Mozambique

• Rio Zambeze (Zambezi) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 2,740 km;
• Rio 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

• 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

noun:

Mozambican(s)

adjective:

Mozambican

total:

17.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

16.7 years

female:

17.9 years

• 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

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.97 male(s)/female

total population:

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

58.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male:

60.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

56.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

58.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

57.1 years

female:

59.6 years

total:

1.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

1.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

14.3% (2020 est.)

male:

23% (2020 est.)

female:

5.6% (2020 est.)

• 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)

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

urban population:

38.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

4.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

particulate matter emissions:

16.45 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions:

7.94 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions:

16.26 megatons (2020 est.)

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.)

• Rio Zambeze (Zambezi) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe) - 2,740 km;
• Rio 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

municipal:

370 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial:

30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural:

1.08 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

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

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

• 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*;
• Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

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

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

chief of state:

President Filipe Jacinto NYUSI (since 15 January 2015)

head of government:

Prime Minister Adriano MALEIANE (since 3 March 2022)

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 9 October 2024);
• prime minister appointed by the president

election results:

2019 : Filipe NYUSI reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Filipe NYUSI (FRELIMO) 73.0%, Ossufo MOMADE (RENAMO) 21.9%, Daviz SIMANGO (MDM) 5.1%; 2014 : Filipe NYUSI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Filipe NYUSI (FRELIMO) 57.0%, Afonso DHLAKAMA (RENAMO) 36.6%, Daviz SIMANGO (MDM) 6.4%

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 members representing Mozambicans abroad directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections:

last held on 15 October 2019 (next to be held on 9 October 2024)

election results:

• percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 71%, RENAMO 23%, MDM 4%;
• seats by party - FRELIMO 184, RENAMO 60, MDM 6;
• composition - men 142, women 108, percentage women 43.2%

highest court(s):

• 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

• Democratic Movement of Mozambique (Movimento Democratico de Mocambique) or MDM
• Liberation Front of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO
• Mozambican National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or RENAMO

chief of mission:

Ambassador Alfredo Fabião NUVUNGA (since 19 April 2023)

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/

chief of mission:

Ambassador Peter Hendrick VROOMAN (since 3 March 2022)

embassy:

Avenida Marginal 5467, Maputo

mailing address:

2330 Maputo Place, Washington DC 20521-2330

telephone:

[258] (84) 095-8000

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://mz.usembassy.gov/

• 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

name:

"Patria Amada" (Lovely Fatherland)

lyrics/music:

Salomao J. MANHICA/unknown

note: adopted 2002

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Island of Mozambique

• low-income East African economy;
• subsistence farming dominates labor force;
• return to growth led by agriculture and extractive industries;
• Islamist insurgency threatens natural gas projects in north;
• ongoing foreign debt restructuring and resolution under IMF Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative

Fitch rating:

CCC (2019)

Moody's rating:

Caa2 (2019)

Standard & Poors rating: CCC+ (2019)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

agriculture:

26.7% (2022 est.)

industry:

22.8% (2022 est.)

services:

40.6% (2022 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

7.6% (2023 est.)

male:

7.9% (2023 est.)

female:

7.3% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

1.6% (2019 est.)

highest 10%:

41.2% (2019 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

production:

9.015 million metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption:

11,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports:

9.413 million metric tons (2022 est.)

imports:

9,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves:

1.792 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

production:

5.338 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

consumption:

1.347 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports:

3.963 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves:

2.832 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

total subscriptions:

29,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2022 est.) less than 1

general assessment:

• one of the first countries in the region to embark upon telecom reform and to open the sector to competition;
• the mobile segment in particular has shown strong growth;
• additional competition followed in late 2020;
• a new licensing regime ensured that by mid-2019 all operators had been provided with universal licenses, enabling them to offer all types of telephony and data services;
• mobile, fixed-line and broadband penetration rates remain far below the average for the region;
• in recent years the government has enforced the registration of SIM cards, but with varying success;
• at the end of 2016 almost five million unregistered SIM cards were deactivated but poor monitoring meant that the process was revisited in mid-2019 and again in late 2020;
• the high cost of international bandwidth had long hampered internet use, though the landing of two international submarine cables (SEACOM and EASSy) has reduced the cost of bandwidth and so led to drastic reductions in broadband retail prices as well as a significant jump in available bandwidth;
• there is some cross-platform competition, with DSL, cable, fibre, WiMAX, and mobile broadband options available, though fixed broadband options can be limited to urban areas;
• improvements can be expected from the ongoing rollout of a national fiber backbone networks and of upgrades to mobile infrastructure (2022)

domestic:

fixed-line less than 1 per 100 and nearly 43 per 100 mobile-cellular teledensity (2021)

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)

• 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)

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 (2018) mt-km

total:

4,787 km (2014)

narrow gauge:

4,787 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total:

30,562 km

paved:

5,958 km

unpaved:

24,604 km (2018)

total ports:

11 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

2

small:

5

very small:

4

ports with oil terminals:

3

key ports:

Beira, Chinde, Inhambane, Maputo, Mocambique, Pebane, Porto Belo