Mozambique

people's republicIndependence 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

Mozambique as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 72 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMaputo

Area801,590 km2

Populationas each edition published it

14.57 million July 1990 · 34.21m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 6.06% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 48.03 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.5 children per woman 1990 · 4.58 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

138 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 56.7 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $115 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.3% in 1993

Geography

11 fields

Total area

801,590km2

land area: 784,090 km2Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of California

Coastline

2,470km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

4,571km total

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

Terrain

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

Land use

4% arable land;
NEGL% permanent crops;
56% meadows and pastures;
20% forest and woodland;
20% other;
includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment

severe drought and floods occur in south; desertification

People

15 fields

Population

14,565,656

(July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

47Death

Religion

indigenous beliefs 60%Christian 30%Muslim 10%

Literacy

38%

Nationality

noun--Mozambican(s); adjective--Mozambican

Ethnic divisions

majority from indigenous tribal groups; about 10,000 Europeans, 35,000 Euro-Africans, 15,000 Indians

Language

Portuguese (official); many indigenous dialects

Organized labor

225,000 workers belong to a single union, the Mozambique Workers' Organization (OTM)

Note

there are 800,000 Mozambican refugees in Malawi (1989 est.)

Government

People's republic

18 fields

Administrative divisions

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

Legal system

based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Legislative branch

unicameral People's Assembly (Assembleia Popular)

Judicial branch

People's Courts at all levels Chief of State--President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6 November 1986);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Mario da Graca MACHUNGO (since 17 July 1986)

Political parties and leaders

Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) is the only legal party and is a Marxist organization with close ties to the USSR

Elections

national elections are indirect and based on mass meetings throughout the country

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Valeriano FERRAO;
Chancery at Suite 570, 1990 M Street NW, Washington DC 20036;
telephone (202) 293-7146;
US--Ambassador Melissa F. WELLS;
Embassy at 3rd Floor, 35 Rua Da Mesquita, Maputo (mailing address is P. O. Box 783, Maputo);
telephone 743167 or 744163

Flag

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

Economy

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$1.6billion

per capita less than $110; real growth rate 5.0% (1988)

Inflation, consumer prices

81.1%

(1988)

Unemployment rate

40.0

(1988)

External debt

$4.4billion

(1988)

Exports $100 million (f.o.b., 1988)commodities, where a share is given

shrimp

48%cashews

21%sugar

10%copra

3%citrus

; partners--US, Western Europe, GDR, Japan

Budget

Revenues

$186 millionExpenditures

$239 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $208 million (1988 est.)

One of Africa's poorest countries, with a per capita GDP of little more than $100, Mozambique has failed to exploit the economic potential of its sizable agricultural, hydropower, and transportation resources. Indeed, national output, consumption, and investment declined throughout the first half of the 1980s because of internal disorders, lack of government administrative control, and a growing foreign debt.

A sharp increase in foreign aid, attracted by an economic reform policy, has resulted in successive years of economic growth since 1985. Agricultural output, nevertheless, is only at about 75% of its 1981 level, and grain has to be imported. Industry operates at only 20-40% of capacity. The economy depends heavily on foreign assistance to keep afloat.

Imports

$764 million (c.i.f., 1988), including aid;
commodities--food, clothing, farm equipment, petroleum;
partners--US, Western Europe, USSR

Industrial production

growth rate 7% (1989 est.)

Electricity

2,265,000 kW capacity; 1,740 million kWh produced, 120 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 50% of GDP, over 80% of labor force, and about 90% of exports;
cash crops--cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, shrimp;
other crops--cassava, corn, rice, tropical fruits;
not self-sufficient in food

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $282 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $3.1 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $37 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $887 million

Currency

metical (plural--meticais); 1 metical (Mt) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

meticais (Mt) per US$1--800 (September 1989), 528.60 (1988), 289.44 (1987), 40.43 (1986), 43.18 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Airports, 203 total, 153 usable

permanent-surface runways

27runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

6runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

26,498Railroads

3,288Pipelines

306

Highways: ; 4,593 km paved; 829 km gravel, crushed stone, stabilized soil; 21,076 km unimproved earth · Railroads: ; 3,140 km 1.067-meter gauge; 148 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge; Malawi-Nacala, Malawi-Beira, and Zimbabwe-Maputo lines are subject to closure because of insurgency · Pipelines: (not operating); 289 km refined products

Railroads

3,288 km total;
3,140 km 1.067-meter gauge;
148 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge;
Malawi-Nacala, Malawi-Beira, and Zimbabwe-Maputo lines are subject to closure because of insurgency