How many households in Zambezia get social assistance?

The Basic Social Subsidy Programme (PSSB), a monthly cash transfer for poor households, served 96,235 beneficiary households in Zambezia in 2025 (63% of them in its older-people group), 15 per 1,000 residents, 4th lowest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 21).

Zambezia: population, spending, jobs, schools, health, water and electricity

Zambezia is a province of Mozambique, number 2 of 11 by population. Mozambique's National Statistics Institute (INE) projects the population of Zambezia at about 6,314,000 for 2025 (3,050,000 men and 3,263,000 women), 18.5% of Mozambique's 34.09 million; 2nd largest of the 11 provinces. The figure is a projection from the 2017 census, the last one held.

Population (INE projection)

6,314,000

2025

Household spending per person per month (current meticais)

1,429 meticais

2022

Unemployment rate (age 15+)

16.9%

2022

Households lit by grid electricity

14.3%

2022

Households using a safe drinking water source

32.9%

2022

Illiteracy rate

46.2%

2022

Under-five deaths per 1,000 live births (IDS 2022-23)

2022-23

Children under 5 stunted

44%

2022-23

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Zambezia: Households in Zambezia spent an average of 1,429 meticais per person per month in 2022 (6,634 meticais per household), according to the INE Household Budget Survey (IOF 2022); 3rd lowest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 1,893 meticais per person).
Health in Zambezia: The 2022-23 Demographic and Health Survey measured 42 deaths before age five for every 1,000 babies born in Zambezia, and 30 before their first birthday; 2nd lowest of the 11 provinces for under-five deaths (Mozambique: 60 and 39).
Education in Zambezia: 46.2% of adults in Zambezia could not read or write in 2022 (62.0% of women and 28.1% of men), 4th highest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 38.3%); in 2019/20 the rate was 50.1%.

How fast is Zambezia's population growing?

The projections add about 157,000 people to Zambezia between 2024 and 2025, growth of 2.5% in a year (Mozambique: 2.5%).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique · saved copy

How densely populated is Zambezia?

Zambezia covers 105,008 square kilometres, giving 59 people per square kilometre in 2025, 4th most densely populated of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 42).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique · saved copy

How many children do women in Zambezia have?

Women in Zambezia have 5.1 children each on average, according to the 2022-23 Demographic and Health Survey (IDS), joint 5th highest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 4.9).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE) and Ministry of Health (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copy

How many families in Zambezia go hungry?

8.1% of households in Zambezia usually ate only one meal a day or none in 2022, 4th lowest of the 11 provinces; 32.0% ate three or more (Mozambique: 12.4% and 30.1%).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique · saved copy

Do families in Zambezia have enough food?

46.9% of households in Zambezia said the food they ate in the last month was less than adequate in 2022, 4th lowest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 50.2%; in 2019/20 50.7% in Zambezia).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique · saved copy

How common is violence against women in Zambezia?

17% of women aged 15 to 49 in Zambezia had suffered physical violence in the 12 months before the 2022-23 survey and 6% sexual violence; joint 4th highest of the 11 provinces for physical violence (Mozambique: 15% and 4%).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE) and Ministry of Health (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copy

How provinces are governed 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.

Every tier of government in Mozambique

Other provinces of Mozambique

Nampula 6,984,000
Tete 3,368,000
Cabo Delgado 2,900,000
Sofala 2,828,000
Maputo Province 2,662,000
Manica 2,429,000
Niassa 2,349,000
Inhambane 1,616,000
Gaza 1,500,000
Maputo City 1,140,000

Up a level: Mozambique · government and power in Mozambique · cities

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE) and Ministry of Health (with ICF, The DHS Program): Mocambique Inquerito Demografico e de Saude 2022-23, Relatorio Resumo: "Principais indicadores por provincia" (page 23), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 01467bf8c29b…)
Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique: Relatorio Final do Inquerito sobre Orcamento Familiar - IOF 2022 (Household Budget Survey 2022 final report): Quadros 4.2, 4.11, 6.3, 6.8, 7.5, 7.6, 7.9, 8.2, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70a1687d340c…)
Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique: Anuario Estatistico 2025 (Statistical Yearbook 2025): Quadros 2.1.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.4, 2.3.6, 2.3.16, 2.4.1, 5.1.6 and 5.6.1 by province, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 25e1129ec762…)
Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique: Anuario Estatistico 2024 (Statistical Yearbook 2024): Quadro 2.1.1, population by province, 2024, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 afd1afb283cd…)

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