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: 2026-08-20
⌕
Currency CodeRate
1INCH 0.181076
AAVE 0.000164
ADA 0.084176
AED 0.057550
AFN 1.025644
AGIX 0.275397
AKT 0.030482
ALGO 0.190355
ALL 1.243362
AMD 5.688293
AMP 40.849794
ANG 0.028069
AOA 14.391508
APE 0.121853
APT 0.028013
AR 0.008431
ARB 0.179164
ARS 23.459936
ATOM 0.010501
ATS 0.184593
AUD 0.022045
AVAX 0.002313
AWG 0.028050
AXS 0.017386
AZM 133.195758
AZN 0.026639
BAKE 22.527908
BAM 0.026237
BAT 0.250616
BBD 0.031341
BCH 0.000074
BDT 1.906737
BEF 0.541156
BGN 0.026237
BHD 0.005892
BIF 46.609073
BMD 0.015670
BNB 0.000025
BND 0.019926
BOB 0.179990
BRL 0.081149
BSD 0.015670
BSV 0.000979
BSW 43.239698
BTC 0.000000
BTCB 0.264749
BTG 0.035713
BTN 1.498431
BTT 57,598.678443
BUSD 0.015660
BWP 0.210780
BYN 0.047380
BYR 307.095548
BZD 0.031477
CAD 0.021629
CAKE 0.009724
CDF 35.923103
CELO 0.250399
CFX 0.357782
CHF 0.012516
CHZ 1.225852
CLP 14.441587
CNH 0.105390
CNY 0.105396
COMP 0.000850
COP 47.838577
CRC 7.055007
CRO 0.314486
CRV 0.060061
CSPR 5.867357
CUC 0.015668
CUP 0.415206
CVE 1.479261
CVX 0.009688
CYP 0.007851
CZK 0.324233
DAI 0.015669
DASH 0.000493
DCR 0.001326
DEM 0.026237
DFI 15.748419
DJF 2.783252
DKK 0.100287
DOGE 0.208727
DOP 0.915195
DOT 0.019799
DYDX 0.142454
DZD 2.079690
EEK 0.209898
EGLD 0.005516
EGP 0.793733
ENJ 0.619285
EOS 0.237436
ERN 0.235057
ESP 2.232052
ETB 2.546698
ETC 0.002375
ETH 0.000007
EUR 0.013415
EURC 0.013510
FEI 0.015651
FIL 0.023278
FIM 0.079761
FJD 0.034481
FKP 0.011517
FLOW 0.541989
FLR 2.437213
FRAX 0.015804
FRF 0.087996
FTT 0.075499
GALA 10.875192
GBP 0.011517
GEL 0.040828
GGP 0.011517
GHC 1,733.984512
GHS 0.173398
GIP 0.011517
GMD 1.161244
GMX 0.002303
GNF 137.519118
GNO 0.000129
GRD 4.571128
GRT 1.119961
GT 0.002252
GTQ 0.119276
GUSD 0.015696
GYD 3.259539
HBAR 0.221112
HKD 0.122889
HNL 0.418938
HNT 0.090409
HOT 46.403943
HRK 0.101075
HT 0.137984
HTG 2.038137
HUF 4.881846
ICP 0.006757
IDR 278.964628
IEP 0.010565
ILS 0.046673
IMP 0.011517
IMX 0.149788
INJ 0.003374
INR 1.498431
IQD 20.409875
IRR 21,537.425508
ISK 1.907743
ITL 25.974873
JEP 0.011517
JMD 2.461724
JOD 0.011110
JPY 2.481513
KAS 0.587675
KAVA 0.380714
KCS 0.002148
KDA 3.337304
KES 2.028417
KGS 1.371859
KHR 63.111024
KLAY 0.637531
KMF 6.599699
KNC 0.148080
KPW 14.101331
KRW 21.838437
KSM 0.005089
KWD 0.004830
KYD 0.013017
KZT 7.228354
LAK 351.319186
LBP 1,400.679588
LDO 0.046247
LEO 0.001685
LINK 0.001495
LKR 5.156253
LRC 1.969756
LRD 2.837317
LSL 0.252306
LTC 0.000334
LTL 0.046319
LUF 0.541156
LUNA 0.354414
LUNC 310.172421
LVL 0.009428
LYD 0.099159
MAD 0.145025
MANA 0.233746
MBX 0.757774
MDL 0.268623
MGA 67.119358
MGF 335.596789
MINA 0.366694
MKD 0.827357
MKR 0.000011
MMK 32.899422
MNT 56.373192
MOP 0.126575
MRO 6.241258
MRU 0.624126
MTL 0.005759
MUR 0.736041
MVR 0.242245
MWK 27.048041
MXN 0.265577
MXV 0.030316
MYR 0.063352
MZM 1,000.0000
NAD 0.252306
NEAR 0.008989
NEO 0.008609
NEXO 0.020984
NFT 55,641.114775
NGN 21.103417
NIO 0.574982
NLG 0.029563
NOK 0.146174
NPR 2.398613
NZD 0.026363
OKB 0.000153
OMR 0.006031
ONE 21.720153
OP 0.176435
ORDI 0.004257
PAB 0.015670
PAXG 0.000003
PEN 0.052508
PEPE 5,409.608501
PGK 0.070352
PHP 0.965594
PI 0.174377
PKR 4.332056
PLN 0.057937
POL 0.191971
PTE 2.689446
PYG 93.765951
QAR 0.057040
QNT 0.000265
QTUM 0.021710
ROL 703.796841
RON 0.070380
RPL 0.010077
RSD 1.574207
RUB 1.316169
RUNE 0.036741
RVN 6.011220
RWF 22.978653
SAND 0.379389
SAR 0.058764
SBD 0.125369
SCR 0.227310
SDD 940.482372
SDG 9.404824
SEK 0.147888
SGD 0.019926
SHIB 3,307.260186
SHP 0.011517
SIT 3.214747
SKK 0.404137
SLE 0.359048
SLL 359.048399
SNX 0.076449
SOL 0.000185
SOS 8.887188
SPL 0.002612
SRD 0.592430
SRG 592.429598
SSP 88.835274
STD 330.809211
STN 0.330809
STX 0.120132
SUI 0.022204
SVC 0.137117
SYP 203.717157
SZL 0.252306
THB 0.514523
THETA 0.104261
TJS 0.143737
TMM 274.175820
TMT 0.054835
TND 0.045414
TOP 0.037329
TRL 751,469.383620
TRX 0.046914
TRY 0.751469
TTD 0.105929
TUSD 0.015694
TVD 0.022045
TWD 0.498898
TWT 0.039183
TZS 41.475746
UAH 0.699887
UGX 58.224064
UNI 0.004279
USD 0.015670
USDC 0.015667
USDD 0.015677
USDP 0.015687
USDT 0.015676
UYU 0.626982
UZS 184.054723
VAL 25.974873
VEB 1,216,450,742.927701
VED 12.137262
VEF 1,213,726.192441
VES 12.137262
VET 3.228431
VND 409.352361
VUV 1.853490
WAVES 0.079464
WEMIX 0.080971
WOO 1.420641
WST 0.042203
XAF 8.799599
XAG 0.000234
XAU 0.000003
XAUT 0.000004
XBT 0.000000
XCD 0.042419
XCG 0.028069
XCH 0.011061
XDC 0.563343
XDR 0.011444
XEC 2,234.922239
XEM 33.470590
XLM 0.091237
XMR 0.000037
XOF 8.799599
XPD 0.000012
XPF 1.600824
XPT 0.000009
XRP 0.014122
XTZ 0.071934
YER 3.715012
ZAR 0.252306
ZEC 0.000028
ZIL 6.446709
ZMK 293.554006
ZMW 0.293554
ZWD 5.671140
ZWG 0.417936
ZWL 1,044.307124

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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.