Island of Mozambique

Nampula Province, Mozambique

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The Island of Mozambique, a narrow coral reef 3 kilometers long and 100-500 meters wide in Nampula Province off northern Mozambique's coast at Mossuril Bay's entrance, linked to the mainland by a 1960s bridge, was a vital Arab trading post from the 10th century before Vasco da Gama claimed it for Portugal in 1498, establishing it as Portuguese East Africa's capital until 1898 with Fort São Sebastião built from 1547.

This UNESCO World Heritage site divides into Stone Town—featuring uniform 16th-19th century limestone architecture blending Portuguese, Arab, and Indian styles in churches like Nossa Senhora de Baluarte (1522, the Southern Hemisphere's oldest European building), the governor's São Paulo Palace museum, and a hospital—and Macuti Town's thatched African reed huts, reflecting over 400 years of slave, spice, and gold trade amid decay needing restoration. 

Home to 14,000 residents fishing and farming, it draws tourists for beaches, museums, and cyclone-vulnerable heritage preserved through community efforts and international aid.