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: 2026-07-06
⌕
Currency CodeRate
1INCH 0.218434
AAVE 0.000177
ADA 0.083410
AED 0.057503
AFN 0.995497
AGIX 0.200688
AKT 0.024964
ALGO 0.174911
ALL 1.283482
AMD 5.761552
AMP 35.103633
ANG 0.028236
AOA 14.379905
APE 0.111694
APT 0.025036
AR 0.007844
ARB 0.195758
ARS 23.370062
ATOM 0.009902
ATS 0.188455
AUD 0.022603
AVAX 0.002268
AWG 0.028027
AXS 0.015506
AZM 133.090091
AZN 0.026618
BAKE 20.838085
BAM 0.026786
BAT 0.177787
BBD 0.031315
BCH 0.000065
BDT 1.930174
BEF 0.552477
BGN 0.026786
BHD 0.005887
BIF 46.612960
BMD 0.015658
BNB 0.000027
BND 0.020238
BOB 0.108463
BRL 0.080920
BSD 0.015658
BSV 0.001061
BSW 46.781899
BTC 0.000000
BTCB 0.295461
BTG 0.054262
BTN 1.491781
BTT 59,038.492258
BUSD 0.015644
BWP 0.211327
BYN 0.045469
BYR 306.919780
BZD 0.031536
CAD 0.022249
CAKE 0.010812
CDF 36.126025
CELO 0.233057
CFX 0.349977
CHF 0.012596
CHZ 0.867298
CLP 14.423832
CNH 0.106337
CNY 0.106295
COMP 0.000934
COP 52.336204
CRC 7.134988
CRO 0.261956
CRV 0.073243
CSPR 8.062136
CUC 0.015659
CUP 0.414968
CVE 1.510209
CVX 0.013019
CYP 0.008016
CZK 0.331244
DAI 0.015665
DASH 0.000445
DCR 0.001411
DEM 0.026786
DFI 18.846216
DJF 2.788518
DKK 0.102373
DOGE 0.202614
DOP 0.927972
DOT 0.017949
DYDX 0.118562
DZD 2.082374
EEK 0.214289
EGLD 0.005665
EGP 0.769135
ENJ 0.541027
EOS 0.216171
ERN 0.234865
ESP 2.278748
ETB 2.504529
ETC 0.002205
ETH 0.000009
EUR 0.013696
EURC 0.013706
FEI 0.015663
FIL 0.019830
FIM 0.081430
FJD 0.035159
FKP 0.011735
FLOW 0.558718
FLR 2.252604
FRAX 0.015828
FRF 0.089837
FTT 0.065734
GALA 6.834672
GBP 0.011735
GEL 0.041126
GGP 0.011735
GHC 1,778.863177
GHS 0.177886
GIP 0.011735
GMD 1.154664
GMX 0.002642
GNF 137.279138
GNO 0.000149
GRD 4.666760
GRT 0.825280
GT 0.002310
GTQ 0.119516
GUSD 0.015678
GYD 3.277388
HBAR 0.207359
HKD 0.122804
HNL 0.419190
HNT 0.065339
HOT 43.389617
HRK 0.103189
HT 0.437013
HTG 2.049504
HUF 4.842790
ICP 0.007103
IDR 281.720398
IEP 0.010786
ILS 0.047030
IMP 0.011735
IMX 0.113327
INJ 0.003205
INR 1.491781
IQD 20.530228
IRR 21,546.238316
ISK 1.972181
ITL 26.518289
JEP 0.011735
JMD 2.480527
JOD 0.011101
JPY 2.534188
KAS 0.510431
KAVA 0.347032
KCS 0.002169
KDA 2.686422
KES 2.024392
KGS 1.369485
KHR 62.784576
KMF 6.737771
KNC 0.140467
KPW 14.093261
KRW 24.000998
KSM 0.004443
KWD 0.004859
KYD 0.013026
KZT 7.402050
LAK 354.004759
LBP 1,406.111291
LDO 0.057963
LEO 0.001673
LINK 0.001961
LKR 5.243674
LRC 1.274372
LRD 2.843806
LSL 0.254496
LTC 0.000347
LTL 0.047288
LUF 0.552477
LUNA 0.318835
LUNC 255.030816
LVL 0.009625
LYD 0.100434
MAD 0.146613
MANA 0.225022
MBX 0.622581
MDL 0.275592
MGA 66.443706
MGF 332.218530
MINA 0.330270
MKD 0.843670
MKR 0.000011
MMK 32.870542
MNT 56.119222
MOP 0.126488
MRO 6.253205
MRU 0.625320
MTL 0.005880
MUR 0.736015
MVR 0.242058
MWK 27.160345
MXN 0.273685
MXV 0.031033
MYR 0.063840
MZM 1,000.0000
NAD 0.254496
NEAR 0.007858
NEO 0.007916
NEXO 0.020353
NFT 59,080.990447
NGN 21.455366
NIO 0.576372
NLG 0.030181
NOK 0.154015
NPR 2.387969
NZD 0.027521
OKB 0.000196
OMR 0.006026
ONE 12.526941
OP 0.145643
ORDI 0.004823
PAB 0.015658
PAXG 0.000004
PEN 0.053319
PEPE 5,740.543357
PGK 0.068883
PHP 0.963148
PI 0.138412
PKR 4.356113
PLN 0.058790
POL 0.212907
PTE 2.745712
PYG 95.239712
QAR 0.056994
QNT 0.000234
QTUM 0.022027
ROL 715.730923
RON 0.071573
RPL 0.007733
RSD 1.606378
RUB 1.206543
RUNE 0.037861
RVN 4.108425
RWF 22.952108
SAND 0.313822
SAR 0.058716
SBD 0.126703
SCR 0.223745
SDD 939.843543
SDG 9.398435
SEK 0.151141
SGD 0.020238
SHIB 3,576.211692
SHP 0.011735
SIT 3.282002
SKK 0.412592
SLE 0.357620
SLL 357.620174
SNX 0.068378
SOL 0.000194
SOS 8.941162
SPL 0.002610
SRD 0.589427
SRG 589.426621
SSP 74.361138
STD 338.030929
STN 0.338031
STX 0.091568
SUI 0.020958
SVC 0.137005
SYP 1.730841
SZL 0.254496
THB 0.520465
THETA 0.111613
TJS 0.145135
TMM 274.728543
TMT 0.054946
TND 0.046158
TOP 0.037708
TRL 733,020.341658
TRX 0.047678
TRY 0.733020
TTD 0.106096
TUSD 0.015690
TVD 0.022603
TWD 0.502458
TWT 0.045547
TZS 41.142208
UAH 0.697793
UGX 57.221161
UNI 0.004954
USD 0.015658
USDC 0.015663
USDD 0.015674
USDP 0.015705
USDT 0.015675
UYU 0.630206
UZS 187.387701
VAL 26.518289
VEB 1,009,039,933.466917
VED 10.089501
VEF 1,008,950.098886
VES 10.089501
VET 3.319084
VND 411.799755
VUV 1.881924
WAVES 0.058923
WEMIX 0.060478
WOO 1.322372
WST 0.043306
XAF 8.983694
XAG 0.000254
XAU 0.000004
XAUT 0.000004
XBT 0.000000
XCD 0.042383
XCG 0.028236
XCH 0.009935
XDC 0.557242
XDR 0.011549
XEC 2,947.652230
XEM 36.575468
XLM 0.078430
XMR 0.000048
XOF 8.983694
XPD 0.000012
XPF 1.634314
XPT 0.000010
XRP 0.013678
XTZ 0.062926
YER 3.710763
ZAR 0.254496
ZEC 0.000034
ZIL 5.075744
ZMK 287.307247
ZMW 0.287307
ZWD 5.666507
ZWG 0.419994
ZWL 1,049.450329

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Cities in Mozambique 357
Browse all cities and towns
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.