The +258 country code is for Mozambique. A country of about 33 million people stretching along 2,470 km of Indian Ocean coastline in southeastern Africa. Maputo, the capital, sits at the southern tip near the South African border. Mozambique is Portuguese-speaking -- one of only a handful of Lusophone countries in Africa, and the only one on the Indian Ocean coast. The country gained independence from Portugal in 1975, went straight into a brutal civil war that lasted until 1992, and has been rebuilding since. Huge natural gas deposits discovered off the northern coast in the 2010s could transform the economy, though an Islamist insurgency in Cabo Delgado province has complicated the picture.
Quick answer: The country code +258 is for Mozambique. Mobile numbers are 9 digits after +258, starting with 82-87:
+258 84 XXX XXXX. Landlines are 8-9 digits after +258, starting with 21 (Maputo) or other area codes:+258 21 XXX XXX. There is no trunk prefix -- dial the number exactly as written.
How to call Mozambique: quick reference
Mozambique does not use a trunk prefix. The domestic number is the same as the international number minus the country code. No leading 0 to drop.
| Calling from | Dialing format |
|---|---|
| US/Canada mobile | +258 [local number] |
| US/Canada landline | 011-258-[local number] |
| UK | 00-258-[local number] |
| Australia | 0011-258-[local number] |
| Germany | 00-258-[local number] |
| France | 00-258-[local number] |
Understanding Mozambique phone numbers
Mozambique's numbering is straightforward. Mobile numbers are 9 digits after +258. Landlines are 8-9 digits depending on the region. No trunk prefix for either.
Mobile numbers
All mobile numbers start with digits in the 82-87 range and are 9 digits after +258:
- 84X, 85X: Vodacom Mozambique
- 86X, 87X: Movitel
- 82X, 83X: Tmcel (formerly mCel)
The format is +258 8X XXX XXXX. If the number starts with 8 after +258, it's a mobile.
Landline numbers
Landlines embed the area code in the number:
| Area code | Region | International format |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Maputo | +258 21 XXX XXX |
| 23 | Gaza, Inhambane | +258 23 XXX XXX |
| 24 | Sofala (Beira) | +258 24 XXX XXX |
| 25 | Zambézia | +258 25 XXX XXX |
| 26 | Nampula, Niassa | +258 26 XXX XXX |
| 27 | Cabo Delgado | +258 27 XXX XXX |
Landlines are rare outside Maputo and Beira. Mobile penetration is around 50%, while fixed-line penetration is below 1%. Almost every +258 number you'll encounter is a mobile.
Mobile carriers in Mozambique
Vodacom Mozambique
Prefix 84, 85. Part of South Africa's Vodacom Group (majority-owned by Vodafone). Vodacom is the market leader with the widest 4G coverage and the largest subscriber base. M-Pesa, the mobile money platform originally from Kenya, operates through Vodacom and is the dominant mobile payment system in Mozambique. If you're calling a +258 84 or 85 number, it's Vodacom.
Movitel
Prefix 86, 87. A joint venture between Mozambique's SPI (linked to the ruling Frelimo party) and Vietnam's Viettel. Movitel launched in 2012 and rapidly expanded into rural areas that Vodacom and Tmcel hadn't reached. It's the second-largest operator and has particularly strong coverage in the northern provinces. Movitel was the first operator to bring mobile service to many remote villages.
Tmcel
Prefix 82, 83. The state-owned operator, formerly known as mCel. Tmcel was the first mobile carrier in Mozambique (launching in 1997) but has lost market share to Vodacom and Movitel over the years. It's the smallest of the three and its coverage is mostly limited to urban areas and along major roads.
Don't confuse +258 with nearby codes
The most common confusion is with +255 (Tanzania). Tanzania borders Mozambique to the north, both countries face the Indian Ocean, and the codes are only three digits apart. Dialing +255 instead of +258 connects you to Tanzania.
| Code | Country | Region |
|---|---|---|
| +258 | Mozambique | Southeastern Africa |
| +255 | Tanzania | East Africa |
| +256 | Uganda | East Africa |
| +260 | Zambia | Southern Africa |
+256 (Uganda) and +260 (Zambia) are also numerically close. Zambia borders Mozambique in the northwest, so there's a geographic overlap too. If you're calling the Portuguese-speaking country on the Indian Ocean coast, it's +258.
Time zone considerations
Mozambique is on Central Africa Time (CAT, UTC+2) year-round with no daylight saving time. This is the same time zone as South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
| Your location | Time difference | Call Mozambique 9 AM - 6 PM |
|---|---|---|
| US East Coast (EST) | Mozambique is 7 hours ahead | 2 AM - 11 AM EST |
| US East Coast (EDT) | Mozambique is 6 hours ahead | 3 AM - 12 PM EDT |
| UK (GMT) | Mozambique is 2 hours ahead | 7 AM - 4 PM GMT |
| UK (BST) | Mozambique is 1 hour ahead | 8 AM - 5 PM BST |
| Portugal (WET) | Mozambique is 2 hours ahead | 7 AM - 4 PM WET |
| Portugal (WEST) | Mozambique is 1 hour ahead | 8 AM - 5 PM WEST |
| South Africa (SAST) | Same time zone | 9 AM - 6 PM SAST |
South Africa and Mozambique share the same time zone, which is convenient given that the largest Mozambican diaspora is in South Africa. Portugal is only 1-2 hours behind, making calls between the two former colonial partners easy to schedule.
Communication in Mozambique
Business hours and culture
Government offices run 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM Monday through Friday. Private businesses typically follow 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Shops in Maputo's Baixa (downtown) close for lunch between 12:00 and 2:00 PM -- a Portuguese habit that stuck. Saturday mornings are common for markets and informal business. Mozambicans tend to be warm and unhurried on the phone. Greetings come first, business second.
Languages
Portuguese is the official language and the only one used in government, media, and education. But only about half the population speaks it fluently -- most people at home speak one of the many Bantu languages: Emakhuwa in the north (the most widely spoken), Xichangana in the south (around Maputo), Cisena in central Mozambique, and dozens of others. When calling a business in Maputo, Portuguese is the language. When calling someone's personal number in a rural area, they might answer in a local language before switching to Portuguese.
Network quality
Coverage in Maputo, Beira, Nampula, and along the EN1 highway (the main north-south road running the length of the country) is generally reliable with 4G. Move away from major roads and the network thins out fast. Northern Mozambique, particularly Cabo Delgado and Niassa provinces, has patchy coverage. The insurgency in Cabo Delgado has destroyed cell towers in some areas. Cyclones (Mozambique gets hit regularly) also knock out infrastructure for days or weeks.
The Mozambique diaspora
Where they went
South Africa is the primary destination by a huge margin. An estimated 1-3 million Mozambicans live and work in South Africa, many in Gauteng (Johannesburg area), Mpumalanga, and Limpopo provinces. The migration goes back to the 19th century when Mozambican miners were recruited for the Witwatersrand gold mines. Today the flow is broader -- construction, agriculture, domestic work, informal trade. The border between southern Mozambique and South Africa is porous, and many families live on both sides.
Portugal has a community of about 30,000-50,000 Mozambicans, concentrated in Lisbon and the surrounding area. The colonial connection and shared language make Portugal the obvious European destination. Many Mozambicans in Portugal came after independence in 1975 or during the civil war (1977-1992).
Smaller communities exist in Malawi and Tanzania (neighboring countries with shared ethnic groups crossing the borders), Zimbabwe, and Brazil (Portuguese language link).
Why they call
Mozambicans in South Africa send substantial remittances home. Phone calls coordinate money transfers, check on family, and maintain ties across the border. M-Pesa through Vodacom handles much of the mobile money flow. For the Portuguese diaspora, calls home are about maintaining cultural and family bonds across a former colonial relationship that's still emotionally complicated for many.
Dialing examples
Example 1: Calling a Maputo mobile (Vodacom) from the US
- Mozambican number: 84 123 4567
- From a US mobile:
+258 84 123 4567 - From a US landline:
011 258 84 123 4567
Example 2: Calling a Nampula mobile (Movitel) from Portugal
- Mozambican number: 86 987 6543
- From Portugal:
00 258 86 987 6543
Example 3: Calling a Maputo landline from the UK
- Mozambican number: 21 345 678
- From UK:
00 258 21 345 678
Example 4: Calling a Beira mobile (Tmcel) from South Africa
- Mozambican number: 82 456 7890
- From South Africa:
00 258 82 456 7890
Common mistakes to avoid
Adding a trunk prefix that doesn't exist
Mozambique has no trunk prefix. The number 84 123 4567 is dialed as +258 84 123 4567 from abroad. Don't add a 0 in front -- +258 084 123 4567 won't work.
Confusing +258 with +255
+258 is Mozambique. +255 is Tanzania. They share a northern border, both face the Indian Ocean, and the codes look similar. Mozambique speaks Portuguese; Tanzania speaks Swahili and English. If you hear Portuguese, you dialed correctly.
Expecting calls to go through in Cabo Delgado
The insurgency in Cabo Delgado province has damaged telecom infrastructure. Some areas have no mobile coverage at all. If calls to a +258 27 landline or a mobile in the far north aren't connecting, the network might physically not exist there anymore.
Wrong digit count for landlines vs. mobiles
Mobile numbers are 9 digits after +258 (e.g., +258 84 123 4567). Maputo landlines are 8 digits after +258 (e.g., +258 21 345 678). The digit counts differ, so check whether you're calling a mobile or a landline.
Prefer calling over WiFi? See our guide to the best apps for WiFi calling.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What country has the +258 country code?
The +258 country code is for Mozambique, a Portuguese-speaking country on the Indian Ocean coast of southeastern Africa.
How many digits is a Mozambican phone number?
Mobile numbers are 9 digits after +258 (starting with 82-87). Landlines are 8-9 digits after +258, starting with area codes like 21 (Maputo).
How do I call Mozambique from the USA?
From a mobile, dial +258 followed by the number. From a landline, dial 011, then 258, then the number. No leading 0 to drop.
Does Mozambique have a trunk prefix?
No. Mozambique does not use a trunk prefix. Dial the number directly after +258.
What is the difference between +258 and +255?
+258 is Mozambique (capital: Maputo, speaks Portuguese). +255 is Tanzania (capital: Dodoma, speaks Swahili/English). They share a northern border.
For more African dialing guides, see our complete country codes directory. You can also check guides for neighboring Malawi (+265) and South Africa (+27).