What is the population of Maputo?
Maputo's metropolitan area has about 1,124,000 people, making it the 137th largest metro area in our dataset of 140 major cities.
In Mozambique
Metro population
1,124,000
0.014% of world population
Archive estimateAnnual growth
+2.85%
About 88 people a day
Archive estimateDensity
3,249/km²
346 km² metro area
City proper
1,254,837
Within the administrative boundary
GeoNamesAbout Maputo
At 1.25 million residents, Maputo ranks among Africa's largest cities and is home to over half of Mozambique's urban population. The city sits at a relatively low elevation of 70 m on the continent's southeastern coast. Founded in 1781, Maputo has experienced rapid expansion, growing at 2.9% annually, with an exceptionally high population density of 3,249 people per km².
The city is served by Maputo Airport, which handles regional and international connections. Under the leadership of Mayor Eneas da Conceição Comiche, the metropolitan area encompasses 1.12 million residents across its broader region, reflecting Maputo's role as a major urban center in southern Africa.
This summary is AI-generated from the statistics on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Key Facts
- Country
- Mozambique
- Continent
- Africa
- World rank
- #137 of 140
- Share of country
- 3.2%
- Founded
- 1781
- Leadership
- Eneas da Conceição Comiche
- Elevation
- 70 m
- Coordinates
- -25.966, 32.583
Airports
Scheduled-service airports within 100 km, nearest first.
- Maputo AirportMPM
5 km from the city centre
Source: OurAirports, matched by distance.
Compared with the World's Largest Cities
Metropolitan population against the fifteen largest metro areas.
| Name | Metro population |
|---|---|
| Tokyo | 37.4M |
| Delhi | 32.9M |
| Shanghai | 29.2M |
| São Paulo | 22.6M |
| Dhaka | 22.5M |
| Mexico City | 22.3M |
| Cairo | 22.2M |
| Mumbai | 21.7M |
| Beijing | 21.5M |
| Osaka | 19M |
| New York | 18.9M |
| Karachi | 17.1M |
| Kinshasa | 17.1M |
| Chongqing | 16.9M |
| Lagos | 15.9M |
| Maputo | 1.12M |
Population Trend in Mozambique
No free source publishes metropolitan population back to 1950, so the parent country's series is shown instead.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 5,910,225 |
| 1960 | 6,713,695 |
| 1970 | 8,250,506 |
| 1980 | 11,336,221 |
| 1990 | 13,094,537 |
| 2000 | 18,129,653 |
| 2010 | 22,999,235 |
| 2020 | 30,783,688 |
| 2030 | 40,846,755 |
| 2040 | 52,124,215 |
| 2050 | 63,530,952 |
| 2060 | 74,638,116 |
| 2070 | 84,572,376 |
| 2080 | 92,965,358 |
| 2090 | 99,654,091 |
| 2100 | 104,346,534 |
Nearest Major Cities
Closest cities in our dataset by great-circle distance.
- Johannesburg
454 km · South Africa
- Durban
459 km · South Africa
- Harare
919 km · Zimbabwe
- Lusaka
1,256 km · Zambia
- Cape Town
1,624 km · South Africa
- Dar es Salaam
2,243 km · Tanzania
Maputo Population FAQ
What is the difference between Maputo's city and metro population?
About 1,254,837 people live within the city proper, while the wider metropolitan area holds roughly 1,124,000. Metro figures include surrounding commuter areas that fall outside the city's administrative boundary.
Is Maputo growing or shrinking?
Maputo is growing at +2.85% a year.
What share of Mozambique's population lives in Maputo?
Maputo's metro area holds about 3.2% of Mozambique's total population.
How densely populated is Maputo?
Maputo has roughly 3,249 people per km² across a metro area of about 346 km².
Which airports serve Maputo?
The nearest major airports are Maputo Airport (MPM).
Which country is Maputo in?
Maputo is in Mozambique, in Africa.
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- #5 DhakaBangladesh · 22.5M · +2.89%
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