World Factbook
Mozambique
Republica de Mocambique
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
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.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49
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.)