MaputoCapital
Mozambique · Country profile
Maputo is the beautiful, laid-back capital of Mozambique, the port city of the Indian Ocean that spreads its palm-lined avenues and its jacaranda trees around the deep bay of Delagoa on the southern coast of the country. It is one of the most elegant capitals of Africa, a city of the turn-of-the-century architecture, the storybook train station, the art deco façades and the wide promenades built during the Portuguese decades, now layered with the buzzing street life of the modern nation. The seafood restaurants of the fishing quarter, the vibrant markets of the city, the museums of the country and the golden beaches of the surrounding coast give the capital its easy-going, atmospheric character, and the music and the dance of the city keep the deep rhythms of the south. Warm, graceful and profoundly historic, Maputo is the polished heart of Mozambique.
About Maputo
Maputo is the capital of Mozambique. The city's documented population is around 1,120,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Mozambican Metical (MZN) and Portuguese is spoken; the dialling code is +258.
The Grand Station of the City and the Cathedral of the Hill
Maputo is a city made for strolling, with the grand railway station, the cathedral and the art deco hotels of the centre anchoring the classic walking circuit, and the markets of the city, from the great craft market of the palace to the bustling food stalls of the coast, running the daily commerce. The museums of the revolution and the natural history, the waterfront of the fish market and the terraces of the avenues fill the days, while the evenings move to the live music of the cafes and the clubs of the town. The days out of the capital reach the beaches and the islands of the nearby coast, and the whole city glows with the easy, unhurried rhythm of the Indian Ocean port.
The Markets and the Avenues of the Bay of the Delagoa
The climate of the city is subtropical, with warm, humid summers and the rains of the southern spring, and the drier, sunnier winter months the most pleasant season of the year. The metical is the currency, the Portuguese the language of the capital, with the local tongues and the growing English common in the tourist quarter. The historic centre, the museums and the waterfront make the core circuit, and the beaches of the coast lie a short ride along the shore. Light clothing, insect protection and cash for the markets complete the simple precautions of the city, which remains one of the warmest and the friendliest capitals of the continent.
The Beaches of the Coast and the Island of the Inhaca
The train station of the capital, designed with its great green dome by the same architect as the stations of the neighbouring capitals, is one of the most beautiful of the world and still sends its long-distance services into the interior. The cathedral of the city, an extraordinary asymmetric tower of the concrete built in the 1940s, and the art deco casa of the Ferro with its whale-like curves, anchor the architectural wonders of the city. The market of the fish on the beach of the Costa do Sol grills the catch of the morning over the coals of its stalls, and the island of the Inhaca, reached by the boats of the port, offers the reef snorkelling and the sandbanks of the bay beyond the capital.
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- Country
- Mozambique
- Population
- 1,120,000
- Capital
- Maputo
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Mozambican Metical (MZN)
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Calling code
- +258
- Country code
- MZ
Entry requirements for Mozambique
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Mozambique for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Maputo the capital of Mozambique?
Yes — Maputo is the capital of Mozambique.
What currency do I need in Maputo?
The local currency is the Mozambican Metical (MZN). Languages spoken in Mozambique include Portuguese.
What is the dialling code for Mozambique?
The international dialling code for Mozambique is +258.
Do I need a visa to visit Mozambique?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Australia (e-visa), Canada (e-visa), France (e-visa), Germany (e-visa) and India (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Maputo? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.