| Background: |
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. |
| Location: |
Southern Africa,
bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and
Tanzania |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
18 15 S, 35 00 E |
| 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 |
| 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:
4%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 56%
forests and woodland: 18%
other: 22% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
1,200 sq km (2000
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
severe droughts
and floods occur in central and southern provinces;
devastating cyclones |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Population: |
19,371,057
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
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
42.72% (male 4,124,093; female 4,152,135)
15-64 years: 54.53% (male 5,222,477; female
5,339,615)
65 years and over: 2.75% (male 221,678; female
311,059) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.3% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
37.2 births/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
24.21
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 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 (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
139.2
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 36.45 years
male: 37.25 years
female: 35.62 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
4.82 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
13.22% (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
1.2 million (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
98,000 (1999
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.) |
| 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 |
| Administrative
divisions: |
10 provinces (provincias,
singular - provincia); Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica,
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 Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6
November 1986); note - before being popularly elected,
CHISSANO was elected president by Frelimo's Central
Committee 4 November 1986 (reelected by the Committee 30
July 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal
MOCUMBI (since NA 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 |
| 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, chairman];
Mozambique National Resistance - Electoral Union (Resistencia
Nacional Mocambicana - Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso
DHLAKAMA, president] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC,
ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, 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 Marcos Geraldo NAMASHULUA
chancery: Suite 570, 1990 M Street NW,
Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146
FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245 |
| 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) 490114 |
| 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: |
Before the peace
accord of October 1992, Mozambique's economy was devastated
by a protracted civil war and socialist mismanagement. In
1994, it ranked as one of the poorest countries in the
world. Since then, Mozambique has undertaken a series of
economic reforms. Almost all aspects of the economy have
been liberalized to some extent. More than 900 state
enterprises have been privatized. A value-added tax,
introduced in 1999, launched the government's comprehensive
tax reform program. Pending are much needed commercial code
reform and greater private sector involvement in the
transportation, telecommunications, and energy sectors.
Since 1996, inflation has been low and foreign exchange
rates relatively stable. Albeit from a small base,
Mozambique's economy grew at an annual 10% rate in 1997-99,
one of the highest growth rates in the world. Growth slowed
and inflation rose in 2000 due to devastating flooding in
the early part of the year. Both indicators should recover
in 2001. The country depends on foreign assistance to
balance the budget and to pay for a trade imbalance in which
imports greatly outnumber exports. The trade situation
should improve in the medium term, however, as trade and
transportation links to South Africa and the rest of the
region have been improved and sizeable foreign investments
are beginning to materialize. Among these investments are
metal production (aluminum, steel), natural gas, power
generation, agriculture, fishing, timber, and transportation
services. Mozambique has received a formal cancellation of a
large portion of its external debt through an IMF initiative
and is scheduled to receive additional relief. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $19.1 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.8% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $1,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
44%
industry: 19%
services: 37% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
70% (2000 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
2.5%
highest 10%: 31.7% (1996-97) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
11.4% (2000 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:
$466.9 million
expenditures: $1.004 billion, including capital
expenditures of $502.5 million (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
food, beverages,
chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), petroleum products,
textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
7.2% (1999) |
| Electricity
- production: |
2.3 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
13.04%
hydro: 86.96%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
307 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
1.9 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
68 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
cotton, cashew
nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, rice,
coconuts, sisal, tropical fruits; beef, poultry |
| Exports: |
$390 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
prawns 40%,
cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity
(2000) |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 27%, South
Africa 26%, Zimbabwe 15%, India 12%, US 5%, Japan 4% (1999
est.) |
| Imports: |
$1.4 billion
(c.i.f., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs,
textiles (2000) |
| Imports
- partners: |
South Africa 44%,
EU 16%, US 6.5%, Japan 6.5%, Pakistan 3%, India 3% (1999
est.) |
| Debt
- external: |
$1.4 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$1.04 billion
(1998) |
| Exchange
rates: |
meticais per US
dollar - 17,331.0 (January 2001), 5,199.8 (2000), 12,775.1
(1999), 11,874.6 (1998), 11.543.6 (1997), 11,293.8 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
65,354 (2000) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
18,500 (2000) |
| 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 16,
shortwave 12 (2000) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
1 (2000) |
| Televisions: |
67,600 (2000) |
| Internet
country code: |
.mz |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
8 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
6,250
note: 150 corporate accounts and 6,100
individual accounts (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
3,131 km
narrow gauge: 2,988 km 1.067-m gauge; 143 km
0.762-m gauge (1994) |
| 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 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
168 (2000 est.) |
| 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 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
146
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 37
under 914 m: 92 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Naval
Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Militia |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 4,627,052 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 2,670,933 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$35.1 million
(2000 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1% (2000 est.) |
| 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) |
|
