World Atlas 2010 (4th edition)

281

Mozambique

AFRICA

FACTFILE

OFFICIAL NAME: Rep. of Mozambique

DATE OF FORMATION: 1975

CAPITAL: Maputo

POPULATION: 22.9 million

TOTAL AREA: 309,494 sq. miles

(801,590 sq. km)

DENSITY: 76 people per sq. mile

LANGUAGES: Makua, Xitsonga, Sena, Lomwe,

Portuguese*

RELIGIONS: Traditional beliefs 56%,

Christian 30%, Muslim 14%

ETHNIC MIX: Makua Lomwe 47%, Tsonga 23%,

Malawi 12%, Shona 11% other 7%

GOVERNMENT: Presidential system

CURRENCY: New metical = 100 centavos

Mozambique lies on the southeast African coast. It was

torn apart by a savage and devastating civil war between the

Marxist government and a rebel faction between 1977 and 1992.

GEOGRAPHY

Largely a savanna-covered plateau.

The coast is fringed by coral reefs and

lagoons. The Zambezi River bisects

the country.

CLIMATE

Tropical. Temperatures are hottest

on the coast. Extremes of rainfall:

drought and flood.

PEOPLE & SOCIETY

Tensions exist between north

and south, rather than between ethnic

groups. Life is centered on the extended

family. Polygamy is fairly common. The

country is struggling with the legacy of

a war that killed around a million people,

and the effects of frequent floods and

droughts. Half the population lives in

abject poverty.

THE ECONOMY

Extremely dependent on aid.

Mineral potential. Cashew nuts, shrimp,

cotton exported. Debt relief.

INSIGHT: Maputo’s busy port serves

Zimbabwe and South Africa

200 km

200 miles

0

2000m/6562ft 1000m/3281ft 500m/1640ft 200m/656ft Sea Level

SWAZILAND

T A N Z A N I A

S O U T H A F R I C A

Z I M B A B W E

Z A M B I A

Malawi