Mozambique
Republic of MozambiqueRepublica de Mocambique
presidential republicIndependence 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
Mozambique as the 2021 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 181 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
In the first half of the second millennium A.D., northern Mozambican port towns were frequented by traders from Somalia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Arabia, Persia, and India. The Portuguese were able to wrest much of the coastal trade from Arab Muslims in the centuries after 1500 and to set up their own colonies. Portugal did not relinquish Mozambique until 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development until the mid-1990s.
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 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office.
His elected successor, Armando GUEBUZA, served two terms and then passed executive power to Filipe NYUSI in 2015. RENAMO’s residual armed forces intermittently engaged in a low-level insurgency after 2012, but a late December 2016 ceasefire eventually led to the two sides signing a comprehensive peace deal in August 2019. Elections in October 2019, challenged by Western observers and civil society as being problematic, resulted in resounding wins for NYUSI and FRELIMO across the country.
Since October 2017, violent extremists - who an official ISIS media outlet recognized as ISIS's network in Mozambique for the first time in June 2019 - have been conducting attacks against civilians and security services in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. In 2021, Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community deployed forces to support Mozambique’s efforts to counter the extremist group.
Geography
Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
20 fieldsLand useshare of 799,380 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
- Zambezi river mouth (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 2,740 km;
- Limpopo river mouth (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 1,800 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Population distribution
- three large populations clusters are found along the southern coast between Maputo and Inhambane, in the central area between Beira and Chimoio along the Zambezi River, and in and around the northern cities of Nampula, Cidade de Nacala, and Pemba;
- the northwest and southwest are the least populated areas as shown in this population distribution map
Geography - note
the Zambezi River flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country
People and Society
38 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2020 est.)
Note
Per 1,000 population(2021 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2017 est.)
Ethnic groups
African 99% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Mestizo 0.8%, other (includes European, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese) .2% (2017 est.)
Languages
Makhuwa 26.1%, Portuguese (official) 16.6%, Tsonga 8.6%, Nyanja 8.1, Sena 7.1%, Lomwe 7.1%, Chuwabo 4.7%, Ndau 3.8%, Tswa 3.8%, other Mozambican languages 11.8%, other 0.5%, unspecified 1.8% (2017 est.)
Demographic profile
Mozambique is a poor, sparsely populated country with high fertility and mortality rates and a rapidly growing youthful population – 45% of the population is younger than 15. Mozambique’s high poverty rate is sustained by natural disasters, disease, high population growth, low agricultural productivity, and the unequal distribution of wealth.
The country’s birth rate is among the world’s highest, averaging around more than 5 children per woman (and higher in rural areas) for at least the last three decades. The sustained high level of fertility reflects gender inequality, low contraceptive use, early marriages and childbearing, and a lack of education, particularly among women.
The high population growth rate is somewhat restrained by the country’s high HIV/AIDS and overall mortality rates. Mozambique ranks among the worst in the world for HIV/AIDS prevalence, HIV/AIDS deaths, and life expectancy at birth.
Mozambique is predominantly a country of emigration, but internal, rural-urban migration has begun to grow. Mozambicans, primarily from the country’s southern region, have been migrating to South Africa for work for more than a century. Additionally, approximately 1.7 million Mozambicans fled to Malawi, South Africa, and other neighboring countries between 1979 and 1992 to escape from civil war.
Labor migrants have usually been men from rural areas whose crops have failed or who are unemployed and have headed to South Africa to work as miners; multiple generations of the same family often become miners. Since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa in 1991, other job opportunities have opened to Mozambicans, including in the informal and manufacturing sectors, but mining remains their main source of employment.
Population distribution
- three large populations clusters are found along the southern coast between Maputo and Inhambane, in the central area between Beira and Chimoio along the Zambezi River, and in and around the northern cities of Nampula, Cidade de Nacala, and Pemba;
- the northwest and southwest are the least populated areas as shown in this population distribution map
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 0.87 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.96 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- very high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- malaria and dengue fever
- water contact diseases:
- schistosomiasis
- animal contact diseases:
- rabies
Environment
16 fieldsLand use(2018 est.)
Environment - current issues
- increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences;
- desertification;
- soil erosion;
- deforestation;
- water pollution caused by artisanal mining;
- pollution of surface and coastal waters;
- wildlife preservation (elephant poaching for ivory)
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
- particulate matter emissions:
- 19.44 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
- carbon dioxide emissions:
- 7.94 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions:
- 16.26 megatons (2020 est.)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 37.6% of total population (2021)
- rate of urbanization:
- 4.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- very high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- malaria and dengue fever
- water contact diseases:
- schistosomiasis
- animal contact diseases:
- rabies
Food insecurity
- severe localized food insecurity:
- due to economic downturn, localized shortfalls in staple food production, and insecurity in northern areas - an estimated 1.65 million people require humanitarian assistance at least up until September 2021;
- populations in Cabo Delgado are experiencing the severest levels of acute food insecurity, where an estimated 227,000 people are facing "Emergency" levels of food insecurity, reflecting the effects of the conflict on livelihoods and rainfall deficits that caused a drop in cereal production in 2021 (2021)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually:
- 2.5 million tons (2014 est.)
- municipal solid waste recycled annually:
- 25,000 tons (2014 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled:
- 1% (2014 est.)
Major rivers (by length in km)
- Zambezi river mouth (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 2,740 km;
- Limpopo river mouth (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 1,800 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 372 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
- industrial:
- 25 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
- agricultural:
- 1.076 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Presidential republic; President Filipe Jacinto NYUSI (since 15 January 2015, re-elected 15 Oct 2019); President Filipe Jacinto NYUSI (since 15 January 2015)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica, 250 seats, elected 15 October 2019one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Composition: men 151, women 99, percent of women 39.6% (2019)
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Mozambique
- conventional short form:
- Mozambique
- local long form:
- Republica de Mocambique
- local short form:
- Mocambique
- former:
- Portuguese East Africa, People's Republic of Mozambique
- etymology:
- named for the offshore island of Mozambique;
- the island was apparently named after Mussa al-BIK, an influential Arab slave trader who set himself up as sultan on the island in the 15th century
Capital
- name:
- Maputo
- geographic coordinates:
- 25 57 S, 32 35 E
- time difference:
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- reputedly named after the Maputo River, which drains into Maputo Bay south of the city
Administrative divisions
- 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*;
- Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia
Constitution
- history:
- previous 1975, 1990; latest adopted 16 November 2004, effective 21 December 2004
- amendments:
- proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one third of the Assembly of the Republic membership;
- passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, including the independence and sovereignty of the state, the republican form of government, basic rights and freedoms, and universal suffrage, requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and approval in a referendum;
- referenda not required for passage of other amendments;
- amended 2007, 2018
Legal system
- mixed legal system of Portuguese civil law and customary law;
- note - in rural, apply where applicable predominantly Muslim villages with no formal legal system, Islamic law may be applied
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth:
- no
- citizenship by descent only:
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Mozambique
- dual citizenship recognized:
- no
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- 5 years
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Filipe Jacinto NYUSI (since 15 January 2015, re-elected 15 Oct 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Filipe Jacinto NYUSI (since 15 January 2015);
- Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho DO ROSARIO (since 17 January 2015; reconfirmed DO ROSARIO 17 January 2020)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president
- elections/appointments:
- president elected directly by absolute majority popular vote (in 2 rounds, if needed) for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 consecutive terms);
- election last held on 15 October 2019 (next to be held on 15 October 2024);
- prime minister appointed by the president (2019)
- election results:
- Filipe NYUSI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Filipe NYUSI (FRELIMO) 73.0%, Ossufo MOMADE (RENAMO) 21.9%, Daviz SIMANGO (MDM) 5.1% (2019)
Legislative branch
- description:
- unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; 248 members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote and 2 single members representing Mozambicans abroad directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms) (2019)
- elections:
- last held on 15 October 2019 (next to be held on 15 October 2024) (2019)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 71%, RENAMO 23%, MDM 4%;
- seats by party - FRELIMO 184, RENAMO 60, MDM 6;
- composition - men 151, women 99, percent of women 39.6% (2019)
Judicial branch
- highest courts:
- Supreme Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 5 judges);
- Constitutional Council (consists of 7 judges);
- note - the Higher Council of the Judiciary Magistracy is responsible for judiciary management and discipline
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic;
- vice president appointed by the president in consultation with the Higher Council of the Judiciary (CSMJ) and ratified by the Assembly of the Republic;
- other judges elected by the Assembly;
- judges serve 5-year renewable terms;
- Constitutional Council judges appointed - 1 by the president, 5 by the Assembly, and 1 by the CSMJ;
- judges serve 5-year nonrenewable terms
- subordinate courts:
- Administrative Court (capital city only);
- provincial courts or Tribunais Judicias de Provincia;
- District Courts or Tribunais Judicias de Districto;
- customs courts;
- maritime courts;
- courts marshal;
- labor courts;
- community courts
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic Movement of Mozambique (Movimento Democratico de Mocambique) or MDM [Lutero SIMANGO]
- Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Filipe NYUSI]
- Mozambican National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or RENAMO [Ossufo MOMADE]
- Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique or Podemos [Helder Mendonca] (2021)
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Carlos DOS SANTOS (since 28 January 2016)
- chancery:
- 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 293-7147
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 835-0245
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://usa.embamoc.gov.mz/
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Dennis Walter HEARNE (since 3 April 2019)
- embassy:
- Avenida Kenneth Kaunda, 193, Caixa Postal, 783, Maputo
- mailing address:
- 2330 Maputo Place, Washington DC 20521-2330
- telephone:
- [258] (21) 49-27-97
- FAX:
- [258] (21) 49-01-14
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://mz.usembassy.gov/
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;
- green represents the riches of the land, white peace, black the African continent, yellow the country's minerals, and red the struggle for independence;
- the rifle symbolizes defense and vigilance, the hoe refers to the country's agriculture, the open book stresses the importance of education, and the star represents Marxism and internationalism
note: one of only two national flags featuring a firearm, the other is Guatemala
National anthem
- name:
- "Patria Amada" (Lovely Fatherland)
- lyrics/music:
- Salomao J. MANHICA/unknown
note: adopted 2002
Economy
At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries.
34 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2017 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2017 est.)
Budget(2017 est.)
Economic overview
At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. Socialist policies, economic mismanagement, and a brutal civil war from 1977 to 1992 further impoverished the country. 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, propelled the country’s GDP, in purchasing power parity terms, from $4 billion in 1993 to about $37 billion in 2017. 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, about half the population remains below the poverty line and subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the country's work force.
Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt was reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives. However, in 2016, information surfaced revealing that the Mozambican Government was responsible for over $2 billion in government-backed loans secured between 2012-14 by state-owned defense and security companies without parliamentary approval or national budget inclusion;
this prompted the IMF and international donors to halt direct budget support to the Government of Mozambique. An international audit was performed on Mozambique’s debt in 2016-17, but debt restructuring and resumption of donor support have yet to occur.
Mozambique grew at an average annual rate of 6%-8% in the decade leading up to 2015, one of Africa's strongest performances, but the sizable external debt burden, donor withdrawal, elevated inflation, and currency depreciation contributed to slower growth in 2016-17.
Two major International consortiums, led by American companies ExxonMobil and Anadarko, are seeking approval to develop massive natural gas deposits off the coast of Cabo Delgado province, in what has the potential to become the largest infrastructure project in Africa. . The government predicts sales of liquefied natural gas from these projects could generate several billion dollars in revenues annually sometime after 2022.
Agricultural products
sugar cane, cassava, maize, milk, bananas, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, sorghum, potatoes
Industries
aluminum, petroleum products, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco, food, beverages
Exports
$4.35 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) · $5.6 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) · $5.97 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Imports
$8.38 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) · $9.57 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) · $10.52 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$3.361 billion (31 December 2017 est.) · $2.081 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
meticais (MZM) per US dollar - 74.12 (2020 est.) · 63.885 (2019 est.) · 61.625 (2018 est.) · 39.983 (2014 est.) · 31.367 (2013 est.)
Energy
23 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2019)
Installed generating capacity, 2.626 million kW(2016 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2019–21 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- one of the first countries in the region to reform telecom market and open it to competition;
- the mobile segment has shown strong growth;
- poor fixed-line infrastructure means most Internet access is through mobile accounts;
- DSL, cable broadband, 3G, and some fiber broadband available;
- LTE tests underway;
- roll out of national fiber backbone and upgrades to infrastructure;
- submarine cables reduced the cost of bandwidth;
- importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2020)
- domestic:
- extremely low fixed-line teledensity contrasts with rapid growth in the mobile-cellular network;
- operators provide coverage that includes all the main cities and key roads;
- fixed-line less than 1 per 100 and 48 per 100 mobile-cellular teledensity (2019)
- international:
- country code - 258;
- landing points for the EASSy and SEACOM/ Tata TGN-Eurasia fiber-optic submarine cable systems linking numerous east African countries, the Middle East and Asia ;
- satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean);
- TdM contracts for Itelsat for satellite broadband and bulk haul services (2020)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production;
many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes;
the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media
- 1 state-run TV station supplemented by private TV station;
- Portuguese state TV's African service, RTP Africa, and Brazilian-owned TV Miramar are available;
- state-run radio provides nearly 100% territorial coverage and broadcasts in multiple languages;
- a number of privately owned and community-operated stations;
- transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)
Transportation
11 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
National air transport system
- number of registered air carriers:
- 2 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
- 540,124 (2018)
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
- 4.78 million mt-km (2018)
Military and Security
6 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 100 people · (2021)
Military and security forces
Armed Defense Forces of Mozambique (Forcas Armadas de Defesa de Mocambique, FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha de Guerra de Mocambique, MGM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM); Ministry of Interior: Mozambique National Police (PRM), the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR; police special forces), Border Security Force; other security forces include the Presidential Guard and the Force for the Protection of High-Level Individuals (2021); note - the FADM and other security forces are referred to collectively as the Defense and Security Forces (DFS)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FADM's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although since 2010 it has received limited quantities of more modern equipment from a variety of countries, mostly as aid/donations (2021)
Military service age and obligation
- registration for military service is mandatory for all males and females at 18 years of age;
- 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service;
- 18 years of age for voluntary service;
- 2-year service obligation;
- women may serve as officers or enlisted (2021)
Military - note
- the Government of Mozambique is facing a growing insurgency driven by militants with ties to the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS-Mozambique, which was declared a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department in March 2021) in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, an area known for rich liquid natural gas deposits;
- insurgent attacks in the province began in 2017 and as of late 2021, the fighting had left an estimated 2,500 dead and approximately 700,000 displaced;
- the FADM is widely assessed as lacking the training, equipment, and overall capabilities to address the insurgency;
- as of late 2021, several countries from the Southern Africa Development Community and the European Union, as well as Rwanda and the US are providing various forms of military assistance;
- African countries have provided approximately 3,000 troops
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Mozambique (ISIS-M) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsDisputes - international
South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration
Refugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees (country of origin):
- 10,629 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,271 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)
- IDPs:
- 668,000 (violence between the government and an opposition group, violence associated with extremists groups in 2018, political violence 2019) (2021)
Illicit drugs
- used by transnational organized crime networks from West and East Africa and South Asia as a transit point for drug trafficking and international money laundering;
- heroin from Southwest Asia, cocaine from South America, precursor chemicals and controlled pharmaceuticals from India, and methamphetamine from Nigeria transit destined for Southern Africa, Northern Africa, Europe, Canada, and the United States;
- cannabis is cultivated in Mozambique
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Mozambique.” The World Factbook 2021. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/mozambique/2021.