Mozambique Cities

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Mozambique Cities by Population

24 cities shown of 24 total Mozambique cities that are over 1,000 in population...

1. Maputo 1,191,613
2. Matola 543,907
3. Beira 530,604
4. Nampula 388,526
5. Chimoio 256,936
6. Cidade de Nacala 224,795
7. Quelimane 188,964
8. Tete 129,316

9. Xai-Xai 127,366
10. Maxixe 119,868
11. Lichinga 109,839
12. Pemba 108,737
13. Dondo 78,648
14. Antonio Enes 74,624
15. Inhambane 73,884
16. Cuamba 73,268

17. Montepuez 72,279
18. Chokwe 63,695
19. Chibuto 59,165
20. Ilha de Mocambique 54,315
21. Mutuali 30,523
22. Mocimboa 27,909
23. Manjacaze 25,541
24. Macia 23,156

Mozambique History

Between the first and fourth centuries AD, waves of Bantu-speaking people migrated from the west and north through the Zambezi River valley and then gradually into the plateau and coastal areas. They established agricultural communities or societies based on herding cattle. They brought with them iron making technology which they used to make weapons for the conquest of their neighbors.

When Portuguese explorers reached East Africa in 1498, Arab commercial and slave trading settlements had existed along the coast and outlying islands for several centuries. From about 1500, Portuguese trading posts and forts became regular ports of call on the new route to the east.

The voyage of Vasco da Gama around the Cape of Good Hope into the Indian Ocean in 1498 marked the Portuguese entry into trade, politics, and society in the Indian Ocean world. The Portuguese gained control of the Island of Mozambique and the port city of Sofala in the early 16th century, and by the 1530s small groups of Portuguese traders and prospectors penetrated the interior regions seeking gold, where they set up garrisons and trading posts at Sena and Tete on the Zambezi River and tried to gain exclusive control over the gold trade. The Portuguese attempted to legitimate and consolidate their trade and settlement positions through the creation of prazos tied to Portuguese settlement and administration. While prazos were originally developed to be held by Portuguese, through intermarriage they became African Portuguese or African Indian centres defended by large African slave armies known as Chikunda. Historically within Mozambique there was slavery. Human beings were bought and sold by African tribal chiefs, Arab traders, and the Portuguese. Many Mozambican slaves were supplied by tribal chiefs who raided warring tribes and sold their captives to the prazeiros.