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: 2026-05-20
⌕
Currency CodeRate
1INCH 0.168566
AAVE 0.000176
ADA 0.062444
AED 0.057502
AFN 0.983990
AGIX 0.185306
AKT 0.019768
ALGO 0.133488
ALL 1.285523
AMD 5.759960
AMP 18.577952
ANG 0.028223
AOA 14.356354
APE 0.106955
APT 0.016356
AR 0.007019
ARB 0.138358
ARS 21.888851
ATOM 0.007778
ATS 0.185352
AUD 0.021883
AVAX 0.001672
AWG 0.028027
AXS 0.012856
AZM 133.087888
AZN 0.026618
BAKE 18.013080
BAM 0.026345
BAT 0.157440
BBD 0.031315
BCH 0.000042
BDT 1.924724
BEF 0.543381
BGN 0.026345
BHD 0.005887
BIF 46.623553
BMD 0.015657
BNB 0.000024
BND 0.020011
BOB 0.108182
BRL 0.078371
BSD 0.015657
BSV 0.001039
BSW 21.117173
BTC 0.000000
BTG 0.048982
BTN 1.513744
BTT 48,568.315393
BUSD 0.015664
BWP 0.212391
BYN 0.042901
BYR 429.014403
BZD 0.031525
CAD 0.021530
CAKE 0.010674
CDF 35.933624
CELO 0.191294
CFX 0.263823
CHF 0.012327
CHZ 0.340880
CLP 14.072046
CNH 0.106483
CNY 0.106488
COMP 0.000685
COP 58.118256
CRC 7.080466
CRO 0.225952
CRV 0.065135
CSPR 5.275195
CUC 0.015657
CUP 0.375785
CVE 1.485344
CVX 0.009063
CYP 0.007884
CZK 0.327313
DAI 0.015667
DASH 0.000311
DCR 0.000897
DEM 0.026345
DFI 17.323879
DJF 2.790797
DKK 0.100660
DOGE 0.149683
DOP 0.922141
DOT 0.012503
DYDX 0.102460
DZD 2.078012
EEK 0.210761
EGLD 0.003946
EGP 0.836502
ENJ 0.346557
EOS 0.192106
ERN 0.234861
ESP 2.241231
ETB 2.527456
ETC 0.001725
ETH 0.000007
EUR 0.013470
EURC 0.013460
FEI 0.015752
FIL 0.016145
FIM 0.080089
FJD 0.034465
FKP 0.011648
FLOW 0.433462
FLR 1.873775
FRAX 0.015770
FRF 0.088358
FTT 0.047713
GALA 4.575278
GBP 0.011648
GEL 0.041782
GGP 0.011648
GHC 1,808.041513
GHS 0.180804
GIP 0.011648
GMD 1.152671
GMX 0.002341
GNF 137.358694
GNO 0.000131
GRD 4.589925
GRT 0.619717
GT 0.002211
GTQ 0.119382
GUSD 0.015691
GYD 3.275418
HBAR 0.174948
HKD 0.122644
HNL 0.416483
HNT 0.018859
HOT 38.769911
HRK 0.101490
HT 0.108586
HTG 2.050151
HUF 4.844381
ICP 0.006120
IDR 276.440211
IEP 0.010609
ILS 0.045488
IMP 0.011648
IMX 0.090502
INJ 0.003082
INR 1.513744
IQD 20.513762
IRR 20,694.862453
ISK 1.931629
ITL 26.081687
JEP 0.011648
JMD 2.477780
JOD 0.011101
JPY 2.487843
KAS 0.447911
KAVA 0.265308
KCS 0.001953
KDA 1.893477
KES 2.027620
KGS 1.369597
KHR 62.805507
KLAY 0.306164
KMF 6.626839
KNC 0.108937
KPW 14.091947
KRW 23.433992
KSM 0.003124
KWD 0.004836
KYD 0.013021
KZT 7.394535
LAK 343.548139
LBP 1,397.748653
LDO 0.043256
LEO 0.001557
LINK 0.001621
LKR 5.395403
LRC 0.929144
LRD 2.866118
LSL 0.257878
LTC 0.000288
LTL 0.046509
LUF 0.543381
LUNA 0.244581
LUNC 204.014496
LVL 0.009467
LYD 0.099673
MAD 0.144435
MANA 0.175062
MBX 0.400143
MDL 0.272173
MGA 65.748861
MGF 328.744305
MINA 0.272944
MKD 0.830337
MKR 0.000009
MMK 32.876429
MNT 56.026790
MOP 0.126324
MRO 6.259037
MRU 0.625904
MTL 0.005783
MUR 0.742225
MVR 0.241834
MWK 27.150756
MXN 0.270860
MXV 0.030762
MYR 0.062151
MZM 1,000.0000
NAD 0.257878
NEAR 0.009367
NEO 0.005378
NEXO 0.017718
NFT 55,420.697172
NGN 21.476276
NIO 0.576244
NLG 0.029684
NOK 0.145116
NPR 2.423126
NZD 0.026669
OKB 0.000193
OMR 0.006027
ONE 7.710408
OP 0.120396
ORDI 0.003653
PAB 0.015657
PAXG 0.000003
PEN 0.053524
PEPE 4,178.272928
PGK 0.068281
PHP 0.962740
PI 0.103108
PKR 4.363117
PLN 0.057216
POL 0.172065
PTE 2.700506
PYG 96.582444
QAR 0.056993
QNT 0.000212
QTUM 0.017383
ROL 705.585090
RON 0.070559
RPL 0.008952
RSD 1.581696
RUB 1.119521
RUNE 0.035461
RVN 2.840070
RWF 22.919245
SAND 0.215693
SAR 0.058715
SBD 0.125825
SCR 0.228954
SDD 939.753535
SDG 9.397535
SEK 0.146226
SGD 0.020011
SHIB 2,692.650775
SHP 0.011648
SIT 3.227967
SKK 0.405799
SLE 0.357770
SLL 357.770268
SNX 0.049297
SOL 0.000180
SOS 8.935372
SPL 0.002610
SRD 0.581446
SRG 581.445804
SSP 73.706667
STD 332.651849
STN 0.332652
STX 0.064215
SUI 0.014508
SVC 0.137002
SYP 1.730917
SZL 0.257878
THB 0.509799
THETA 0.077294
TJS 0.145546
TMM 274.698537
TMT 0.054940
TND 0.045501
TON 0.007588
TOP 0.037708
TRL 713,706.955720
TRX 0.043697
TRY 0.713707
TTD 0.106178
TUSD 0.015679
TVD 0.021883
TWD 0.494606
TWT 0.033801
TZS 40.918221
UAH 0.693167
UGX 59.062157
UNI 0.004334
USD 0.015657
USDC 0.015666
USDD 0.015666
USDP 0.015682
USDT 0.015676
UYU 0.631435
UZS 189.320132
VAL 26.081687
VEB 811,901,091.518428
VED 8.118725
VEF 811,872.471353
VES 8.118725
VET 2.345168
VND 412.859434
VUV 1.862558
WAVES 0.040285
WEMIX 0.055918
WOO 0.908620
WST 0.042397
XAF 8.835785
XAG 0.000206
XAU 0.000003
XAUT 0.000003
XBT 0.000000
XCD 0.042391
XCG 0.028223
XCH 0.004329
XDC 0.446825
XDR 0.011460
XEC 2,152.409668
XEM 23.304961
XLM 0.108410
XMR 0.000039
XOF 8.835785
XPD 0.000011
XPF 1.607407
XPT 0.000008
XRP 0.011373
XTZ 0.045742
YER 3.736133
ZAR 0.257878
ZEC 0.000024
ZIL 3.937284
ZMK 297.368138
ZMW 0.297368
ZWD 5.666413
ZWG 0.410924
ZWL 1,026.786613

No currencies match your search.

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.