Mozambique - Geography

Here, let us take a look at the Geography of Mozambique. The Zambezi River flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country. Mother's mean age at first birth is 19.2 years (2011 est.) (Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49), whereas, the Maternal mortality ratio is 127 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Geographical data of Mozambique
Location Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates 18 15 S, 35 00 E
Map references Africa
Tarrain mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
Natural Resources coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite
Natural Hazards severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces
Irrigated Land 1,180 sq km (2012)
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
Major aquifers
Land Boundaries 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
Coastline 2,470 km
Climate tropical to subtropical
Area
Total Area
Land Area 786,380 sq km
Water Area 13,000 sq km
comparative Area slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California
Maritime Claims
Territorial sea 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone 200 nm
Elevations
Highest point Monte Binga 2,436 m
Lowest point Indian Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation 345 m
Land Use
Agricultural land 56.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land arable land: 6.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture permanent pasture: 49.6% (2018 est.)
Forest 43.7% (2018 est.)
Other 0% (2018 est.)
Population Distribution

Three large populations 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

People and Society

In Mozambique, the different Ethnic groups are such that we have: African 99% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Mestizo 0.8%, other (includes European, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese) 0.2% (2017 est.)

Population
Pop growth rate 2.54% (2024 est.)
Birth rate 36.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Death rate 9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Health expenditure 7.6% of GDP (2020)
Physicians Density
Hospital bed Density 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Total fertility rate 4.66 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Gross reproduction rate 2.29 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate 27.1% (2015)
Est married women (ages 15-49) 63.7% (2023 est.)
Literacy age 15 and over can read and write
Education expenditures 6.3% of GDP (2020 est.)
Net Migration rate -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Nationality Mozambican | Mozambican(s)
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 Roman Catholic 27.2%, Muslim 18.9%, Zionist Christian 15.6%, Evangelical/Pentecostal 15.3%, Anglican 1.7%, other 4.8%, none 13.9%, unspecified 2.5% (2017 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)
Dependency Ratios
Total dependency ratio 86.1
Youth dependency ratio 81.3
Elderly dependency ratio 4.8
Potential support ratio 20.8 (2021 est.)
Median Age
Total 17.3 years (2024 est.)
Male 16.7 years
Female 17.9 years
Urbanization
Urban population 38.8% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization 4.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas (Pop) 1.852 million Matola, 1.163 million MAPUTO (capital), 969,000 Nampula (2023).
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
65 years and over 0.97 male(s)/female
Total population 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant Motality
Total 58.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male 60.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female 56.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy at birth
Total population 58.3 years (2024 est.)
Male 57.1 years
Female 59.6 years
Drinking Water Sources
Improved: urban urban: 93.4% of population
Improved: rural rural: 61.5% of population
Improved: total total: 73.3% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 6.6% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 38.5% of population
Unimproved: total total: 26.7% of population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility acess
Improved: urban urban: 71.9% of population (2015 est.)
Improved: rural rural: 24.7% of population
Improved: total total: 42.2% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 28.1% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 75.3% of population
Unimproved: total total: 57.8% of population (2020 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
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.)
Tobacco use
Total 14.3% (2020 est.)
Male 23% (2020 est.)
Female 5.6% (2020 est.)
Demographic profile

Mozambique is a poor, sparsely populated country with high fertility and mortality rates and a rapidly growing youthful population – 45% of the population is younger than 15, as of 2020. Mozambique’s high poverty rate is sustained by natural disasters, disease, high population growth, low agricultural productivity, and the unequal distribution of wealth. The country’s birth rate is among the world’s highest, averaging around  5 children per woman (and higher in rural areas) for at least the last three decades. The sustained high level of fertility reflects gender inequality, low contraceptive use, early marriages and childbearing, and a lack of education, particularly among women. The high population growth rate is somewhat restrained by the country’s high HIV/AIDS and overall mortality rates. Mozambique ranks among the worst in the world for HIV/AIDS prevalence, HIV/AIDS deaths, and life expectancy at birth, as of 2022.

Mozambique is predominantly a country of emigration, but internal, rural-urban migration has begun to grow. Mozambicans, primarily from the country’s southern region, have been migrating to South Africa for work for more than a century. Additionally, approximately 1.7 million Mozambicans fled to Malawi, South Africa, and other neighboring countries between 1979 and 1992 to escape from civil war. Labor migrants have usually been men from rural areas whose crops have failed or who are unemployed and have headed to South Africa to work as miners; multiple generations of the same family often become miners. Since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa in 1991, other job opportunities have opened to Mozambicans, including in the informal and manufacturing sectors, but mining remains their main source of employment.

All Important Facts about Mozambique

Want to know more about Mozambique? Check all different factbooks for Mozambique below.

Mozambique is found in Eastern Africa