 1,836.717961
GHS 0.183672
GIP 0.011860
GMD 1.160400
GMX 0.001868
GNF 137.884439
GNO 0.000130
GRD 4.773259
GRT 0.523407
GT 0.001411
GTQ 0.119710
GUSD 0.015673
GYD 3.274630
HBAR 0.151860
HKD 0.122926
HNL 0.421582
HNT 0.027269
HOT 34.989020
HRK 0.105544
HT 0.433817
HTG 2.049967
HUF 5.165100
ICP 0.004813
IDR 281.069519
IEP 0.011032
ILS 0.047810
IMP 0.011860
IMX 0.086220
INJ 0.002072
INR 1.510881
IQD 20.510505
IRR 27,322.250360
ISK 1.921727
ITL 27.123459
JEP 0.011860
JMD 2.478101
JOD 0.011107
JPY 2.476404
KAS 0.366847
KAVA 0.227443
KCS 0.002090
KDA 1.685902
KES 2.017641
KGS 1.370071
KHR 63.514944
KLAY 0.415442
KMF 6.891532
KNC 0.111313
KPW 14.079289
KRW 21.095455
KSM 0.003039
KWD 0.004839
KYD 0.012999
KZT 7.026198
LAK 353.090811
LBP 1,404.395618
LDO 0.033599
LEO 0.001754
LINK 0.001112
LKR 5.177341
LRC 1.488815
LRD 2.690230
LSL 0.262161
LTC 0.000224
LTL 0.048367
LUF 0.565085
LUNA 0.308720
LUNC 297.864345
LVL 0.009845
LYD 0.100256
MAD 0.154449
MANA 0.154213
MBX 0.526409
MDL 0.279697
MGA 69.812591
MGF 349.062954
MINA 0.097854
MKD 0.857926
MKR 0.000007
MMK 32.886586
MNT 56.385029
MOP 0.126614
MRO 6.291517
MRU 0.629152
MTL 0.006014
MUR 0.758973
MVR 0.242189
MWK 27.145201
MXN 0.285565
MXV 0.032407
MYR 0.064043
MZM 1,000.0000
NAD 0.262161
NEAR 0.003212
NEO 0.006153
NEXO 0.018216
NFT 65,175.207466
NGN 20.790631
NIO 0.575585
NLG 0.030870
NOK 0.151398
NPR 2.418542
NZD 0.028022
OKB 0.000126
OMR 0.006028
ONE 0.107161
OP 0.119609
ORDI 0.003471
PAB 0.015666
PAXG 0.000004
PEN 0.054212
PEPE 3,567.740243
PGK 0.070370
PHP 0.982911
PI 0.180351
PKR 4.337805
PLN 0.061465
POL 0.144293
PTE 2.808371
PYG 91.466030
QAR 0.057024
QNT 0.000063
QTUM 0.015951
ROL 748.625515
RON 0.074863
RPL 0.008209
RSD 1.636789
RUB 1.313751
RUNE 0.020049
RVN 6.568754
RWF 23.141175
SAND 0.214600
SAR 0.058747
SBD 0.126404
SCR 0.223365
SDD 940.349288
SDG 9.403493
SEK 0.157994
SGD 0.020082
SHIB 2,654.306756
SHP 0.011860
SIT 3.356900
SKK 0.422008
SLE 0.361024
SLL 361.023797
SNX 0.062299
SOL 0.000130
SOS 8.927698
SPL 0.002611
SRD 0.592422
SRG 592.422313
SSP 89.493288
STD 346.141387
STN 0.346141
STX 0.039698
SUI 0.012864
SVC 0.137077
SYP 203.398724
SZL 0.262161
THB 0.527760
THETA 0.069181
TJS 0.144248
TMM 274.153471
TMT 0.054831
TND 0.046846
TOP 0.037647
TRL 770,132.874287
TRX 0.046693
TRY 0.770133
TTD 0.106158
TUSD 0.015650
TVD 0.022582
TWD 0.498227
TWT 0.027577
TZS 41.230605
UAH 0.704534
UGX 62.483940
UNI 0.001739
USD 0.015666
USDC 0.015645
USDD 0.015652
USDP 0.015674
USDT 0.015649
UYU 0.630942
UZS 184.499241
VAL 27.123459
VEB 1,358,393,277.402551
VED 13.583933
VEF 1,358,393.277403
VES 13.583933
VET 1.802283
VND 407.533177
VUV 1.886785
WAVES 0.052069
WEMIX 0.080192
WOO 1.161562
WST 0.043460
XAF 9.188710
XAG 0.000257
XAU 0.000004
XAUT 0.000004
XBT 0.000000
XCD 0.042398
XCG 0.028207
XCH 0.009947
XDC 0.476174
XDR 0.011570
XEC 1,928.383079
XEM 27.399640
XLM 0.070312
XMR 0.000029
XOF 9.188710
XPD 0.000013
XPF 1.671611
XPT 0.000009
XRP 0.010403
XTZ 0.047695
YER 3.703319
ZAR 0.262161
ZEC 0.000012
ZIL 4.371745
ZMK 307.669024
ZMW 0.307669
ZWD 5.669515
ZWG 0.419321
ZWL 1,047.767693

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Cities in Mozambique 357
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Ajabo Aldeia Chuchamano Alto Ligonha Alto Molócue Alua Amatongas Ambanhe Ancuabe Angoche Bachite Balama Beira Bela Vista Belém Bene Bilibiza Bivar Boane Búzi Cabo Primeiro Cafumpe Caia Camacho Camele Campapa Canhaúfe Carapira Carinde Cassacatiza Catandica Cataxa Cateme Cava Cazuzu Changara Chemba Chessungalane Chibabava Chibuto Chicó Chiconono Chicoque Chicorôa Chicualacuala Chicumbane Chidenguele Chidona Chifunde Chigubo Chimbonila Chimoio Chimuara Chinde Chirara Chire Chissamuine Chissibuca Chissiduana Chitima Chitundo Chiúre Chókwè Chongoene Chotombo Corrane Cuamba Cumbana Cunzulene Dacata Dachudua Diaca Divinhe Doa Domasse Dombé Domue Dondo Elija Errego (Ile) Espungabera Farraça Fingoé Funhalouro Furancungo Garue Garuso Gêba Gilé Goba Gogoi Gondola Gorongosa Guara-Guara Guiducua Guijá Guludo Guro Gurúè Homoíne Hucula Iapala Ibo Ilha de Mocambique Imala Impire Inchope Inchúri Incoluane Ingoane Inhambane Inhaminga Inhamizua Inhanombe Inharrime Inhassoro Insaca (Mecanhelas) Jamo Jangamo Kambulatsisi Katapua Lalaua Lichinga Licuare Lindela Lioma Litingina Litunde Liupo Lugela Lumbo Lurio Mabalane Mabore Mabote Macauzo Machacane Machanga Machipanda Machoca (Tepere) Machomane Macia Macombi Macomia Macossa Maculuge Macuse Mafambisse Magagade Màgoé Magude Magul Mahongage Malanga (Majune) Malema Malongane Maluera Mamude Mandié Mandimba Manga Maniamba Manica Manilha Manjacaze Manje Mapai Mapelane Mapulanguene Maputo Maputo Maputumane Mareria Maringué Marracuene Marromeu Marrupa Masamba Massambala Massangulo Massinga Massingir Massitele Matola Máua Mavodze Mavululane Maxixe Mazungo Mbau Meconta Mecubúri Mecúfi Mecula Meloco Meluco Memba Mesa Messica Metangula Metarica Metico Metochéria Metoro Metuchira Metuge Miangalewa Mienguleia Miézi Miguel Milange Mitope Moamba Moatize Mocambique Mocímboa da Praia Mocubela Mogincual Molumbo Moma Monapo Montepuez Mopeia Morire Morrumbala Morrumbene Mpeme Muaguide Mualadzi Muane Muanza Muaria Muatide Muatua Muave Mucojo Mucumbura Muecate Mueda Muende Muepane Mugeba Muiane Mulevala Mulomba Mungari Murraca Murrebe Murrupula Mutarara Mute Mutua Mutuali Muxungue Muze N'gapa Nacala Nacala-a-Velha Nacarôa Nagulué Namacande Namacurra Namahaca Namaita Namapa Namaponda Namarrói Namaua Namecuna Namerrogolo Nametil Namialo Namina Nampuecha Nampula Namuno Nangade Nanili Napuda Natuco Negururo Nguida Nhabuto Nhacoongo Nhamassonge Nhamatanda Nhamedula Nhanguile Nharugue Nicoadala Nido Nkatha Nova Mambone Nova Vanduzi Ntamba Ntengo-Wa-Mbalane Olumbe Palma Palma Sede Palmeira Panda Pande Pangane Pebane Pemba Pessene Pomene Ponta do Ouro Praia de Bilene Pundanhar Quatine Quelimane Quinga Quissanga Quissico Quixaxe Rapale Ressano Garcia Riane Ribáuè Rôgia Rope Ruace Sabie Sanfar Semouque Sena Sicura Siluvo Simbe Simôgo Sitila Songo Sunate Sussundenga Tacuane Tambara Taninga Tete Tica Tsangano Uachave Ulongué Vila Franca do Save Vilanculos Vilankulo Vuende Vulalo Xai-Xai Ximana Xinavane Zambué Zandamela Ziamechia Zinvari Zitundo Zóbue Zumbo

Visa Requirements

Check what visa a citizen of Mozambique needs to enter any country.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capital of Mozambique?
The capital of Mozambique is Maputo.
What currency does Mozambique use?
Mozambique uses the Mozambican metical (MT) as its official currency.
What language is spoken in Mozambique?
The official language(s) of Mozambique include Portuguese.
What is the population of Mozambique?
Mozambique has a population of approximately 34,090,466 people.
What region is Mozambique in?
Mozambique is located in Africa, specifically in the Eastern Africa subregion.
What is the international calling code for Mozambique?
The international dialing code for Mozambique is +258.
What time zones does Mozambique observe?
Mozambique observes the following time zone(s): UTC+02:00.
What is the current time in Mozambique?
The local time in Mozambique is currently --:--. This time applies to the primary time zone.
What is the total area of Mozambique?
Mozambique covers a total area of 801,590 km².
How many states or provinces does Mozambique have?
Mozambique is divided into 11 states or provinces.
What are the public holidays in Mozambique in 2026?
You can view the complete list of public holidays for Mozambique in 2026 on the Holidays 2026 page.
What are the visa requirements for citizens of Mozambique?
Visa requirements for citizens of Mozambique vary by destination. Use our Visa Requirements Checker below to look up requirements for any destination country.