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This article is an import from the CIA World Factbook 2002. It's a starting point for creating a real Wikitravel country article according to our country article template. Please plunge forward and edit the Mozambique article.

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 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 with rebel forces ended the fighting in 1992. Heavy flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt the economy.

[edit] Geography

Location 

Southern 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
water: 17,500 sq km
land: 784,090 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 

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate 

tropical to subtropical

Terrain 

mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes 

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources 

coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use 

arable land: 3.98%
permanent crops: 0.29%
other: 95.73% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards 

severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
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

[edit] People

Population 

19,607,519
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 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 42.5% (male 4,162,413; female 4,176,295)
15-64 years: 54.7% (male 5,313,511; female 5,407,052)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 227,761; female 320,487) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

1.13% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

36.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

25.13 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

138.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 35.46 years
female: 34.65 years (2002 est.)
male: 36.25 years

Total fertility rate 

4.71 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

12.6 to 16.4%, estimates vary (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

1,546,643 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

114,111 (2001 est.)

Nationality 

noun: Mozambican(s)
adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups 

indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Religions 

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages 

Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.3%
male: 58.4%
female: 27% (1998 est.)

[edit] Government

Country name 

conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
conventional short form: Mozambique
local short form: Mocambique
former: Portuguese East Africa
local long form: Republica de Mocambique

Government type 

republic

Capital 

Maputo

Administrative divisions 

10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Maputo City*, 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 Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6 November 1986); note - before being popularly elected, CHISSANO was elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee on 4 November 1986 (reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since 17 December 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president; percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 47.71%

Legislative branch 

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 48.54%, Renamo-UE 38.81%; seats by party - Frelimo 133, Renamo-UE 117
note: Renamo-UE ran as a multiparty coalition; none of the other opposition parties received the 5% required to win parliamentary seats; in September 2000, Renamo-UE member Raul DOMINGOS was expelled from the party, he continues to hold his parliamentary seat as an independent

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 the creation of 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 [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, president]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA, president]

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]

International organization participation 

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE
FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245
telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146
chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
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

[edit] Economy

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 1988, the government embarked on a series of dramatic macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy and reduce government participation. These steps combined with the political stability that has prevailed since the 1994 multi-party elections have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate fueled by foreign and domestic investments and donor assistance. Inflation was brought to single digits during the same period, although it has returned to double digits in 2000 and 2001. Foreign exchange rates have remained relatively stable. 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 workforce. A substantial trade imbalance persists, although it has diminished with the opening of the MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment project. Additional investment projects in titanium extraction/processing and garment manufacturing should 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 - $17.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

9.2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $900 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 33%
industry: 25%
services: 42% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line 

70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 32% (1996-97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index 

40 (1996-97 )

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

10% (2001 est.)

Labor force 

7.4 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation 

agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate 

21% (1997 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $393.1 million
expenditures: $1.025 billion, including capital expenditures of $479.4 million (2001 est.)

Industries 

food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate 

3.4% (2000)

Electricity - production 

7.017 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 4%
hydro: 96%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

925.81 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

5.7 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

100 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry

Exports 

$746 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities 

prawns 40%, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity (2000)

Exports - partners 

South Africa 12.7%, Zimbabwe 12.2%, Spain 10.6%, Portugal 10.0% (2000)

Imports 

$1.254 billion c.i.f. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities 

machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs, textiles (2000)

Imports - partners 

South Africa 33.5%, Portugal 4.8%, US 4.2%, Australia 3.8% (2000)

Debt - external 

$1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient 

$632.8 million (2001)

Currency 

metical (MZM)

Currency code 

MZM

Exchange rates 

meticais per US dollar - 23,314.2 (January 2002), 20,703.6 (2001), 15,447.1 (2000), 13,028.6 (1999), 12,110.2 (1998), 11,772.6 (1997)
note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public; meticais is the plural form of metical

Fiscal year 

calendar year

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

90,000 (December 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

100,000 (June 2001 est)

Telephone system 

general assessment: fair system but not available generally (telephone density is only 3.5 telephones for each 1,000 persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: 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 (2001)

Televisions 

67,600 (2000)

Internet country code 

.mz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

11 (2002)

Internet users 

22,500 (2000)

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

total: 3,131 km
narrow gauge: 2,988 km 1.067-m gauge; 143 km 0.762-m gauge (2001)

Highways 

total: 30,400 km
paved: 5,685 km
unpaved: 24,715 km (1996)

Waterways 

3,750 km (navigable routes)

Pipelines 

crude oil 306 km; petroleum products 289 km
note: not operating

Ports and harbors 

Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Merchant marine 

total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT
ships by type: cargo 3
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 2 (2002 est.)

Airports 

166 (2001)

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 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 143
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 35
under 914 m: 91 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military branches 

Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Special Forces, Militia

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 4,711,318 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 2,720,583 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$35.1 million (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

1% (2000 est.)

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

none

Illicit drugs 

Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish, South Asian 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