Mozambique population pyramid 2026
36,639,850 people in 2026 (projected). Mozambique’s pyramid pairs a very wide base with a striking shortage of older men: at ages 65–74 men are fewer than half as numerous as women.
- 2026 population
- 36.6Mrank 44 of 237
- Median age
- 16.6 yearsoldest rank 230
- Fertility rate
- 4.54births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful2.7% age 65+
Mozambique population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Mozambique age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 43.9% of the population, while 2.7% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 53.4% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Mozambique’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 87.1: about 87 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (82.1 children and 5.1 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Mozambique’s population pyramid
Six children per woman for half a century
Mozambique’s total fertility rate stayed at or above six from the 1950s into the 1990s, and in 2026 it is still about 4.5. The pyramid therefore keeps the steep, regular slope of an expansive population pyramid: each band is larger than the one above it, and the 0–4 band, about 6 million children, is nearly 1.8 times the size of the 20–24 band. With roughly 1.3 million births a year against about 250,000 deaths, births outnumber deaths by more than five to one. The overall shape is very close to that of Angola, another former Portuguese colony with high fertility.
A generation of missing men
The most unusual feature sits in the middle and upper part of the chart. Already in 1950 women outnumbered men at ages 20–39, a pattern often attributed to long-established male labour migration to the mines of South Africa and to neighbouring territories. By 2000 the gap had become severe: at ages 40–44 there were only about six men for every ten women, and the male side was cut back across ages 35–54. Those cohorts, born roughly 1946–65, were young adults during the civil war that followed independence in 1975 and lasted until 1992, and they were also exposed to the HIV epidemic that spread in the 1990s. The chart alone cannot separate how much of the deficit comes from war deaths, migration and disease, but its persistence is clear in the Mozambique 2000 pyramid and today: in 2026 the same generation is in its sixties and seventies, and at ages 65–69 and 70–74 there are only about 44 or 45 men per 100 women. Older cohorts, now over 80, are less affected, with about 61 men per 100 women.
Slow gains in survival, then rapid ones
Life expectancy barely moved between 1970 and 1990, from about 43 to 44 years, across two decades that included the war. It then rose to 55 by 2010 and about 64 by 2023, and infant mortality fell from about 117 per 1,000 live births in 2000 to about 50 in 2023. Better child survival is one reason the base has kept widening even as fertility edges down. The UN also estimates net emigration of about 1.7 million between 2000 and 2023.
Under the UN medium scenario the population, about 36.6 million in 2026, reaches roughly 63.5 million by 2050 and about 104 million by 2100, still growing at the end of the century. Fertility is projected to fall below three by 2050, but the large young cohorts already born guarantee decades of growth, a clear case of population momentum.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Mozambique’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Mozambique is projected to record 1,323,752 births (about one birth every 24 seconds) and 246,990 deaths, a natural increase of 1,076,762. Net migration adds −55,988 people, ranking #168 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 24,108,383 births, 6,224,900 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −1,682,606. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −1,597,673 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 67.1 years38.7 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 60.8 years35.9 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 12.7 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 47.0per 1,000 births · 186 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 60.7per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.3 yearssex ratio at birth 102.0
Women in Mozambique are projected to live 6.3 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 186 to 47.0 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #17 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.3 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Mozambique
The median age of 16.6 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 4.54 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 64.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,639,850 | #44 | Largest first |
| Median age | 16.6 years | #230 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 4.54 | #10 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.8% | #11 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 64.1 years | #218 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 2.7% | #221 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Mozambique
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 6,002,422 | 16.4% | 3M / 3M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 5,334,814 | 14.6% | 2.7M / 2.7M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 4,729,402 | 12.9% | 2.4M / 2.4M |
| 4 | 15–19 | 4,071,277 | 11.1% | 2M / 2M |
| 5 | 20–24 | 3,363,219 | 9.2% | 1.7M / 1.7M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Mozambique has 17,803,430 males and 18,836,420 females. That is 94.5 males per 100 females, ranking #185 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 48.6% of the population and females for 51.4%. There are 1,032,990 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 47.0 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 102.0 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Mozambique has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 5,910,225 in 1950 to 36,639,850 in 2026, a change of 520%. Over the same span, median age moved from 19.2 to 16.6 years.
The under-15 share changed from 41.3% to 43.9%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 3.1% to 2.7%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Mozambique population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Mozambique’s population is projected to grow by about 73%, reaching 63,530,952 in 2050. The median age changes from 16.6 to 21.6 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 0.9 percentage points to 3.6%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 34.4%. The Mozambique population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 104,346,534. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5,910,225 | 19.2 | 6.00 | 37.3 | 278,306 | 158,761 | −55,970 | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 6,713,695 | 18.9 | 6.31 | 41.2 | 324,006 | 158,230 | −54,351 | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 8,250,506 | 17.6 | 6.70 | 42.5 | 392,039 | 184,653 | −18,197 | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 11,336,222 | 16.5 | 6.53 | 44.0 | 600,450 | 250,855 | −149,650 | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 13,094,536 | 15.9 | 6.32 | 44.3 | 621,087 | 267,800 | −127,215 | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 18,129,653 | 16.2 | 5.83 | 49.5 | 790,145 | 283,986 | −104,476 | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 22,999,235 | 15.8 | 5.66 | 55.0 | 984,504 | 265,476 | −97,079 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 30,783,688 | 16.1 | 4.96 | 61.4 | 1,192,444 | 246,482 | −25,864 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 33,635,160 | 16.3 | 4.76 | 63.6 | 1,260,855 | 235,520 | −36,276 | +2.9% |
| 2024* | 34,631,766 | 16.4 | 4.69 | 63.8 | 1,282,336 | 239,246 | −38,940 | +2.9% |
| 2026* | 36,639,850 | 16.6 | 4.54 | 64.1 | 1,323,752 | 246,990 | −55,988 | +2.8% |
| 2030* | 40,846,755 | 17.3 | 4.23 | 64.8 | 1,397,803 | 262,398 | −59,460 | +2.6% |
| 2040* | 52,124,215 | 19.2 | 3.47 | 66.4 | 1,518,503 | 305,756 | −59,314 | +2.2% |
| 2050* | 63,530,952 | 21.6 | 2.92 | 67.8 | 1,589,807 | 370,726 | −101,055 | +1.8% |
| 2060* | 74,638,116 | 24.3 | 2.58 | 69.2 | 1,623,749 | 463,937 | −98,017 | +1.4% |
| 2070* | 84,572,376 | 27.0 | 2.34 | 70.4 | 1,612,021 | 582,548 | −109,425 | +1.1% |
| 2080* | 92,965,358 | 29.6 | 2.18 | 71.6 | 1,579,089 | 719,763 | −119,960 | +0.8% |
| 2090* | 99,654,091 | 32.0 | 2.07 | 72.9 | 1,535,825 | 866,737 | −96,809 | +0.6% |
| 2100* | 104,346,534 | 34.2 | 1.99 | 74.2 | 1,477,432 | 1,005,405 | −83,969 | +0.4% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 3,017,048 | 2,985,374 | 6,002,422 | 16.4% |
| 5–9 | 2,679,390 | 2,655,424 | 5,334,814 | 14.6% |
| 10–14 | 2,372,343 | 2,357,059 | 4,729,402 | 12.9% |
| 15–19 | 2,035,820 | 2,035,457 | 4,071,277 | 11.1% |
| 20–24 | 1,669,961 | 1,693,258 | 3,363,219 | 9.2% |
| 25–29 | 1,425,053 | 1,474,136 | 2,899,189 | 7.9% |
| 30–34 | 1,155,485 | 1,225,151 | 2,380,636 | 6.5% |
| 35–39 | 925,061 | 1,020,276 | 1,945,337 | 5.3% |
| 40–44 | 709,852 | 829,308 | 1,539,160 | 4.2% |
| 45–49 | 538,292 | 670,860 | 1,209,152 | 3.3% |
| 50–54 | 425,421 | 523,828 | 949,249 | 2.6% |
| 55–59 | 335,461 | 390,219 | 725,680 | 2.0% |
| 60–64 | 196,766 | 301,060 | 497,826 | 1.4% |
| 65–69 | 125,982 | 279,320 | 405,302 | 1.1% |
| 70–74 | 94,338 | 215,952 | 310,290 | 0.8% |
| 75–79 | 58,019 | 117,219 | 175,238 | 0.5% |
| 80–84 | 28,071 | 46,029 | 74,100 | 0.2% |
| 85–89 | 9,159 | 13,378 | 22,537 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 1,696 | 2,683 | 4,379 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 204 | 396 | 600 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 12 | 34 | 46 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Mozambique’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Angola98% overlap · median age 16.7
- Afghanistan98% overlap · median age 17.4
- Tanzania98% overlap · median age 17.6
- Mali98% overlap · median age 15.9
- Chad98% overlap · median age 15.7
- Mauritania97% overlap · median age 17.5
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Mozambique.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Mozambique Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/mozambique/
MLA
“Mozambique Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/mozambique/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Mozambique Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/mozambique/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Mozambique in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Mozambique's population in 2026 is projected at 36,639,850.
What is the median age in Mozambique?
The projected median age in Mozambique in 2026 is 16.6 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Mozambique?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 4.54 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Mozambique's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 73%, from 36.6M to 63.5M.
What share of Mozambique is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 2.7% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 3.6%.
How many babies are born in Mozambique each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 1,323,752 births and 246,990 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 24 seconds. Births exceed deaths by 1,076,762.
What is life expectancy in Mozambique for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 67.1 years for women and 60.8 years for men, a gap of 6.3 years in favour of women.
Does Mozambique have more immigrants or emigrants?
Mozambique is projected to lose about 55,988 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −1,682,606.
What is the sex ratio in Mozambique?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 94.5 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.