{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
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.
" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "18 15 S, 35 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Africa" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "799,380 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "786,380 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "13,000 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "4,783 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Malawi 1498 km, South Africa 496 km, Eswatini 108 km, Tanzania 840 km, Zambia 439 km, Zimbabwe 1402 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "2,470 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" } }, "Climate": { "text": "tropical to subtropical" }, "Terrain": { "text": "mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west" }, "Elevation": { "mean elevation": { "text": "345 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Indian Ocean 0 m" }, "highest point": { "text": "Monte Binga 2,436 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "56.3% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 6.4% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.3% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 49.6% (2011 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "43.7% (2011 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "0% (2011 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "1,180 sq km (2012)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "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": { "text": "Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Geography - note": { "text": "the Zambezi River flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "30,888,034 (July 2021 est.)", "note": "note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Mozambican(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Mozambican" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "African 99% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Mestizo 0.8%, other (includes European, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese) .2% (2017 est.)" }, "Languages": { "text": "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.)" }, "Religions": { "text": "Roman Catholic 27.2%, Muslim 18.9%, Zionist Christian 15.6%, Evangelical/Pentecostal 15.3%, Anglican 1.7%, other 4.8%, none 13.9%, unspecified 2.5% (2017 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { "text": "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.
" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "45.57% (male 6,950,800/female 6,766,373)" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "19.91% (male 2,997,529/female 2,994,927)" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "28.28% (male 3,949,085/female 4,564,031)" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "3.31% (male 485,454/female 509,430)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "2.93% (male 430,797/female 449,771) (2020 est.)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "88.4" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "83" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "5.4" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "18.5 (2020 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "17 years" }, "male": { "text": "16.3 years" }, "female": { "text": "17.6 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "2.58% (2021 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "38.03 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "10.59 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-1.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "37.1% of total population (2020)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "4.35% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "1.706 million Matola, 1.11 million MAPUTO (capital), 848,000 Nampula (2020)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "1 male(s)/female" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "0.87 male(s)/female" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "0.95 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.96 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "18.9 years (2011 est.)", "note": "note: one of only two national flags featuring a firearm, the other is Guatemala
" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "national colors: green, black, yellow, white, red" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Patria Amada\" (Lovely Fatherland)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Salomao J. MANHICA/unknown" }, "note": "note: adopted 2002
" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "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.
" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2018": { "text": "3.11% (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2017": { "text": "4.07% (2017 est.)" } }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": { "text": "2.7% (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018": { "text": "3.9% (2018 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "15.4% (2017 est.)" } }, "Credit ratings": { "Fitch rating": { "text": "CCC (2019)" }, "Moody's rating": { "text": "Caa2 (2019)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "CCC+ (2019)" } }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$38.91 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018": { "text": "$38.042 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017": { "text": "$36.775 billion (2017 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars
" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$14.964 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$1,281 (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$1,290 (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2017": { "text": "$1,284 (2017 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars
" }, "Gross national saving": { "Gross national saving 2017": { "text": "16.8% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2016": { "text": "-1.2% of GDP (2016 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2015": { "text": "5% of GDP (2015 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "23.9% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "19.3% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "56.8% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "69.7% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "27.2% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "21.7% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "13.9% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "38.3% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-70.6% (2017 est.)" } }, "Ease of Doing Business Index scores": { "Overall Ease of Doing Business score 2020": { "text": "69.3 (2020)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "sugar cane, cassava, maize, milk, bananas, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, sorghum, potatoes" }, "Industries": { "text": "aluminum, petroleum products, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco, food, beverages" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "4.9% (2017 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "12.9 million (2017 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "74.4%" }, "industry": { "text": "3.9%" }, "services": { "text": "21.7% (2015 est.)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2017": { "text": "24.5% (2017 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2016": { "text": "25% (2016 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "46.1% (2015 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014": { "text": "54 (2014 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2002": { "text": "47.3 (2002)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "1.9%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "36.7% (2008)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "3.356 billion (2017 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "4.054 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "26.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "-5.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "102.1% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "121.6% of GDP (2016 est.)" } }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2019": { "text": "-$3.025 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2018": { "text": "-$4.499 billion (2018 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2019": { "text": "$3.349 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Exports 2018": { "text": "$3.874 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Exports 2017": { "text": "$2.505 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "India 28.1%, Netherlands 24.4%, South Africa 16.7% (2017)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2019": { "text": "$7.371 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Imports 2018": { "text": "$7.614 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Imports 2017": { "text": "$5.076 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "South Africa 36.8%, China 7%, UAE 6.8%, India 6.2%, Portugal 4.4% (2017)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017": { "text": "$3.361 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016": { "text": "$2.081 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 31 December 2017": { "text": "$10.91 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Debt - external 31 December 2016": { "text": "$10.48 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "currency": { "text": "meticais (MZM) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "74.12 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "63.885 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "61.625 (2018 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2014": { "text": "39.983 (2014 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2013": { "text": "31.367 (2013 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "35% (2019)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "57% (2019)" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "22% (2019)" } }, "Electricity - production": { "text": "18.39 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - consumption": { "text": "11.57 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - exports": { "text": "12.88 billion kWh (2015 est.)" }, "Electricity - imports": { "text": "9.928 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { "text": "2.626 million kW (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { "text": "16% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { "text": "83% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { "text": "1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "Crude oil - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - proved reserves": { "text": "0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { "text": "26,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "25,130 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas - production": { "text": "6.003 billion cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - consumption": { "text": "1.841 billion cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - exports": { "text": "4.162 billion cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - imports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - proved reserves": { "text": "2.832 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)" }, "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": { "text": "11.12 million Mt (2017 est.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "61,575" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "less than 1 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "13,992,090" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "47.72 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "the mobile segment has shown strong growth; poor fixed-line infrastructure means most Internet access is through mobile accounts; DSL, cable broadband, WiMAX (broadband over long distances), 3G and some fiber broadband available; first LTE services launched in 2018; govt. implemented legislation to enforce the registration of SIM cards; submarine cables reduced the cost of bandwidth (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": "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)": { "text": "9,953 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,658 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2020)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "369,220 (violence between the government and an opposition group, violence associated with extremists groups in 2018, political violence 2019) (2020)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poor regulatory capability make the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center" } } }