Mozambique

Ilha do Ibo, Mozambique
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ilha_do_Ibo_-_sunset-01.jpg
Author: Rosino


Mozambique is a country along the coast of southeastern Africa. It covers 801,590 sq km (309,496 sq mi) and has a population of 23 million people (2011 estimate). The capital and biggest city is Maputo. Mozambique is bordered by Tanzania to the north, Malawi in the center north, Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and South Africa and Swaziland to the southwest. It has a coastline facing the Indian Ocean to the east.

Mozambique fishermen in the Indian Ocean
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mozambique_-_traditional_sailboat.jpg
Author: Steve Evans


Mozambique is in the Central African Time zone, which is two hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time without observance of Daylight Saving Time. The official language of the country is Portuguese, while common languages spoken include Swahili, Makhuwa and Sena. Its official currency is the Mozambican metical (MZN). Traffic is driven on the left, just as in Britain. The phone IDD code is +258. The electricity is 220V/50Hz using European plug.

In 2009, it had an estimated nominal GDP of just $9.831 billion, equivalent to a per capita nominal GDP of only $464. The per capita GDP at purchasing power parity is $933. Mozambique is a very poor country. Having said that however, the country has posted high GDP growth in the past decade (2001-2010), averaging 7.9%.

Sunset at Ilha do Ibo, Mozambique
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ilha_do_Ibo-sunset-02.jpg
Author: Rosino


Mozambique was historically settled by Bantu-speaking tribes. Arab traders and merchants established settlements along its coastal areas. By around 1500, the Portuguese became the first European to arrive. They gradually increased their control and made Mozambique a colony. Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal on 25 June, 1975.

Mozambique experiences a tropical climate with two distinct season. The wet season is from October to March while the dry season from April to September. The hottest part of the year is February, when temperature goes up to 31°C (87.8°F) while the coolest is July, when it may drop to 13°C (55.4°F).

Landscape of Mozambique
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:On_the_road_again.jpg
Author: Stig Nygaard

Planning your visit to Mozambique

Apart from the citizens of Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius, Swaziland, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, all other visitors to Mozambique need a visa. It can be obtained upon arrival at the airport in Maputo.

Maputo International Airport (MPM) is the biggest airport and main gateway to Mozambique. TAP Portugal operates scheduled flights connecting Maputo with Lisbon.

Major Cities in Mozambique

Places of Interest in Mozambique

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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

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