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Mozambique - Geography

Mozambique is in south-east Africa and borders (anti-clockwise, from north) the United Republic of Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland, and the Indian Ocean. It has a coastline of nearly 2,750km. The country is divided into eleven provinces (from south to north): Maputo, Maputo city, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Sofala, Zambézia, Tete, Nampula, Niassa, and Cabo Delgado.

Area: 799,380 sq km

Main towns: Maputo (capital, pop. 1,220,200 in 2006), Matola (greater Maputo, 556,900), Beira (Sofala province, 545,700), Nampula (Nampula, 397,800), Chimoio (Manica, 268,200), Nacala (Nampula, 233,000), Quelimane (Zambézia, 193,500), Tete (Tete, 132,400), Xai-Xai (Gaza, 130,400), Garue (Zambézia, 128,000), Maxixe (Inhambane, 122,700), Lichinga (Niassa, 112,500), Pemba (Cabo Delgado, 111,300), Dondo (Sofala, 80,500), Inhambane (Inhambane, 76,600), Angoche (Nampula, 76,400), Cuamba (Niassa, 75,000), Montepuez (Cabo Delgado, 74,000), Mocuba (Zambézia, 70,600).

Topography: Mozambique occupies the eastern fringe of the great southern African escarpment. The mountains of the interior fall to a broad plateau, which descends to coastal hills and plain. Rivers generally run west to east. The coastal beaches are fringed by lagoons, coral reefs and strings of islands. The extensive low plateau covers nearly half the land area. The Zambezi is the largest of 25 main rivers.

Climate: Tropical and subtropical. Inland is cooler than the coast and rainfall higher as the land rises. The hottest and wettest season is October to March. From April to September the coast has warm, mainly dry weather, tempered by sea breezes. The country is vulnerable to cyclones.

Environment: The most significant environmental issues are desertification, pollution of surface and coastal waters, and persistent migration of people from the hinterland to urban and coastal areas.

Vegetation: The plateau is savannah – dry and open bushveld and wide stretches of grassland. There are patches of forest in the western and northern highlands. Dense subtropical bush characterises the coastal plain. Forest covers 25% of the land area, having declined at 0.3% p.a. 1990–2005. Arable land comprises 5.6% and permanent cropland 0.3% of the total land area.

Wildlife: Mozambique has four national parks. Gorongosa, the biggest, extends to 3,770 sq km. There are also many forest and game reserves harbouring zebra, water buffalo, giraffe, lions, elephants and rhinos, and many varieties of tropical water birds such as flamingos, cranes, storks and pelicans. 179 species of mammals have been recorded, 14 of which are endangered (2002).

Transport: There are 30,400km of roads, 19% paved. The road network links with all neighbouring countries except Tanzania in the north. There is a new toll road from Maputo to Witbank in the industrial heartland of South Africa.

The railway network extends to 2,072km.

Beyond domestic needs, Beira, Maputo and Nacala are important ports for Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

International airports are Maputo International, 3km north-west of the city, and Beira, 13km from the city.