Inhambane Province


Inhambane is a province of Mozambique located on the coast in the southern part of the country. It has an area of 68,615 km2 and a population of 1,488,676. The provincial capital is also called Inhambane.
The climate is tropical throughout, more humid along the coast and dryer inland. The coast has a number of mangrove swamps.
The town of Inhambane existed in the 10th century, and was the southernmost port used by Arabs for slave trading. The region was visited by Vasco da Gama in 1498, who claimed Inhambane Bay for Portugal. The Portuguese established a trading post at Inhambane in 1534.
The province is the second largest grower of cashews, and also produces coconut and citrus fruit. The long coastline supports much fishing. The Inhambane Bay area is of some interest for tourism, with a number of beaches, and one of the last remaining populations of dugong in Mozambique.

Districts

Imhambane Province is divided into 12 districts:
and the municipalities of:
  • Inhambane provincial capital
  • Maxixe ''largest population, and the province's economic capital''

    Culture

Inhambane is famous for its music, in particular the timbila of the Chopi ethnic group.

Geography

The province has two of the Mozambique's national parks: Zinave National Park in the northwest and Bazaruto National Park on the Bazaruto Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, in the northeast of the province, as well as the Pomene National Reserve.

Transportation

The province is served by Inhambane Airport, in Jangamo District.