Nampula | |
---|---|
Nickname: A Capital Do Norte | |
Coordinates: 15°07′S 39°16′E / 15.117°S 39.267°E | |
Country | Mozambique |
Provinces | Nampula Province |
City Status | 1956 |
Named for | Whampula or M'Phula |
Government | |
• Type | Municipal Council |
• Body | Conselho Municipal de Nampula |
• Mayor | Paulo Vahanle (RENAMO) |
Elevation | 360 m (1,181 ft) |
Population (2017 census) | |
• Total | 743,125 |
• Rank | 3 |
Demonym | Nampulense |
Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) |
Postal Code | 3100 |
Area code | (+258) 26 |
Climate | Aw |
Website | https://cmnampula.gov.mz/ |
Nampula [nɐ̃ˈpulɐ] is the capital city of Nampula Province in Northern Mozambique. With a population of 743,125 (2017 census),[1] it is the third-largest city in Mozambique after Maputo and Matola. The city is located in the interior of Nampula Province, approximately 200 kilometers from the coast and is surrounded by plains and rocky outcrops. The city is a major regional centre for the entire Northern region of Mozambique, as well as parts of Central Mozambique and border areas of Malawi and Tanzania.[2]
The city links the port city of Nacala with land-locked Southern African countries, particularly Malawi through a road and railway line. The city has a small international airport connecting to Nairobi in Kenya, Johannesburg in South Africa, Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania and is a hub for local transport in northern Mozambique. Nampula is the centre of business in Northern Mozambique,[2][3] benefitting from highly productive agricultural areas, proximity to the Nacala Development Corridor, and a fast-growing city population.[4]
Nampula is home to the Mozambican National Ethnographic Museum, several markets, cathedrals, mosques, universities, training institutes and schools. The city is diverse, with the native eMakhuwa population being the largest group but with a visible Indian, European, Chinese, Lebanese, Somali, and Nigerian population.