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Mozambique - Country Info

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Background: Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony Mozambique, Africa 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 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 newly elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment.

Geography

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

Area: total: 801,590 sq km; land: 784,090 sq km; water: 17,500 sq km

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

Coastline: 2,470 km

Climate: tropical to subtropical

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

Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

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People

Population: 20,905,585
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 (2007 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 4,692,126/female 4,647,960), 15-64 years: 52.5% (male 5,345,618/female 5,633,511), 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 244,886/female 341,484) (2007 est.)

Median age: total: 17.4 years, male: 16.9 years, female: 17.8 years (2007 est.)

Population Growth Rate: 1.803% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 38.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 20.51 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 109.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.9 years, male: 41.4 years, female: 40.4 years (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 12.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.3 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 110,000 (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups: African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Religions: Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)

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 (definition: age 15 and over can read and write): total population: 47.8%, male: 63.5%, female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

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Government

Official Name: Republic of Mozambique (Republica de Mocambique)

Government type: Republic

Capital: Maputo

Independence (from Portugal ): June 25,1975

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Economy

Overview: 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 although it returned to double digits in 2000-06. 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. In late 2005, and after years of negotiations, the government signed an agreement to gain 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.

Annual GDP: $29.17 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita: $1,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.1%, industry: 30.9%, services: 48 % (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 9.4 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 13%, agriculture 81%, industry 6% (1997 est.)

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

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

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

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