Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration, 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.

Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania

18 15 S, 35 00 E

Africa

slightly less than twice the size of California

2,470 km

tropical to subtropical

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

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

1,180 sq km (2003)

216 cu km (1992)

severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces

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

the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country

21,669,278

1.791% (2009 est.)

37.98 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

20.07 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

NA (2009 est.)

5.18 children born/woman (2009 est.)

12.5% (2007 est.)

1.5 million (2007 est.)

81,000 (2007 est.)

African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)

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)

5% of GDP (2005)

republic

10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

30 November 1990

based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

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, Constitutional Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts

Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA]; Mozambique National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or RENAMO [Afonso DHLAKAMA]

Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

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 Compact entered into force in September 2008 and will continue for five years. Compact projects will focus on improving sanitation, roads, agriculture, and the business regulation environment in an effort to spur economic growth in the four northern provinces of the country.

$18.95 billion (2008 est.)

$17.79 billion (2007)

$16.63 billion (2006)

$9.788 billion (2008 est.)

6.5% (2008 est.)

7% (2007 est.)

8.5% (2006 est.)

$900 (2008 est.)

$900 (2007 est.)

$800 (2006 est.)

10.04 million (2008 est.)

21% (1997 est.)

70% (2001 est.)

47.3 (2002)

24% of GDP (2008 est.)

21.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

11.2% (2008 est.)

8.2% (2007 est.)

NA% (31 December 2008)

9.95% (31 December 2007)

NA% (31 December 2008)

19.52% (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.261 billion (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.467 billion (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$877.2 million (31 December 2007)

$NA

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

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

9% (2008 est.)

14.62 billion kWh (2006 est.)

9.555 billion kWh (2006 est.)

12.83 billion kWh (2006 est.)

9.839 billion kWh (2006 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

14,390 bbl/day (2006 est.)

0 bbl/day (2005)

13,240 bbl/day (2005)

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

1.65 billion cu m (2006 est.)

1.45 billion cu m (2006 est.)

0 cu m (2005 est.)

0 cu m (2007 est.)

127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

$-981 million (2008 est.)

$2.693 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity

Italy 19.4%, Belgium 18.4%, Spain 12.5%, South Africa 12.3%, UK 7.3%, China 4.1% (2007)

$3.292 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles

South Africa 36.7%, Australia 8.5%, China 4.6% (2007)

$2.067 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$4.316 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

meticais (MZM) per US dollar - 24.125 (2008 est.), 26.264 (2007), 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004)

67,000 (2006)

3.3 million (2007)

AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

4 (2008)

.mz

22,532 (2008)

200,000 (2007)

111 (2008)

gas 918 km; refined products 278 km (2008)

460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2008)

Beira, Maputo, Nacala

Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM) (2006)

19-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation (2009)

0.8% of GDP (2006)

none

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