Culture of Mozambique

The culture of Mozambique is in large part derived from its history of Bantu, Swahili, and Portuguese rule, and has expanded since independence in 1975. The majority of its inhabitants are black Africans. Its main language is Portuguese. Its median religion is Roman Catholicism, but only about 40% of the inhabitants are Christian. It has a rich history in the areas of arts, cuisine, and entertainment.

The main ethnic groups in Mozambique are Makhuwa, Tsonga, Makonde, Shangaan, Shona, Sena, Ndau, and other indigenous groups. There are approximately 45,000 Europeans, and 15,000 South Asians. The main religious groups in Mozambique are Christian (57%), Muslim (20%), Indigenous African, and other beliefs.

Health is an expansive concern in Mozambique. With limited resources and funds, the life prospects for Mozambicans are relatively low when placed in comparison to other nations, and comparable when compared to neighboring states. The infant mortality rate for 2016, has been calculated at 67.9/1,000. The overall life expectancy is approximtely 55 years.

The official language is Portuguese, but English is widely spoken in major cities such as Maputo and Beira. While the official language is Portuguese, the majority of the population does not speak Portuguese nor considers it their mother tongue. According to the 1997 census, only 10.7% of Mozambicans spoke Portuguese as their first language. The other languages spoken in Mozambique include Emakhuwa (at 25.3%), Xichangana (at 10.3%), Cisena (at 7.5%), Elomwe (at 7%), Echuwabo (at 5.1%), and a variety of other languages.

Most of the people in Mozambique practice native beliefs and are Christians, mostly Roman Catholics and some Protestants. Christianity is a Portuguese influence. A few Muslims (mostly Arabs and Blacks in northern part of the country), Buddhists (mostly Mahayana and Chinese), and Hindus (virtually Indian and Pakistani) are also important.

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