Mozambique Travel Overview

GENERAL

Official name of the state

Republic of Mozambique.

Capital

Maputo.

Geography

According to a2zgov, Mozambique borders Tanzania in the north, Zambia and Malawi in the northwest, Zimbabwe in the west and South Africa and Swaziland in the south. To the east lies the Indian Ocean; the coast is approximately 2700 km long with beaches, lagoons, coral reefs and island chains. A large plateau runs to the west and north, rising towards the mountains and taking up about 50% of the land area. The plateau consists of dry savannah with some forests and steppe regions. The Zambezi is the largest and most important of the 25 rivers and flows through Mozambique into the Indian Ocean. The majority of the population (98% are Bantus) live on the coast or in the fertile valleys, especially in the Zambezi and Gaza provinces.

Government

Republic since 1990 (in the Commonwealth since 1995). 1990 Constitution. Parliament with 250 members elected every five years. A first peace agreement between the government and the right-wing Renamo rebels was signed in 1992. In 1994 the first free elections took place in which General Chissano was confirmed in office. Independent since 1975 (former Portuguese colony).

Head of state

Filipe Nyussi, since January 2015.

Head of government

Carlos Agostinho do Rosário, since January 2015.

Electricity

220 V, 50 Hz.

Time zone

Central Africa Time: CET +3

Mozambique Travel Overview

MONEY

Currency

1 Mozambique Metical = 100 Centavos. Currency abbreviations: MTn, MZN (ISO code, new metical). There are banknotes to the value of 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20 MTn, coins to the value of 10, 5, 2 and 1 MTn and in 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 Centavos.

Credit cards

Are mostly accepted in larger cities, in large hotels, e.g. Also in restaurants and supermarkets in Maputo and Beira, US dollars are preferred in the north of the country and South African rand in cash in southern Mozambique. It should be noted that cashless payments do not always work properly, so you should bring enough cash with you.
ATMs

ec / Maestro card / Sparcard
cards with the Cirrus or Maestro symbol are accepted throughout Europe and worldwide. Cards with the Cirrus or Maestro symbol are accepted in Mozambique in some shops and at ATMs in the larger cities. Further information from banks and credit institutes.

Attention: Travelers who pay with their bank customer card abroad and want to withdraw money should find out about the options for using their card from their bank prior to departure.

Bank opening times

Mon-Fri 7.45-11.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m.-4.30 p.m.

Foreign exchange regulations

The import and export of the local currency is limited to a maximum of 10,000 MZN. The import of foreign currencies is unlimited, mandatory declaration. Export in the amount of the declared import, minus the exchanged amounts.

Currency Exchange

You can exchange cash in exchange offices at the airport or in banks. Bringing US dollars or South African rand is recommended. Euros are only accepted as a method of payment in Maputo.

LANGUAGE

Overview

The official language is Portuguese (27%). Kiswahili, Makua, Nyanja, and other Bantu languages are also spoken.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

DUTY-FREE SHOPPING

Overview

The following articles can be imported into Mozambique duty-free:

200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco;
0.75 l spirits;
Perfume for personal use (opened).
Valuable electronic devices must be declared.

Prohibited imports

Guns, drugs.

ECONOMY

Business etiquette

In the hot season you wear safari or light tropical suits for business meetings, otherwise jackets or summer suits or summer dresses are appropriate. There are hardly any interpreting and translation services in Maputo. January is the main holiday season in Mozambique and business trips are best avoided during this time.

Business hours:
Mon-Fri 7.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m. and 2.00 p.m.-5.30 p.m.

Economy

Câmara de Comércio de Moçambique, CP 1836, Rua Mateus Sansão Mutemba 452, MZ-Maputo. Tel: (01) 49 19 70.

Business contacts

Câmara de Comércio de Moçambique, CP 1836, Rua Mateus Sansão Mutemba 452, MZ-Maputo. Tel: (01) 49 19 70.

COMMUNICATION

Phone

Dial-up remote service.

Cellphone

GSM 1800 and GSM 900. The transmission / reception range for mobile communications is limited to the capital Maputo and some cities in the south. The network operator is mCel (Internet: www.mcel.co.mz).

Internet

Internet provider is Teledata (Internet: www.teledata.mz). There are two internet cafes in Maputo (one of which is on Avenida Julius Nyerere).

Post Office

Postal service in the larger cities. Airmail shipments to Europe usually take 5-7 days, sometimes longer.

Radio

Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.

SHOP

Overview

Basketry, reed mats, wood carvings, printed fabrics and leather items. Shop opening times: Mon-Fri 8.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m. and 2.00 p.m.-6.00 p.m., Sat 8.00 a.m.-1.30 p.m.

NIGHTLIFE

Introduction

Maputo has night clubs with dancing and music. Cinemas are available in the larger cities.

CULINARY

ACCOMMODATION

Hotels

Hotels of international standard can be found in Maputo and Beira, while accommodation in smaller towns is rather simple. Further information from Direcçao Nacional do Turismo (see addresses) or from the website of Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique (Internet: www.mozambique.mz)

Camping

There are campsites on the beaches and in Gorongosa National Park. Camping is also possible on the properties of several Christian missions.

CULTURE

Religion

Natural religions (50%), 20% Muslim and 30% Christian minorities

Social rules of conduct

Shake hands to greet you. Portuguese customs and traditions as well as those of other southern European countries are widespread. Casual clothing is accepted everywhere, elegant clothing is rarely required. The shooting of soldiers, airports, bridges and government buildings is prohibited. Tipping is not welcome in hotels, otherwise 10% is usual.

CLIMATE

Best travel time

Very hot, tropical-humid climate in coastal regions. It’s cooler inland. Most rain falls between January and March, the amount of precipitation varies depending on the altitude.

COUNTRY DATA

Area code +258 Area (sq km) 799 380 Population 25 303 113 Population density (per sq km) 32 Population in 2015 Member of the EU No main emergency number 117

You may also like...