Inhambane is a

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

located on the coast in the southern part of the country. It has an area of 68,615 km² and a population of 1,488,676 (2017 census). The provincial capital is also called

Inhambane Inhambane, also known as Terra de Boa Gente (''Land of Good People''), is a city located in southern Mozambique, lying on Inhambane Bay, 470 km northeast of Maputo. It is the capital of the Inhambane Province and according to the 2017 censu ...

. The climate is tropical throughout, more humid along the coast and dryer inland. The coast has a number of mangrove swamps. The town of Inhambane existed in the 10th century, and was the southernmost port used by

Arabs The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

for

slave Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

trading. The region was visited by Vasco da Gama in 1498, who claimed Inhambane Bay for

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...

. The Portuguese established a trading post at Inhambane in 1534. The province is the second largest grower of

cashew The cashew tree (''Anacardium occidentale'') is a tropical evergreen tree native to South America in the genus ''Anacardium'' that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple accessory fruit. The tree can grow as tall as , but the dwarf cul ...

s (after Nampula), and also produces

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the f ...

and

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...

fruit (inspiring Mozambique's most famous poet Craveirinha to write of "The Tasty Tangerines of Inhambane"). The long coastline supports much

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from fish stocking, stocked bodies of water such as fish pond, ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. ...

. The Inhambane Bay area is of some interest for

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

, with a number of beaches, and one of the last remaining populations of dugong in Mozambique.

Districts

Imhambane Province is divided into the 12 districts of: * Funhalouro District * Govuro District * Homoine District * Jangamo District * Inharrime District * Inhassoro District * Mabote District * Massinga District * Morrumbene District * Panda District *

Vilanculos District Vilankulo District or Vilanculos District is a district of Inhambane Province in south-east Mozambique. Its principal town is Vilankulo. The district is located at the east of the province, and borders with Inhassoro District in the north and Mass ...

* Zavala District and the municipalities of: *

''provincial capital'' * Maxixe ''largest population, and the province's economic capital''

Culture

Inhambane is famous for its music, in particular the '' timbila'' (xylophone ensemble) of the

Chopi Chopi may refer to: * Chopi people, an ethnic group of Mozambique * Chopi language, a Bantu language spoken along the southern coast of Mozambique * Chopi blackbird (''Gnorimopsar chopi''), a bird of family Icteridae * A spice made from ''Zanthoxy ...

ethnic group.

Geography

The province has two of the Mozambique's national parks: Zinave National Park in the northwest and Bazaruto National Park on the

Bazaruto Archipelago The Bazaruto Archipelago is a group of six islands in Mozambique, near the mainland city of Vilankulo. It comprises the islands of Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Banque, Santa Carolina (also known as Paradise Island) and Shell. Nyati Island ...

in the Indian Ocean, in the northeast of the province, as well as the Pomene National Reserve.

Transportation

The province is served by

Inhambane Airport Inhambane Airport is an airport in Jangamo District, Inhambane Province, Mozambique . The airport is operational Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 17:00, Saturdays from 08:00 to 17:00, open by advance request on Sundays. Customs and Immigration ...

, in Jangamo District. File:Moçambique Inhambane.gif, alt=, Provincial map File:Nu wel, 30 graadjes en lekker zonnig - Flickr - Martijn.Munneke.jpg, alt=, Beach in Tofo, Mozambique File:Inhambane train station.jpg, alt=, Inhambane train station

References

External links