Mozambique

• Rio Zambeze (Zambezi) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 2,740 km;
• Rio Limpopo river mouth (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 1,800 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

• three large population clusters are found along the southern coast between Maputo and Inhambane, in the central area between Beira and Chimoio along the Zambezi River, and in and around the northern cities of Nampula, Cidade de Nacala, and Pemba;
• the northwest and southwest are the least populated areas, as shown in this population distribution map

noun:

Mozambican(s)

adjective:

Mozambican

total:

17.4 years (2025 est.)

male:

16.7 years

female:

17.9 years

• three large population clusters are found along the southern coast between Maputo and Inhambane, in the central area between Beira and Chimoio along the Zambezi River, and in and around the northern cities of Nampula, Cidade de Nacala, and Pemba;
• the northwest and southwest are the least populated areas, as shown in this population distribution map

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.97 male(s)/female

total population:

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

56.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

60.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

56.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

58.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

57.1 years

female:

59.6 years

total:

1.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

1.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

14.3% (2020 est.)

male:

23% (2020 est.)

female:

5.6% (2020 est.)

women married by age 15:

16.8% (2015)

women married by age 18:

52.9% (2015)

men married by age 18:

9.7% (2015)

• increased population migration to urban and coastal areas;
• desertification;
• soil erosion;
• deforestation;
• water pollution from artisanal mining;
• pollution of surface and coastal waters;
• wildlife preservation (elephant poaching for ivory)

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

urban population:

38.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

4.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

energy:

320.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

169.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

117.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

101.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

2.5 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

5.2% (2022 est.)

municipal:

372 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

25 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

1.076 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Mozambique

conventional short form:

Mozambique

local long form:

Republica de Mocambique

local short form:

Mocambique

former:

Portuguese East Africa, People's Republic of Mozambique

etymology:

named for an offshore island; the island was named after Mussa bin BIQUE (or Mussa Ibn MALIK), an influential Arab slave trader who set himself up as sultan on the island in the 15th century

name:

Maputo

geographic coordinates:

25 57 S, 32 35 E

time difference:

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

• named after the Maputo River, which drains into Maputo Bay south of the city;
• the river is said to be named after the son of Muagobe, a local chief in the 18th century

• 10 provinces ( provincias , singular - provincia ), 1 city ( cidade )*;
• Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

history:

previous 1975, 1990; latest adopted 16 November 2004, effective 21 December 2004

amendment process:

• proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one third of the Assembly of the Republic membership;
• passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, including the independence and sovereignty of the state, the republican form of government, basic rights and freedoms, and universal suffrage, requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and approval in a referendum;
• referenda not required for passage of other amendments

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Mozambique

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years

chief of state:

President Daniel Francisco CHAPO (since 15 January 2025)

head of government:

Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Delfina LEVI (since 17 January 2025)

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the president

election/appointment process:

• president elected directly by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 consecutive terms);
• prime minister appointed by the president

most recent election date:

9 October 2024

election results:

• 2024 : Daniel CHAPO elected president in first round;
• percent of vote - Daniel CHAPO (FRELIMO) 65.2%, Venâncio MONDLANE (PODEMOS) 24.2%, Ossufo MOMADE (RENAMO) 6.6%

expected date of next election:

October 2029

legislature name:

Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

250 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

10/9/2024

parties elected and seats per party:

• Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) (171);
• Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (PODEMOS) (43);
• Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) (28);
• Other (8)

percentage of women in chamber:

38.3%

expected date of next election:

October 2029

highest court(s):

Supreme Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 5 judges); Constitutional Council (consists of 7 judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic;
• vice president appointed by the president in consultation with the Higher Council of the Judiciary (CSMJ) and ratified by the Assembly of the Republic;
• other judges elected by the Assembly;
• judges serve 5-year renewable terms;
• Constitutional Council judges appointed - 1 by the president, 5 by the Assembly, and 1 by the CSMJ;
• judges serve 5-year nonrenewable terms

subordinate courts:

• Administrative Court (capital city only);
• provincial courts or Tribunais Judicias de Provincia;
• District Courts or Tribunais Judicias de Districto;
• customs courts;
• maritime courts;
• courts marshal;
• labor courts;
• community courts

• Democratic Movement of Mozambique (Movimento Democratico de Mocambique) or MDM
• Liberation Front of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO
• Mozambican National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or RENAMO

chief of mission:

Ambassador Alfredo Fabião NUVUNGA (since 19 April 2023)

chancery:

1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:

[1] (202) 293-7147

FAX:

[1] (202) 835-0245

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://usa.embamoc.gov.mz/

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Abigail L. DRESSEL (since 11 August 2025)

embassy:

Avenida Marginal 5467, Maputo

mailing address:

2330 Maputo Place, Washington DC 20521-2330

telephone:

[258] (84) 095-8000

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://mz.usembassy.gov/

description:

• three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow, with a red isosceles triangle based on the left side;
• the black band is edged in white;
• centered in the triangle is a five-pointed yellow star with a crossed black-and-white rifle and hoe, on top of an open white book

meaning:

• green stands for the riches of the land, white for peace, black for the African continent, yellow for the country's minerals, and red for the fight for independence;
• the rifle stands for defense and vigilance, the hoe for agriculture, the open book for the importance of education, and the star for Marxism and internationalism

note: one of two national flags featuring a firearm; the other is Guatemala

title:

“Pátria Amada” (Lovely Fatherland)

lyrics/music:

Salomão J. MANHICA/unkown

history:

adopted 2002; the new anthem reflects the new multi-party political system

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Island of Mozambique

• low-income East African economy;
• subsistence farming dominates labor force;
• return to growth led by agriculture and extractive industries;
• Islamist insurgency threatens natural gas projects in north;
• ongoing foreign debt restructuring and resolution under IMF Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative

agriculture:

26.3% (2024 est.)

industry:

24.6% (2024 est.)

services:

38.4% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

7.4% (2024 est.)

male:

7.5% (2024 est.)

female:

7.2% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

1.7% (2019 est.)

highest 10%:

41.1% (2019 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

production:

10.583 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption:

13,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

10.658 million metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

900 metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

1.792 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

production:

8.873 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption:

1.625 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports:

7.09 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

2.832 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

total subscriptions:

29,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2022 est.) less than 1

• 1 state-run TV station supplemented by a private TV station;
• Portuguese state TV's African service, RTP Africa, and Brazilian-owned TV Miramar are available;
• state-run radio provides nearly 100% territorial coverage and broadcasts in multiple languages;
• a number of privately owned and community-operated stations;
• transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)

total:

65,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2022 est.) less than 1

total:

4,787 km (2014)

narrow gauge:

4,787 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total ports:

11 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

2

small:

5

very small:

4

ports with oil terminals:

3

key ports:

Beira, Chinde, Inhambane, Maputo, Mocambique, Pebane, Porto Belo

• registration for military service is mandatory for all men and women at 18 years of age;
• 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service;
• 18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women;
• initial 60-month service obligation (2025)

• the FADM is responsible for external security, cooperating with police on internal security, and responding to natural disasters and other emergencies;
• the primary focus of the FADM is countering an insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado by militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham terrorist group (ISIS-Mozambique; known locally as Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama‘a);
• since 2017, the conflict has claimed an estimated 6,000 lives and displaced an estimated one million persons;
• at Mozambique's request, Rwanda and several southern African countries under the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) deployed forces to Mozambique to combat the insurgency in 2021;
• the SADC forces departed in 2024;
• as of 2025, Rwanda continued to provide approximately 3,000 military and police personnel to assist Mozambican Defense and Security Forces, along with several hundred Tanzanian troops;
• the EU has also provided training assistance (2025)

refugees:

24,250 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

718,154 (2024 est.)