Mozambique

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Mozambique's Information


Capital	Maputo
Languages	Emakhuwa 25.3%, Portuguese (official) 10.7%, Xichangana 10.3%, Cisena 7.5%, Elomwe 7%, Echuwabo 5.1%, other Mozambican languages 30.1%, other 0.3%, unspecified 3.7% (2007 est.)
Ethnic Groups	African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%
Religion	Roman Catholic 28.4%, Muslim 17.9%, Zionist Christian 15.5%, Protestant 12.2% (includes Pentecostal 10.9% and Anglican 1.3%), other 6.7%, none 18.7%, unspecified 0.7% (2007 est.)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
Area	799,380.00 km²
Water Area	13,000.00 km²
Land Area	786,380.00 km²
Population	25,930,150.00
Location	Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
No. Bordering Countries	6
Bordering Countries	Malawi 1,498 km, South Africa 496 km, Swaziland 108 km, Tanzania 840 km, Zambia 439 km, Zimbabwe 1,402 km
GDP(PPP)	$35,010,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$1,200.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are South Africa, China, and Italy.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are alumium, prawns, cashews, and cotton.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are South Africa, China, and India.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, and chemicals.
Climate	Tropical to subtropical
Terrain	Mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west

Where is Mozambique?

Located in Southeastern Africa, Mozambique has a 4,783.00 km border with Malawi (1,498 km), South Africa (496 km), Swaziland (108 km), Tanzania (840 km), Zambia (439 km) and Zimbabwe (1,402 km). It has a 2,470.00 km coastline. South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

The capital city of the Republic of Mozambique is Maputo. It is located on the north of the banks of Espirito Santo Estuary of Delagoa Bay. It became the capital city in 1887. Maputo is the biggest city in Mozambique. It has grown from a small trading center to a booming economy. The city of Maputo has several tourist attraction sights within the city center. They include the Portuguese Fortaleza, the beautiful train station built in 1910, the museum of revolution, resorts, beaches, museum Nacional de Arte, and whale watching among other sights. The city experiences a tropical wet and dry climate. Maputo receives a significant amount of rainfall in January while the warmest month is February. June is the coldest month in the city. The best months to visit the city of Maputo are from April to October. The temperatures favor outdoor activities. The city of Maputo is the largest city in Mozambique.

Geography

Mozambique has a mean elevation of 345 m above sea level.

Its climate ranges from tropical to subtropical. Its terrain mostly consists of coastal lowlands, uplands in the center, high plateaus in the northwest, and mountains in the west.

Population

Mozambique has a population of 25,930,150 making it the 49th largest in the world.

Emakhuwa, Portuguese, and Xichangana are the most commonly spoken languages. The major ethnic group reporeted is African. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic, Muslim, or Zionist Christian.

Portuguese is the official language of Mozambique. It was inherited from the colonial masters of Mozambique. The language is only used by 8.8% of the population as their first languages while 27% of the population speaks it as a second language. Apart from Portuguese, other languages spoken in Mozambique are Makhuwa, Chrima, and Swahili, Cbubwa. Other foreign languages include Chinese, Arab, and Gujarati among other languages. Most of the Mozambicans are Bantu speakers hence the high number of local languages. The country has over fifty local native languages.

Government

Mozambique is an independent country. It gained independence from Portugal in 1975. Its constitution was last ratified in 2007.

A democratic government governs the Republic of Mozambique. The president appoints the prime minister and cabinet of ministers. They are the president’s advisors. Power in the government is divided between the judiciary, the executive, and the legislature. The judiciary is independent while the speaker heads the legislature. The political field in Mozambique has several political parties. Citizens aged 18-years and above are eligible to vote in the general elections.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Mozambique's GDP is $35,010,000,000.00 (USD) with $1,200.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 123rd largest economy and its citizens the 212th richest in the world. The currency of Mozambique is the Meticail (MZN).

Its major export partners are South Africa, China, and Italy. Its main exports are alumium, prawns, cashews, and cotton. Its major import partners are South Africa, China, and India. Its major imports include machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, and chemicals.

Flag

The Republic of Mozambique has a tricolored flag with green, yellow, and black colors and a chevron on the hoist side. The chevron has a gun, hoe, a white book, and a five-pointed star. The flag was adopted on May 1, 1983. The black color stands for the people of Mozambique, while green stands for the land. Red is a symbol of bloodshed during the fight for independence. The flag’s design is based on that of the leading party of Mozambique. The gun element on the flag has caused a lot of debate in Mozambique with the opposition against the use of guns on the flag. It even leads to the formation of a commission which had a competition held for a new flag in 2005. There were 199 entries with a new design chosen from the entries. Although a new design was proposed, it has never been adopted. Mozambique has had only one different flag used since gaining independence. The flag was used for a short while immediately the country gained its independence from the Portuguese. After the first flag was abolished, the new national flag has been used to date.