Mozambique
Mozambique⌘K
Overview
- Background
- In the first half of the second millennium A.D., northern Mozambican port towns were frequented by traders from Somalia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Arabia, Persia, and India. The Portuguese were able to wrest much of the coastal trade from Arab Muslims in the centuries after 1500, and they set up their own colonies. Portugal did not relinquish Mozambique until 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development until the mid-1990s.
The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free-market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando GUEBUZA, served two terms and then passed executive power to Filipe NYUSI in 2015. RENAMO’s residual armed forces intermittently engaged in a low-level insurgency after 2012, but a 2016 cease-fire eventually led to the two sides signing a comprehensive peace deal in 2019.
Since 2017, violent extremists -- who an official ISIS media outlet recognized as ISIS's network in Mozambique for the first time in 2019 -- have been conducting attacks against civilians and security services in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. In 2021, Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community deployed forces to support Mozambique’s efforts to counter the extremist group.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 786,380 sq km
- Water
- 13,000 sq km
- Total
- 799,380 sq km
- Climate
- tropical to subtropical
- Terrain
- mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
Land Use
- Other
- 5.5% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 41.7% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 52.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 45.1% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
- Coastline
- 2,470 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Indian Ocean 0 m
- Highest point
- Monte Binga 2,436 m
- Mean elevation
- 345 m
- Irrigated land
- 1,180 sq km (2012)
- Map references
- Africa
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 4,783 km
- Border countries
- Malawi 1498 km; South Africa 496 km; Eswatini 108 km; Tanzania 840 km; Zambia 439 km; Zimbabwe 1,402 km
Maritime Claims
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces
- Geography note
- the Zambezi River flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country
- Natural resources
- coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite
- Area comparative
- slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California
- Geographic coordinates
- 18 15 S, 35 00 E
- Population distribution
- 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
Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)
- Fresh water lake(s)
- Lake Malawi (shared with Malawi and Tanzania) - 22,490
Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)
- Indian ocean drainage
- Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
- Major rivers (BY length in km)
- 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
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 74.1% (2022 est.)
- Female
- 50.9% (2022 est.)
- Total population
- 61.7% (2022 est.)
- Languages
- Makhuwa 26.1%, Portuguese (official) 16.6%, Tsonga 8.6%, Nyanja 8.1, Sena 7.1%, Lomwe 7.1%, Chuwabo 4.7%, Ndau 3.8%, Tswa 3.8%, other Mozambican languages 11.8%, other 0.5%, unspecified 1.8% (2017 est.)
- Religions
- Catholic 27.3%, Islam 19.1%, Pentecostal 16.7%, Saio/Zione 16.3%, no religion 13.5%, other 4.3%, Anglican 1.7%, unknown 1.2% (2017 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 0.93 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 36.07 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 9.34 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 16.7 years
- Total
- 17.4 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 17.9 years
Population
- Male
- 16,880,529
- Total
- 34,206,144 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 17,325,615
Nationality
- Noun
- Mozambican(s)
- Adjective
- Mozambican
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 23% (2020 est.)
- Total
- 14.3% (2020 est.)
- Female
- 5.6% (2020 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 38.8% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 4.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 44.7% (male 7,548,247/female 7,350,012)
- 15 64 years
- 52.4% (male 8,428,457/female 9,061,065)
- 65 years and over
- 2.9% (2024 est.) (male 473,030/female 490,143)
- Ethnic groups
- African 99% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Mestizo 0.8%, other (includes European, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese) 0.2% (2017 est.)
Child Marriage
- Men married BY age 18
- 9.7% (2015)
- Women married BY age 15
- 16.8% (2015)
- Women married BY age 18
- 52.9% (2015)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 89.2 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 83.7 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 18.3 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 5.5 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 9.1% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 8% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 4.58 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 48.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 63.2% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 87.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 51.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 36.8% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 12.7% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 6% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 20.4% national budget (2021 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 60.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 56.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 56.2 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 2.53% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 2.26 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- 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
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 57.1 years
- Female
- 59.6 years
- Total population
- 58.3 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 82 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 24.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 42.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 71.8% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 75.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 57.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 28.2% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 1.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 1.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 1.852 million Matola, 1.163 million MAPUTO (capital), 969,000 Nampula (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 7.2% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 19.2 years (2011 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 64.8% (2023 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 15.4% (2022 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 11 years (2017 est.)
- Total
- 10 years (2017 est.)
- Female
- 10 years (2017 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- 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
Capital
- Name
- Maputo
- 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
- Time difference
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 25 57 S, 32 35 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- 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
Constitution
- 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
Country Name
- 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
- Local long form
- Republica de Mocambique
- Local short form
- Mocambique
- Conventional long form
- Republic of Mozambique
- Conventional short form
- Mozambique
- Independence
- 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
- Legal system
- mixed system of Portuguese civil law and customary law
- Government type
- presidential republic
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 5 judges); Constitutional Council (consists of 7 judges)
- 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
- 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
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- Cabinet appointed by the president
- Chief of state
- President Daniel Francisco CHAPO (since 15 January 2025)
- 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%- Head of government
- Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Delfina LEVI (since 17 January 2025)
- Most recent election date
- 9 October 2024
- 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
- Expected date of next election
- October 2029
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 25 June (1975)
- National color(s)
- green, black, yellow, white, red
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 1 (cultural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Island of Mozambique
- Political parties
- 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
Legislative Branch
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 250 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- proportional representation
- Legislature name
- Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Legislative structure
- unicameral
- Most recent election date
- 10/9/2024
- Expected date of next election
- October 2029
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 38.3%
- 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)
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- “Pátria Amada” (Lovely Fatherland)
- History
- adopted 2002; the new anthem reflects the new multi-party political system
- Lyrics/music
- Salomão J. MANHICA/unkown
- National symbol(s)
- rifle, hoe, and book
- Administrative divisions
- 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 835-0245
- Chancery
- 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 293-7147
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Alfredo Fabião NUVUNGA (since 19 April 2023)
- Email address and website
washington.dc@embamoc.gov.mz
https://usa.embamoc.gov.mz/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Embassy
- Avenida Marginal 5467, Maputo
- Telephone
- [258] (84) 095-8000
- Mailing address
- 2330 Maputo Place, Washington DC 20521-2330
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Abigail L. DRESSEL (since 11 August 2025)
- Email address and website
MaputaConsular@state.gov
https://mz.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, Union Latina, UPU, WCO, WFP, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Legislature
MOZAMBIQUE · LEGISLATURE
Assembly of the Republic
250 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
250
Majority line
126
Largest party
Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO)
Parties
4
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Daniel Chapo
- Head of State
Maria Benvinda Levy
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $6.243 billion (2024 est.)
- Expenditures
- $7.223 billion (2024 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $9.7B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2022
- $9.409 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $9.405 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $9.358 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $12.0B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2022
- $15.932 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $11.18 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $10.488 billion (2024 est.)
- Industries
- aluminum, petroleum products, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco, food, beverages
- Labor force
- 15.173 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 71.8%
- Note
- note: central government debt as a % of GDP
- Public debt 2022
- 76.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2022
- 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- meticais (MZM) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 69.465 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 65.465 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 63.851 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 63.886 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 63.905 (2024 est.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- Debt external 2023
- $8.274 billion (2023 est.)
- Economic overview
- 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
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 6.6%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 3.6% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 3.6% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 3.6% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- India 18%, China 13%, South Africa 9%, UAE 6%, Thailand 4% (2023)
- Imports partners
- South Africa 34%, China 14%, India 13%, UAE 6%, Singapore 3% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $1,705
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $1,500 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $1,500 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $1,500 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.1%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 4.4% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 5.4% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 1.9% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- cassava, maize, sugarcane, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, coconuts, onions (2023)
- Exports commodities
- coal, natural gas, aluminum, gold, precious stones (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, chromium ore, iron alloys, iron ore, palm oil (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$2.5B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2022
- -$6.367 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$2.207 billion (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- -$2.498 billion (2024 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 22.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $22.417 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 69% (2024 est.)
- Government consumption
- 17.1% (2024 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 0% (2024 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 24.1% (2024 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 42.7% (2024 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -52.9% (2024 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 62.8% (2019 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 4.1%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 10.3% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 7.1% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 4.1% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 2.9% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $51.786 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $48.222 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $50.844 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $51.786 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 7.5% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 7.4% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 7.2% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $2.939 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $3.637 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $3.843 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 24.6% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 38.4% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 26.3% (2024 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 1.7% (2019 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 41.1% (2019 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2019
- 50.3 (2019 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Exports
- 10.658 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 900 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Production
- 10.583 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 13,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 1.792 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 42,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Exports
- 11.483 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 8.287 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 12.983 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 2.86 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 3.38 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Exports
- 7.09 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Production
- 8.873 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 1.625 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 2.832 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification rural areas
- 5%
- Electrification urban areas
- 79.4%
- Electrification total population
- 33.2% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 5.789 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Solar
- 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 16.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Hydroelectricity
- 82.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Biomass and waste
- 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 20% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- 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)
- Internet country code
- .mz
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 29,000 (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- (2022 est.) less than 1
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 17.1 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 50 (2024 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 65,000 (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- (2022 est.) less than 1
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 5
- Medium
- 2
- Key ports
- Beira, Chinde, Inhambane, Maputo, Mocambique, Pebane, Porto Belo
- Very small
- 4
- Total ports
- 11 (2024)
- Ports with oil terminals
- 3
- Airports
- 92 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 4,787 km (2014)
- Narrow gauge
- 4,787 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 36 (2023)
- BY type
- general cargo 9, other 27
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- C9
Environment
- Climate
- tropical to subtropical
Land Use
- Other
- 5.5% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 41.7% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 52.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 45.1% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 38.8% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 4.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane Emissions
- Other
- 101.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Waste
- 117.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Energy
- 320.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 169.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 2.5 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 5.2% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- 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)
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 372 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 25 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 1.076 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 9.549 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 3.373 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- -68,287 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 6.244 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 17.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 217.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- 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
Military & Security
- Military note
- 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)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.0%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 2% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 2% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 2% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 2% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- Armed Forces for the Defense of Mozambique (Forcas Armadas de Defesa de Mocambique, FADM): Army, Mozambique Navy, Mozambique Air Force
Ministry of Interior: Mozambique National Police (PRM; includes the Rapid Intervention Unit, UIR), the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), Border Security Force; other security forces include the Presidential Guard and the Force for the Protection of High-Level Individuals (2025) - Military service age and obligation
- 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)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the FADM's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era armaments, although in recent years it has received some secondhand equipment from a number of countries, including India, South Africa, and the UAE, mostly as donations (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- estimated 12,000 active FADM (2025)
Terrorism
- Terrorist group(s)
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Mozambique (ISIS-M)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 718,154 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 24,250 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index27.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4142 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.17as of 2024-Q4116 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (42/100)as of 2024-Q4—−4.52024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Human Development Index0.461as of 2022—2022
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Mozambique — vintage 2026-Q1: Mozambique factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/mozambique
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata