Mozambique
Africa Β· Capital: Maputo
How it is run: Mozambique is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Mozambique is home to 35.6 million people in Eastern Africa, where people speak Portuguese.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
35.6 million people
That is 0.4% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
801,590 kmΒ²
Bigger than Texas β a long road trip from one side to the other.
ποΈ How crowded
About 44 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
13th most people in Africa
16th largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
Portuguese
π° Money
Mozambican metical (MT)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
63.8 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$627
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
37.2% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
44.2% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+258
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.mz
π§ People here are called
Mozambican
π·οΈ Name at home
Moçambique
Also written: Republic of Mozambique, República de Moçambique.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Mozambique touches 6 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Mozambique
French
Mozambique
Arabic
Ω ΩΨ²Ω Ψ¨ΩΩ
Chinese
θ«ζ‘ζ―ε
Japanese
γ’γΆγ³γγΌγ―
Russian
ΠΠΎΠ·Π°ΠΌΠ±ΠΈΠΊ
Portuguese
Moçambique
German
Mosambik
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 6.7Γ as many people as Mozambique.
- Mozambique covers roughly 7,634 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Mozambique lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 17,816 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: π²πΏ is the flag of Mozambique. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is MZ.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Mozambique
ποΈ Capital
Maputo
π Region
Africa Β· Eastern Africa
π€ Country code
MZ
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Mozambique π
π§ Where on the map
18.3Β° S, 35.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Southern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+2 β when it is noon in London it is about 14:00 in Maputo.
- Mozambique is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- The capital of Mozambique is Maputo β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- π²πΏ is the flag of Mozambique. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is MZ.
- Mozambique is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Mozambique shares its part of the world with Uganda. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Mozambique has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Mozambique can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Mozambique spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Mozambique?
Maputo
Which money do people spend in Mozambique?
Mozambican metical (MT)
How many countries share a land border with Mozambique?
6 β Malawi, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Roughly how many people live in Mozambique?
35.6 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.