Discovering the World
Mozambique 🇲🇿
Basic facts
Official name: República de Moçambique (Republic of Mozambique)
Capital city: Maputo
Population: 34.1 million (2023)
Demonym: Mozambican
Type of government: unitary semi-presidential republic
Head of state: Filipe Nyusi (President)
Head of government: Adriano Maleiane (Prime Minister)
Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $53.71 billion (2023)
Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: 54% (high) (2014)
Human Development Index: 0.461 (low) (2022)
Currency: metical (MZN)
Fun fact: It is the only one-word country that includes all five vowels in its name.
Etymology
The country’s name comes from the Island of Mozambique, whose name derives from its ruler Mussa Bin Bique.
Geography
Mozambique is located in Southeast Africa and borders Tanzania to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, Eswatini and South Africa to the southwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Malawi and Zambia to the northwest.
There are three main climates: monsoon-influenced humid subtropical in the northwest and west, hot steppe in the west and southwest, and dry-winter tropical savanna in the rest. Temperatures range from 12 °C (53.6 °F) in winter to 34 °C (93.2 °F) in summer. The average annual temperature is 24.1 °C (75.3 °F).
The country is divided into one capital city (cidade capital) and ten provinces (provincias), which are further divided into 129 districts (distritos). The largest cities in Mozambique are Maputo, Matola, Nampula, Beira, and Chimoio.
History
1st-5th century: Bantu migrations
957-1513: Kilwa Sultanate
1430-1760: Kingdom of Mutapa
1480-1891: Kingdom of Maravi
1505-1975: Portuguese Province of Mozambique
1824-1895: Gaza Empire
1964-1974: Mozambican War of Independence
1975-1990: People’s Republic of Mozambique
1977-1992: Mozambican Civil War
1990-present: Republic of Mozambique
Economy
Mozambique mainly imports from South Korea, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates and exports to India, the European Union, and South Africa. Its top exports are coal, aluminum, and dried vegetables.
It has gas, oil, and titanium reserves. Services represent 46.5% of the GDP, followed by agriculture (29.5%) and industry (23.9%).
Mozambique is a member of the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Southern Africa Development Community.
Demographics
The Shona are the largest ethnic group (38.1%), followed by the Makua (26.1%), Tsonga (12%), Nyanja (8.1%), Sena (4%), and Makonde (3.5%). The main religion is Christianity, practiced by 55.8% of the population, 27.2% of which is Catholic.
It has a negative net migration rate and a fertility rate of 4.8 children per woman. 38.2% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 57.1 years and the median age is 17 years. The literacy rate is 60.7%.
Languages
The official language of the country is Portuguese, spoken natively by only 16.6% of the population. Indigenous languages include Chuwabo (4.7%), Lomwe (7.1%), Makhuwa (26.1%), Ndau (3.8%), Nyanja (8.1%), Sena (7.1%), Tsonga (8.6%), and Tswa (3.8%).
Culture
Traditional arts include wood carving and mask elaboration, as well as intricate dances that differ from tribe to tribe.
Men wear a shirt and pants. Women wear a short-sleeved dress or a blouse and a wrap-around long skirt (capulana) and a matching head wrap.
Architecture
Traditional houses in Mozambique have walls made of weaved bamboo and a conical thatched roof.
Cuisine
The Mozambican diet is based on corn, fish, meat, and vegetables. Typical dishes include bolo polana (cashew and potato cake), inteiro com piripiri (chicken in piri piri sauce), mucapata (mung beans, coconut milk, and rice), prego (a steak roll), and rissóis (battered shrimp).
Holidays and festivals
Mozambique celebrates New Year’s Day and Labor Day. Specific Mozambican holidays include Heroes’ Day on February 3, Women’s Day on April 7, Independence Day on June 25, Victory Day on September 7, Armed Forces Day on September 25, Day of Peace and Reconciliation on October 4, and Family Day on December 25.
Independence Day
Other celebrations include the AZGO Festival, which includes music, fashion shows, and movie screenings; the Kinani International Festival of Contemporary Dance, and the Marrabenta Festival, which showcases a style of dance music.
AZGO Festival
Landmarks
There is one UNESCO World Heritage Site: Island of Mozambique.
Other landmarks include the Iron House, Macaneta Beach, Maputo Central Railway Station, Maputo National Park, and the Vumba Mountain Range.
Maputo Central Train Station
Famous people
Al Bowlly - singer
Alberto Magassela - actor
Bineesh Vadavathy - cricket player
Eusébio - soccer player
Ingvild Mucauro - basketball player
Lina Magaia - writer
Maria Mutola - athlete
Mariza - singer
Rogério Manjate - movie director
Tasha de Vasconcelos - actress and model
Bineesh Vadavathy
You can find out more about life in Mozambique in this post and this video.
