Niassa Province


Niassa is a province of Mozambique with an area of 129,056 km2 and a population of 1,810,794. It is the most sparsely populated province in the country. Lichinga is the capital of the province. There are a minimum estimated 450,000 Yao people living in Mozambique. They largely occupy the eastern and northern part of the Niassa province and form about 40% of the population of Lichinga, the capital of this province.
The Ruvuma River forms much of the northern boundary of the province with Ruvuma Region, Tanzania, while Lake Niassa forms the western border of the province, separating it from Malawi. 75% of the province remains untouched by development, and remains free of landmines. The province shares the Niassa National Reserve with neighboring Cabo Delgado Province.

Districts

Niassa Province is divided into 16 districts:
  • Cuamba District
  • Lago District
  • Lichinga District
  • Majune District
  • Mandimba District
  • Marrupa District
  • Maúa District
  • Mavago District
  • Mecanhelas District
  • Mecula District
  • Metarica District
  • Muembe District
  • N'gauma District
  • Nipepe District
  • Sanga District
  • Chimbunila District
and the municipalities of:
  • Cuamba
  • Lichinga
  • Metangula

    Demographics

Languages

After the 2007 Census it was found that native speakers of Makhuwa were 42%, speakers of the Yao language 31%, speakers of the Nyanja or Chewa language a 11%, and Portuguese speakers 9%.

Religion

The majority in Niassa province practice Islam. Monotheist religion adherence was asked in the 2007 census leaving aside so-called traditional religion followers. Answers provided a majority of protestants in the administrative post of Cobue, bordering Lake Niassa and inhabited mostly by the Nyanja. The majority of the Yao are nominal Muslim. South of the river, the Makhuwas follow the Catholic or Islamic faith.

Education

In 1998, a provincial college was built in Lichinga to train teachers. Partially financed by the Irish Embassy in Maputo, it graduates 60 teachers per year. Apart from training teachers for local schools, the college offers primary school education to the local Lichinga community and works towards reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS in Niassa province.