Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Mozambique: Maputo — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Mozambique is Maputo. Mozambique sits in Africa, has a population of 32,969,518, and uses the MZN. Official languages include Portuguese.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Maputo
  • Continent: Africa
  • Population: ~32,969,518
  • Area: 801,590 km²
  • Population density: 41.1 people per km²
  • Official language: Portuguese
  • Currency: MZN
  • ISO code: MZ

How big is Mozambique?

By population, Mozambique ranks 48th in the world, holding roughly 0.41% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 35th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Mozambique has 41.1 people per square kilometre, which is about 1.4 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.

Within Africa, Mozambique is the 14th most populous country of 54.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Mozambique in population are Ghana (33,475,870) and Yemen (33,696,614).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Turkey (783,562 km²) and Namibia (825,615 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

Portuguese is spoken officially in 9 countries in this dataset, including Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, and 3 others.

Mozambique uses the MZN, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

How to remember Mozambique

Maputo is near the southern end of the country, within 120 km of the borders with Eswatini and South Africa. Until 1976 it was called Lourenço Marques. Think 'Maputo at the bottom of the map'.

The flag of Mozambique: green, black, yellow, white and red

🇲🇿 The flag is three horizontal stripes of green, black and yellow, with the black stripe edged in white, and a red triangle on the left holding a yellow star with a rifle and a hoe crossed over an open book. 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 hoe stands for farming, the open book for education and the rifle for defence.

Region and neighbours

Mozambique is a long country in southeast Africa, with a coast on the Indian Ocean that faces Madagascar across the Mozambique Channel. It shares land borders with 6 countries: Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Eswatini.

Three facts about Mozambique

  1. The country is named after the Island of Mozambique, a small island off the northeast coast that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  2. Mozambique won its independence from Portugal on 25 June 1975.
  3. Portuguese is the country's only official language, even though Mozambique is home to many different peoples and languages.

Sources: Wikipedia: Mozambique, Wikipedia: Flag of Mozambique, Wikipedia: Maputo, Wikipedia: Island of Mozambique, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Mozambique

Mozambique capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Mozambique 🇲🇿?

    • Luanda
    • Algiers
    • Kigali
    • Maputo
    Show answer

    Maputo

  2. What is the capital of Ghana 🇬🇭?

    • Porto-Novo
    • Antananarivo
    • Accra
    • Kinshasa
    Show answer

    Accra

  3. What is the capital of Angola 🇦🇴?

    • Antananarivo
    • Luanda
    • Cairo
    • Juba
    Show answer

    Luanda

  4. What is the capital of Madagascar 🇲🇬?

    • Maputo
    • Lusaka
    • Tunis
    • Antananarivo
    Show answer

    Antananarivo

  5. What is the capital of Morocco 🇲🇦?

    • Asmara
    • Rabat
    • Porto-Novo
    • Windhoek
    Show answer

    Rabat

Mozambique in Africa

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Mozambique belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Mozambique.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Mozambique?

The capital of Mozambique is Maputo.

What is the population of Mozambique?

About 32,969,518, making it the 48th most populous country in the world.

How big is Mozambique?

801,590 square kilometres, ranking 35th by land area, at a density of 41.1 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Mozambique use?

The MZN, which no other country uses.

What are the colours of the Mozambique flag?

The flag of Mozambique is three horizontal stripes of green, black and yellow, with the black stripe edged in white, and a red triangle on the left holding a yellow star with a rifle and a hoe crossed over an open book. 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 hoe stands for farming, the open book for education and the rifle for defence.

Which countries border Mozambique?

Mozambique shares land borders with Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Eswatini.

How can I remember the capital of Mozambique?

Maputo is near the southern end of the country, within 120 km of the borders with Eswatini and South Africa. Until 1976 it was called Lourenço Marques. Think 'Maputo at the bottom of the map'.

More capitals to learn

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