Communications
Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]
Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Militia
Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]
exchange rate conversion - $84 million, 5.3% of GDP (1994)
Manpower availability [time series]
males age 15-49: 3,767,855 males fit for military service: 2,162,388 (1996 est.)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 29, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios [time series]
700,000 (1992 est.)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
fair system of tropospheric scatter, open-wire lines, and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
59,000 (1983 est.)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1
Televisions [time series]
44,000 (1992 est.) Defense
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]
cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, rice, tropical fruits; beef, poultry
Budget [time series]
revenues: $252 million expenditures: $607 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 metical (Mt) = 100 centavos
Economic aid [time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economic overview [time series]
One of Africa's poorest countries, 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, resulted in successive years of economic growth in the late 1980s, but aid has declined steadily since 1989. Agricultural output is at only 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. Peace accords between civil warring factions, signed in October 1992, improved chances of foreign investment, aided IMF-supported economic reforms, and supported continued economic recovery. Elections held in 1994 diverted government attention from the economy, resulting in slippage and delays in the economic reform program. Nonetheless, growth continued in 1994-95, and the economy should move forward in the late 1990s, given continued foreign help in meeting debt obligations. One key event in 1995 was the conclusion of negotiations with Enron of Houston, Texas, for a $700 million project to exploit the Pande natural gas fields.
Electricity [time series]
capacity: 2,360,000 kW production: 1.7 billion kWh consumption per capita: 58 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates [time series]
meticais (Mt) per US$1 - 10,908.0 (December 1995), 9,024.3 (1995), 6,038.6 (1994), 3,874.2 (1993), 2,516.5 (1992), 1,434.5 (1991)
Exports [time series]
$170 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: shrimp 40%, cashews, cotton, sugar, copra, citrus partners: Spain, South Africa, US, Portugal, Japan
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$5 billion (1992 est.)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $12.2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 33% industry: 12% services: 55% (1993 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]
$700 (1995 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]
-2.5% (1995 est.)
Imports [time series]
$1.14 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: food, clothing, farm equipment, petroleum partners: South Africa, UK, France, Japan, Portugal
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
5.8% (1993 est.)
Industries [time series]
food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
50% (1994 est.)
Labor force [time series]
NA by occupation: 90% engaged in agriculture
Unemployment rate [time series]
50% (1989 est.)
Geography
total area: 801,590 sq km land area: 784,090 sq km comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of California
Climate [time series]
tropical to subtropical
Coastline [time series]
2,470 km
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
current issues: civil strife and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters natural hazards: severe droughts and floods occur in central and southern provinces; devastating cyclones international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates [time series]
18 15 S, 35 00 E
Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]
none
Irrigated land [time series]
1,150 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries [time series]
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
Land use [time series]
arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 56% forest and woodland: 20% other: 20%
Location [time series]
Southern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
Map references [time series]
Africa
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources [time series]
coal, titanium, natural gas
Terrain [time series]
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia
Legislative branch (Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)) [time series]
the members are elected by direct, universal, adult suffrage on a secret ballot for a term of five years; election last held 27-29 October 1994 (next to be held NA October 1999); results - percent vote by party NA, seats (250 total) FRELIMO won a slim majority note: the presidential and legislative elections took place as called for in the 1992 peace accords; RENAMO participated in the elections
Capital [time series]
Maputo
Constitution [time series]
30 November 1990
Data code [time series]
MZ
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Hipolito Pereira Zozimo PATRICIO chancery: Suite 570, 1990 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6 November 1986) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since December 1994) was appointed by the president cabinet: Cabinet
Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]
[1] (202) 835-0245
Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]
[258] (1) 490114
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
Independence [time series]
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
International organization participation [time series]
ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president and judges elected by the Assembly
Legal system [time series]
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral
Country name (Name of country) [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local long form: Republica Popular de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 25 June (1975)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO), Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, chairman; Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO), Afonso DHLAKAMA, president; Democratic Union (DU), Antonio PALANGE, General Secretary
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Government type (Type of government) [time series]
republic
Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis Coleman JETT embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone: [258] (1) 492797
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 46% (male 4,141,915; female 4,115,191) 15-64 years: 51% (male 4,324,102; female 4,868,518) 65 years and over: 3% (male 184,606; female 243,595) (July 1996 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
45.51 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate [time series]
18.97 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]
indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%
Infant mortality rate [time series]
125.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Languages [time series]
Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 44.34 years male: 43.21 years female: 45.5 years (1996 est.)
Literacy [time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 40.1% male: 57.7% female: 23.3%
Nationality [time series]
noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican
Net migration rate [time series]
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) note: by the end of 1994, an estimated 1.6 million Mozambican refugees, who fled to Malawi, Zimbabwe, and South Africa in earlier years from the civil war, had returned; an estimated 100,000 refugees remain to be repatriated from those countries
Population [time series]
17,877,927 (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
2.65% (1996 est.)
Religions [time series]
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
6.23 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
total: 131 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 4 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 10 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 67 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 12 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 32 (1995 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 27,287 km paved: 4,693 km unpaved: 22,594 km (1991 est.) note: highway traffic impeded by land mines not removed at end of civil war
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 4 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,694 GRT/9,724 DWT (1995 est.)
Pipelines [time series]
crude oil (not operating) 306 km; petroleum products 289 km
Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba
Railways [time series]
total: 3,131 km narrow gauge: 2,988 km 1.067-m gauge; 143 km 0.762-m gauge (1994)
Waterways [time series]
about 3,750 km of navigable routes