Africa · capital city
What Is the Capital of Mozambique?
Maputo
The capital of Mozambique is Maputo. About 1.2 million people live in the Maputo urban area — 3.3% of the country's population.
1.2 million
Urban area population
UTC+2
Time zone
25.95°S
Latitude · 32.58°E
No
Largest city: Matola
Maputo at a glance
Name origin
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 zone
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
25 57 S, 32 35 E · IANA time zone Africa/Maputo
Location of Mozambique
Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
Largest cities in Mozambique
1
Matola
1.9 million2
Maputo Capital
1.2 million3
Nampula
969,000Urban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Dodoma, Tanzania — 2,245 kmCapitals closest to Maputo
Mbabane, Eswatini — 150 km
Pretoria, South Africa — 438 km
Maseru, Lesotho — 626 km
Gaborone, Botswana — 688 km
Harare, Zimbabwe — 918 km
Lusaka, Zambia — 1,253 km
Lilongwe, Malawi — 1,338 km
Windhoek, Namibia — 1,615 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Maputo
What is the capital of Mozambique?
The capital of Mozambique is Maputo. About 1.2 million people live in the Maputo urban area — 3.3% of the country's population.
Is Maputo the largest city in Mozambique?
No. The largest urban area is Matola (1.9 million), while Maputo has about 1.2 million.
What time zone is Maputo in?
Maputo is on UTC+2 — UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Maputo come from?
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.
Which capital is closest to Maputo?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Mbabane (Eswatini) is the closest, 150 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).