2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

784,090 sq km

total

801,590 sq km

water

17,500 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of California

Climate

tropical to subtropical

Coastline

2,470 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Monte Binga 2,436 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

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

Geographic coordinates

18 15 S, 35 00 E

Irrigated land

1,180 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

total

4,571 km

Land use

arable land

4%

forests and woodland

18%

other

22% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

56%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (male 4,079,240; female 4,122,578) 15-64 years: 54% (male 5,123,178; female 5,262,618) 65 years and over: 3% (male 215,412; female 301,670) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

37.99 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

23.29 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

139.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects

Life expectancy at birth

female

36.68 years (2000 est.)

male

38.34 years

total population

37.52 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

23.3% (1995 est.)

male

57.7%

total population

40.1%

Nationality

adjective

Mozambican

noun

Mozambican(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

19,104,696

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 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.47% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.93 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Capital

Maputo

Constitution

30 November 1990

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Mozambique

conventional short form

Mozambique

local long form

Republica de Mocambique

local short form

Mocambique

Data code

MZ

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Bryan Dean CURRAN

embassy

Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo

mailing address

P. O. Box 783, Maputo

telephone

(1) 492797

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

Suite 570, 1990 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Marcos Geraldo NAMASHULUA

telephone

(202) 293-7146

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet

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)

election results

Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president; percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 47.71%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 3-4 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since NA December 1994)

FAX

(202) 835-0245

(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

Government type

republic

Independence

25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

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, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president and judges elected by the Assembly

Legal system

based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - Frelimo 48.54%, Renamo-UE 38.81%; seats by party - Frelimo 133, Renamo-UE 117

elections

last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

note

Renamo-UE ran as a multiparty coalition; none of the other opposition parties received the 5% required to win parliamentary seats

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, rice, tropical fruits; beef, poultry

Budget

expenditures

$799 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

revenues

$402 million

Currency

1 metical (Mt) = 100 centavos

Debt - external

$4.8 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.115 billion (1995)

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. Pending are tax and much needed commercial code reform, as well as greater private sector involvement in the transportation, telecommunications, and energy sectors. Since 1996, inflation has been low and foreign exchange rates 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. Still, the country depends on foreign assistance to balance the budget and to pay for a trade imbalance in which imports outnumber exports by five to one or more. The medium-term outlook for the country looks bright, as trade and transportation links to South Africa and the rest of the region are expected to improve and sizable foreign investments materialize. Among these investments are metal production (aluminum, steel), natural gas, power generation, agriculture (cotton, sugar), fishing, timber, and transportation services. Additional exports in these areas should bring in needed foreign exchange. In addition, Mozambique is on track to receive a formal cancellation of a large portion of its external debt through a World Bank initiative.

Electricity - consumption

1.018 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

483 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

385 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

1.2 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

25%

hydro

75%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

meticais (Mt) per US$1 - 13,392.0 (January 2000), 12,775.1 (1999), 11,874.6 (1998), 11.543.6 (1997), 11,293.8 (1996), 9,024.3 (1995)

Exports

$300 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

prawns 40%, cashews, cotton, sugar, copra, citrus, coconuts, timber (1997)

Exports - partners

Spain 17%, South Africa 16%, Portugal 12%, US 10%, Japan, Malawi, India, Zimbabwe (1996 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $18.7 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

34%

industry

18%

services

48% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

10% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, clothing, farm equipment, petroleum, transport equipment (1997)

Imports - partners

South Africa 55%, Zimbabwe 7%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Portugal 4%, US, Japan, India (1996 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

39% (1997)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (1999 est.)

Labor force

NA

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 14, FM 4, shortwave 17 (1998)

Radios

730,000 (1997)

Telephone system

fair system of tropospheric scatter, open-wire lines, and microwave radio relay

domestic

microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter

international

satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

60,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

90,000 (1997)

Airports

170 (1999 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: 4 under 914 m: 4 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

148 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 92 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

5,685 km

total

30,400 km

unpaved

24,715 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 3 (1999 est.)

total

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 306 km; petroleum products 289 km

note

not operating

Ports and harbors

Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Railways

narrow gauge

2,988 km 1.067-m gauge; 143 km 0.762-m gauge (1994)

total

3,131 km

Waterways

about 3,750 km of navigable routes

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$72 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.7% (FY97)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 4,536,132 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,617,720 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

Southern African transit hub for South American cocaine probably destined for the European and US markets; producer of hashish and methaqualone

NAMIBIA