Nampula is a
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of northern
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 ...
. It has an area of and a population of 5,758,920, making it the most populous province in Mozambique (2017 census).
Nampula
Nampula is the capital city of Nampula Province in Northern Mozambique. With a population of 743,125 (2017 census), it is the third-largest city in Mozambique after Maputo and Matola. The city is located in the interior of Nampula Province, approxi ...
is the capital of the province.
History
Under
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
rule this province was named
Moçambique
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 ...
but with independence, the name Mozambique was used for the entire country and the province renamed for its capital.
The island,
Ilha de Moçambique
The Island of Mozambique ( pt, Ilha de Moçambique) lies off northern Mozambique, between the Mozambique Channel and Mossuril Bay, and is part of Nampula Province. Prior to 1898, it was the capital of colonial Portuguese East Africa. With its ri ...
, was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
in 1992.
Massive refugee movements due to 15 years of civil war have destroyed a unique coexistence of many cultures on this island.
Geography
![Moçambique Nampula map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Mo%C3%A7ambique_Nampula_map.png)
Nampula Province is located in northeastern Mozambique. It is bordered on the north by
Cabo Delgado Province
Cabo Delgado is the northernmost province of Mozambique. It has an area of and a population of 2,320,261 (2017). As well as bordering Mtwara Region in the neighboring country of Tanzania, it borders the provinces of Nampula and Niassa. The reg ...
and the
Lúrio River
The Lúrio is a river of northeastern Mozambique. It flows to the south of the Ruvuma River and empties into the sea just south of Pemba Bay. The river is characterised by seasonal flows and lined by swamps. There is a notable waterfall located alo ...
, which the Mozambican government has plans to build a 120-megawatt hydroelectric plant on to supply electricity to the province and Cabo Delgado Province. Napula Province borders
Niassa Province
Niassa is a province of Mozambique. It has an area of 129,056 km2 and a population of 1,810,794 (2017). It is the most sparsely populated province in the country. Lichinga is the capital of the province. There are a minimum estimated 450,000 Ya ...
to the northwest and west,
Zambezia Province
Zambezia ( pt, Zambézia) is the second most-populous province of Mozambique, located in the central coastal region south-west of Nampula Province and north-east of Sofala Province. It has a population of 5.11 million, according to the 2017 censu ...
to the southwest, and the Indian Ocean to the east. The
Ligonha River separates it from Zambezia Province; the
Makua people
The Makua people, also known as Makhuwa, are a Bantu ethnic group found in northern Mozambique and the southern border provinces of Tanzania such as the Mtwara Region. They are the largest ethnic group in Mozambique, and primarily concentrated in ...
s inhabit the area to the north of the river.
From the south, the
Malema River flows from the Namuli hills into the Ligonha.
The
Meluli River flows down through the province in a southeasterly direction, flowing into the Indian Ocean to the south of
Angoche Island
Angoche Island is a small continental island in the district of same name, Mozambique. Being a coastal island its main source of income was the illegal shipment of slaves, which allowed for the enrichment of the aristocratic classes of the Nya ...
.
To the west of the city of Nampula, which lies in the heart of the province, are several hilly areas. Mountains in the province include
Mount Inago
Mount Inago, also known as Serra Inago, is a mountain in northern Mozambique.
It is located in Nampula Province, 50 km northeast of Mount Namuli.
The plant communities on the mountain include woodlands, generally below 1000 meters elevation, ri ...
(1804 m),
Mount Ribaue,
Mount Panda and
Mount Nairucu.
Districts
![São Sebastião Fortress - View3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/S%C3%A3o_Sebasti%C3%A3o_Fortress_-_View3.jpg)
Nampula Province is divided into the 18 districts of:
*
Angoche District
Angoche District is a district of Nampula Province in north-eastern Mozambique, with limits in the north with Mogincual District, in the south with Larde District, to the east with the Indian Ocean and to the west with Mogovolas District. The pr ...
*
Eráti District
*
Lalaua District
*
Malema District
Malema District is a district of Nampula Province in north-eastern Mozambique. The principal town is Malema
Malema is a town in the district of Malema. It is situated within the province of Nampula in Mozambique. The district borders the distr ...
*
Meconta District
*
Mecubúri District
*
Memba District
Memba District is a district of Nampula Province in north-eastern Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeaster ...
*
Mogincual District
*
Mogovolas District Mogovolas District is a Districts of Mozambique, district of Nampula Province in north-eastern Mozambique. The principal town is Nametil.
Further readingDistrict profile
(PDF)
{{coord missing, Mozambique
Districts in Nampula Province ...
*
Moma District
Moma District is a district of Nampula Province in north-eastern Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern ...
*
Monapo District
*
Mossuril District
*
Muecate District Muecate District is a district of Nampula Province in north-eastern Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern ...
*
Murrupula District
*
Nacala-a-Velha District
*
Nacarôa District Nacarôa District is a district of Nampula Province in north-eastern Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeaster ...
*
Nampula District
*
Ribáuè District
and the municipalities of:
*
Angoche
*
Ilha de Moçambique
The Island of Mozambique ( pt, Ilha de Moçambique) lies off northern Mozambique, between the Mozambique Channel and Mossuril Bay, and is part of Nampula Province. Prior to 1898, it was the capital of colonial Portuguese East Africa. With its ri ...
*
Monapo
*
Nacala
Nacala, also known as Cidade de Nacala or Nacala-Porto is a city on the northern coast of Mozambique. Located in the southwestern indentation of inner Fernao Veloso Bay, it is the deepest natural port on the east coast of Africa. Nacala serves as ...
*
Nampula
Nampula is the capital city of Nampula Province in Northern Mozambique. With a population of 743,125 (2017 census), it is the third-largest city in Mozambique after Maputo and Matola. The city is located in the interior of Nampula Province, approxi ...
Economy
The region is a major producer of cotton, and is known as the Cotton Belt of Nampula.
Also produced in the province are
cashew nut
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 cult ...
s,
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
, gems and other minerals. Many of the cotton and tobacco farms in Nampula Province are state-owned.
The
Millennium Challenge Corporation
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a bilateral United States foreign aid agency established by the U.S. Congress in 2004. It is an independent agency separate from the State Department and USAID. It provides grants to countries that h ...
(MCC) is involved in a $507 million project with Mozambique
to develop the water delivery system in Nampula Province over five years, to benefit an estimated 1.2 million people. The MCC is laying down some 16 kilometers of transmission pipes, constructing or rehabilitating four pumping stations and a new distribution center, and is raising the height of the
Nacala Dam from to and is expanding a treatment plant to enable it to process 1041 cubic meters of water per hour.
Demographics
According to the 1997 census, the province had 2,975,747 inhabitants and an area of 78,197 square kilometres, hence resulting in a population density of 38.05 inhabitants per km². Between 1997 and 2007, the population grew by 25.34%. At the time of the 2007 census, a population of 3,985,613 residents was recorded.
With an area 79,010 square kilometres, the population density was about 50.44 people per km².
References
External links
*
Nampula Province official site
{{Authority control
Provinces of Mozambique