Almost five centuries as a
Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale
emigration by whites, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe
drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development
until the mid 1990's. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique
(FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution
the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market
economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel
Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992.
In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim
CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor,
Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, promised to continue the sound economic policies
that have encouraged foreign investment. Mozambique has seen very strong
economic growth since the end of the civil war largely due to
post-conflict reconstruction.
Geography
Mozambique
Location:
Southeastern Africa, bordering
the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates:
18 15 S, 35 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 801,590 sq km
land: 784,090 sq km water: 17,500 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the
size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km,
Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km
total: 0.63 cu km/yr
(11%/2%/87%) per capita: 32 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
severe droughts; devastating
cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces
Environment - current issues:
a long civil war and recurrent
drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the
population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental
consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters;
elephant poaching for ivory is a problem
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements
Geography - note:
the Zambezi flows through the
north-central and most fertile part of the country
People
Mozambique
Population:
21,284,701 note:
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of
excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy,
higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth
rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than
would otherwise be expected; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a
population of 16,099,246 (July 2008 est.)
total: 17.4 years
male: 17 years female: 17.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.792% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
38.21 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Death rate:
20.29 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02
male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64
years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71
male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008
est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 107.84
deaths/1,000 live births male: 110.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 104.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.04
years male: 41.62 years female: 40.44 years (2008
est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.24 children born/woman (2008
est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
12.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.3 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
110,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very
high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal
diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases:
malaria and plague water contact disease: schistosomiasis
(2008)
Nationality:
noun: Mozambican(s)
adjective: Mozambican
Ethnic groups:
African 99.66% (Makhuwa,
Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%,
Indians 0.08%
Religions:
Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%,
Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)
Languages:
Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana
11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second
language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican
languages 32%, other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997
census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write total population: 47.8%
male: 63.5% female: 32.7% (2003 est.)
Government
Mozambique
Country name:
conventional long form:
Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique
local long form: Republica de Mocambique local short
form: Mocambique former: Portuguese East Africa
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Maputo
geographic coordinates: 25 57 S, 32 35 E time
difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provincias,
singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane,
Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia
Independence:
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 June
(1975)
Constitution:
30 November 1990
Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law
system and customary law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005) head of
government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by
popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election
last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009); prime
minister appointed by the president election results: Armando
GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote - Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso
DHLAKAMA 31.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the
Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections:
last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 62%,
RENAMO 29.7%, other 8.3%; seats by party - FRELIMO 160, RENAMO 90
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the court of
final appeal; some of its professional judges are appointed by the
president and some are elected by the Assembly); other courts include an
Administrative Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal,
labor courts note: although the constitution provides for a
separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its
absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases
Political parties and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of
Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando
Emilio GUEBUZA]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union
(Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE [Afonso
DHLAKAMA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Institute for Peace and
Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS,
president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa, chairman]; Movement for Peace and
Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human
Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE,
president]; Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e
Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]
chief of mission:
Ambassador Marcos Geraldo NAMASHULUA chancery: 1525 New
Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202)
293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Todd C. CHAPMAN embassy:
Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address: P. O. Box
783, Maputo telephone: [258] (21) 492797 FAX: [258]
(21) 490448
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of
green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the
hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is
a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black
superimposed on an open white book
Economy
Mozambique
Economy - overview:
At independence in 1975,
Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. Socialist
mismanagement and a brutal civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the
situation. In 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic
reforms designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with
donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party
elections in 1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's
growth rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s,
and although it returned to double digits in 2000-06, in 2007 inflation
had slowed to 8%, while GDP growth reached 7.5%. Fiscal reforms, including
the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service,
have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In spite of
these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign assistance for much
of its annual budget, and the majority of the population remains below the
poverty line. Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast
majority of the country's work force. A substantial trade imbalance
persists although the opening of the Mozal aluminum smelter, the country's
largest foreign investment project to date, has increased export earnings.
At the end of 2007, and after years of negotiations, the government took
over Portugal's majority share of the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectricity (HCB)
company, a dam that was not transferred to Mozambique at independence
because of the ensuing civil war and unpaid debts. More power is needed
for additional investment projects in titanium extraction and processing
and garment manufacturing that could further close the import/export gap.
Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through
forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a manageable
level. In July 2007 the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) signed a
Compact with Mozambique; the Mozambican government moved rapidly to ratify
the Compact and propose a plan for funding.
Netherlands 59.7%, South Africa
15.2%, Zimbabwe 3.2% (2006)
Imports:
$3.028 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment,
vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
South Africa 36.3%, Netherlands
15.6%, Portugal 3.3% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.286 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.451 billion (31 December
2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.284 billion (31 December
2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
metical (MZM)
Currency code:
MZM
Exchange rates:
meticais per US dollar - 26.264
(2007), 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003)
note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old
meticais equal to 1 new meticais
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications
Mozambique
Telephones - main lines in use:
67,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.339 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fair
system with an extremely low density of less than 1 fixed line per 100
persons domestic: the telecommunications sector is shackled
with a heavy state presence, lack of competition, and high operating costs
and charges; stagnation in the fixed-line network contrasts with rapid
growth in the mobile-cellular network; mobile-cellular coverage now
includes all the main cities and key roads, including those from Maputo to
the South African and Swaziland borders, the national highway through Gaza
and Inhambane provinces, the Beira corridor, and from Nampula to Nacala
international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11
(2001)
Radios:
730,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2000)
Televisions:
67,600 (2000)
Internet country code:
.mz
Internet hosts:
15,231 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2002)
Internet users:
178,000 (2005)
Transportation
Mozambique
Airports:
147 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 22 over
3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m:
10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 125 2,438
to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523
m: 36 under 914 m: 79 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 964 km; refined products
278 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 3,123 km
narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge
(2006)
Roadways:
total: 30,400 km
paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999)
Waterways:
460 km (Zambezi River navigable
to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1000 GRT
or over) 2,964 GRT/5,324 DWT by type: cargo 2
foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Beira, Maputo, Nacala
Military
Mozambique
Military branches:
Mozambique Armed Defense Forces
(FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM),
Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for
compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49:
4,545,975 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49:
2,287,526 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 16-49: 257,261
(2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (2006)
Transnational Issues
Mozambique
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
southern African transit point
for South Asian hashish and heroin, and South American cocaine probably
destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis
(for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial
infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
