Nampula

Nampula is the capital city of Nampula Province in northeastern Mozambique. It lies on the Pungwe River, approximately 200 kilometres inland from Maputo and about 700 kilometres north of the capital. Founded in the mid‑19th century during Portuguese colonial rule, the city developed as an administrative and commercial centre for the surrounding agricultural hinterland, which is noted for sugarcane, cotton and citrus cultivation.

The population of Nampula has grown steadily since the 1970s. Current estimates place the city’s residents at around 350,000, making it one of Mozambique’s largest urban centres. A mix of ethnic groups is present, most notably the Makua people, alongside people of other Bantu and non‑Bantu origins. The city’s urban fabric consists of colonial-era stone buildings, modern housing developments and informal settlements that expand along major roads such as the T6 highway linking to Beira and to the northern border.

Economically, Nampula serves as a market hub for regional produce, with a daily market that attracts traders from surrounding districts. The city also hosts a number of educational institutions, including a campus of the Eduardo Mondlane University and several secondary schools, providing educational services to the province. Health facilities comprise the Municipal Hospital of Nampula, the largest in the province, and several smaller clinics offering primary care.

Nampula’s climate is tropical savanna, with a wet season from November to March that brings heavy rainfall, and a dry season from May to September. This weather pattern supports both the agricultural economy that sustains the city and the biodiversity of the nearby Reserva de Mata de Xai-Xai. The city’s infrastructure, including a railway line that connects to Beira, continues to be developed to support Mozambique’s broader economic integration within the Meso‑Atlantic region.