Largest cities in Mozambique by population
The 13 cities the United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2024 lists for Mozambique: the capital and every city of 100,000 or more, with the latest figure the country reported. The largest is Matola with 1,390,461 people; the capital, Maputo, has 1,136,296.
Who runs cities in Mozambique?
Provinces (10 + Maputo City): Provincial assembly elected by proportional representation; since 2019 the governor is the head of the winning list. A Secretary of State appointed by the President represents central government. Decentralised provincial services; central ministries keep their own provincial offices.
How local power works in Mozambique · Level 3: local councils worldwide
| # | City | Population | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matola | 1,390,461 | 1 July 2024 |
| 2 | Maputo (capital) | 1,136,296 | 1 July 2024 |
| 3 | Nampula | 1,020,953 | 1 July 2024 |
| 4 | Beira | 767,787 | 1 July 2024 |
| 5 | Tete | 523,973 | 1 July 2024 |
| 6 | Chimoio | 518,856 | 1 July 2024 |
| 7 | Nacala | 386,096 | 1 July 2024 |
| 8 | Quelimane | 309,569 | 1 July 2024 |
| 9 | Lichinga | 287,483 | 1 July 2024 |
| 10 | Pemba | 260,046 | 1 July 2024 |
| 11 | Maxixe | 159,770 | 1 July 2024 |
| 12 | Xai-Xai | 157,106 | 1 July 2024 |
| 13 | Inhambane | 100,943 | 1 July 2024 |
Countries define a city in different ways (the city proper, or the wider urban area) and report in different years, so cities in different countries are not always comparable.
More on Mozambique: official statistics · government and power · regions
Sources
- United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic Yearbook 2024, Table 8: Population of capital cities and cities of 100 000 or more inhabitants, latest available year, 2005-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c6784df022e…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.