Mozambique

American  

[moh-zam-beek, -zuhm-] / ˌmoʊ zæmˈbik, -zəm- /

noun

1. Formerly Portuguese East Africa.  a republic in southeastern Africa: formerly an overseas province of Portugal; gained independence in 1975. 297,731 sq. mi. (771,123 sq. km). Maputo.

2. a seaport on an island just off the northeastern coast of this republic.

---

Mozambique British  

/ ˌməʊzəmˈbiːk /

noun

1. Also called (until 1975): Portuguese East Africa.  Portuguese name: Moçambique.  a republic in SE Africa: colonized by the Portuguese from 1505 onwards and a slave-trade centre until 1878; made an overseas province of Portugal in 1951; became an independent republic in 1975; became a member of the Commonwealth in 1995. Official language: Portuguese. Religion: animist majority. Currency: metical. Capital: Maputo. Pop: 24 096 669 (2013 est). Area: 812 379 sq km (313 661 sq miles)

---

Mozambique Cultural  

1. Republic in southeastern Africa on the Indian Ocean, bordered by South Africa to the south, Swaziland to the southwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Tanzania to the north. It was a possession of Portugal from 1505 until 1975. Its capital and largest city is Maputo.

---

Example Sentences

The rerouting of ships around Cape of Good Hope could benefit ports in Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia and Mauritius.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

Gen. Patrick Karuretwa, head of army international relations, quickly settled on Mozambique.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The State Department, while confirming that U.S. and Rwandan officials discussed sanctions, didn’t answer questions about a potential Rwandan withdrawal from Mozambique.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Storage sites just across the border in Mozambique, which has ports on the Indian Ocean, were reportedly bursting with Zimbabwean minerals, he said.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

The family made it to a refugee camp in Mozambique, where Generose applied for refugee status and—she hoped—resettlement in a safer country.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John