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. 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 newly elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment.
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
Coastline
2,470 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Climate
tropical to subtropical
Terrain
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
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
Population
20,905,585
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 and death rates, lower population and 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 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
44.7% (male 4,692,126/female 4,647,960)
15-64 years
52.5% (male 5,345,618/female 5,633,511)
65 years and over
2.8% (male 244,886/female 341,484) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
17.4 years
male
16.9 years
female
17.8 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.803% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
38.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
20.51 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.949 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.717 male(s)/female
total population
0.968 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
109.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male
112.81 deaths/1,000 live births
female
106.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
40.9 years
male
41.4 years
female
40.4 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.29 children born/woman (2007 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 are high risks in some locations
water contact disease
schistosomiasis (2007)
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.)
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 58 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]
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James DUDLEY
embassy
Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
mailing address
P. O. Box 783, Maputo
telephone
[258] (1) 492797
FAX
[258] (1) 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 - 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 although it returned to double digits in 2000-06. 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. In late 2005, and after years of negotiations, the government signed an agreement to gain 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$29.17 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$6.323 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
7.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$1,500 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
21.1%
industry
30.9%
services
48% (2006 est.)
Labor force
9.4 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
81%
industry
6%
services
13% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate
21% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line
70% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Belgium 29.3%, Italy 22%, Spain 12.7%, China 4.1% (2006)
Imports
$2.815 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners
South Africa 35.9%, Australia 9.4%, China 5% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.353 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$2.392 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$632.8 million (2001)
Currency (code)
metical (MZM)
Currency code
MZM
Exchange rates
meticais per US dollar - 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003), 23,678 (2002)
note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old meticais equal to 1 new meticais
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
69,700 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1.22 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
fair system but not available generally (extremely low density with less than 1 main line per 100 persons)
domestic
the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
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
6,985 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
11 (2002)
Internet users
138,000 (2005)
Airports
158 (2006)
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 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
136
2,438 to 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
14
914 to 1,523 m
34
under 914 m
87 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 918 km; refined products 294 km (2006)
Railways
total
3,123 km
narrow gauge
2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)
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) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Beira, Maputo, Nacala
Military branches
Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM) (2006)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49: 3,793,373 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49: 185,314 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.8% (2006)
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
