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Mozambique

Location of Mozambique. Source: Vardion/Wikipedia

Source: CIA World Factbook

Mozambique is a nation in southeastern-Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel (across which lie Madagascar), between South Africa to the south and Tanzania to the north. It is composed mostly of coastal lowlands, with uplands in the center of the country, and high plateaus in northwest, and mountains in west. The Zambezi River flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country. In the west, Mozambique borders on Lake Nyasa.

Mozambique's major environmental issues include: 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; and, elephant poaching for ivory is a problem. It is susceptible to severe droughts, as well as devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces.

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.

Geography

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

Geographic Coordinates: 18 15 S, 35 00 E

Area: 801,590 km² (784,090 km² land and 17,500 km² water)

arable land: 5.43%
permanent crops: 0.29%
other: 94.28% (2005) 

Land Boundaries: 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 to 12 nautical miles and an exclusive economic zone to 200 nautical miles.

Natural Hazards: severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces

Terrain: Mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west. Its lowest point is the Indian Ocean ( metres) and its highest point is Monte Binga (2,436 metres).

Climate: Tropical to Subtropical

Government

Government Type: Republic

Capital: Maputo

Independence Date: 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

International Environmental Agreements

Mozambique is party to international agreements on: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, and Wetlands.

People and Society

Population: 21,284,701

Age Structure:

0-14 years: 44.5% (male 4,762,335/female 4,711,422)
15-64 years: 52.7% (male 5,472,184/female 5,736,154)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 251,026/female 351,580) (2008 est.)

Population Growth Rate: 1.792% (2008 est.)

Birth Rate: 38.21 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death Rate: 20.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net Migration Rate: NA

Life Expectancy at Birth: 41.04 years (2008 est.)

Total Fertility Rate: 5.24 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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 (2003 est.): 47.8% (male: 63.5% - female: 32.7%)

Water

Total Renewable Water Resources: 216 cu km (1992)

Freshwater Withdrawal: Total: 0.63 cu km/yr (11% domestic, 2% industrial, 87% agricultural). Per capita: 32 cu m/yr (2000)

Agriculture

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

Irrigated Land: 1,180 sq km (2003)

Resources

Natural Resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite.

Energy

Health

Prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Adults: 12.2% (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
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)

Economy

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 Mozambican government moved rapidly to ratify the Compact and propose a plan for funding.

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $17.02 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (Official Exchange Rate): $7.559 billion (2007 est.)

GDP- real growth rate: 7% (2007 est.)

GDP- per capita (PPP): $800 (2007 est.)

GDP- composition by sector:

agriculture: 23%
industry: 30.1%
services: 46.8% (2007 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line: 70% (2001 est.)

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

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

Export Partners: Italy 19.6%, Belgium 18.6%, South Africa 16.5%, Spain 12.6%, China 4.1% (2006)

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

Import Partners: South Africa 36.8%, Australia 6.1%, China 4.6% (2006)

Economic Aid Recipient: $1.286 billion (2005)

Currency: metical (MZM)

Ports and Terminals: Beira, Maputo, [[Nacala]

Further Reading

1. CIA World Factbook