Maputo is the capital city of Mozambique, located at the far east of the country. Maputo is one of the important harbour cities in the southern part of Africa. It is the country's economic, transportation, and cultural centre. Since its establishment, Maputo has been known for influencing other cities around the region. It is famous for its striking colonial-era architecture and modern structures that coexist to complement each other. Some of the places that make it famous include the remarkable Maputo Railway Station, the Fort of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao, Independence Square, and the Maputo City Hall.

Census in Mozambique is conducted after every 10 years and 2017 was the last time it was conducted. The next census is scheduled for 2027 in Mozambique. According to the 2017 census, Maputo had a population of 1,088,449. Compared to other cities in Mozambique, Maputo is considered to be quite diverse. When it comes to religious beliefs, Maputo is diverse as most people identify themselves as Catholic, Muslim, Zionist Christian Church and others. According to data collected during the 2017 census, 56.1% of people in Maputo identified themselves as Catholic, 17.9% as Muslim, 15.5% Zionist Christian Church, and 10.5% Other religions. Maputo houses over a million residents, who collectively speak various languages, including Portuguese, Tsonga, Swahili, Makhuwa, and of course English.

There are several tiers under local government in Maputo. They are citywide and local tier. Citywide administration is coordinated by the Municipal Council of Maputo, while local administration is carried out by smaller local authorities. The Municipal Council of Maputo consists of the Mayor of Maputo, who has executive powers, and the Municipal Assembly, who scrutinize the Mayor's decisions and can accept or reject his budget proposals each year. The Municipal Council is responsible for strategic planning, policing, most aspects of transport and economic development. On the other hand, the local authorities are responsible for local services not overseen by the Municipal Council, such as local planning, schools, social services, local roads and refuse collection.

Maputo has always been a commercial city and today is a significant harbour city in the southern part of Africa. The city thrives in trade and commerce and has a vibrant culture steeped in commerce. It has a GDP of over 120 billion MZN, which is a significant part of Mozambique's total GDP. The size of its economy is larger than that of several cities in the region. The Port of Maputo handles a significant amount of cargo every year.

The Municipal Council of Maputo took positive steps with its Maputo infrastructure plan. The Mayor of Maputo took a big step forward in planning for growth with the publication of the Maputo Infrastructure Plan. It identifies a range of infrastructure priorities for Maputo, from new energy, water and sewerage infrastructure, to enhanced digital connectivity and new road schemes. Some of the investment is provided by the private sector, through the privatized utilities. This has generally worked well in Maputo, although business is particularly concerned at the lack of capacity in digital infrastructure.