Brief Profile of Mozambique, An African Country

Mozambique is a country in Southeast Africa
bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest.

It is separated from Madagascar by the
Mozambique Channel to the east. The capital and largest city is Maputo (known as "Lourenço Marques" before independence).

Between the 1st and 5th centuries AD, Bantu -speaking peoples migrated from farther north and west. Swahili, and later also Arab, commercial ports existed along the coasts until the arrival of Europeans.

The area was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498 and colonized by Portugal from 1505. After over four centuries of Portuguese rule, Mozambique gained independence in 1975, becoming the People's Republic of Mozambique
shortly thereafter.

After only two years of independence, the country descended into an intense and protracted civil war lasting from 1977 to 1992. In 1994, Mozambique held its first multiparty elections and has remained a relatively stable presidential republic.

Mozambique is one of the poorest and most
underdeveloped countries in the world.

Mozambique is endowed with rich and extensive natural resources. The country's economy is based largely on agriculture, but
industry, mainly food and beverages, chemical
manufacturing, aluminium and petroleum production, is growing.

The country's tourism sector is also growing.
South Africa is Mozambique's main trading partner and source of foreign direct investment . Portugal, Brazil, Spain and Belgium are also among the country's most important economic partners.

Since 2001, Mozambique's annual average GDP growth has been among the world's highest.

However, the country ranks among the lowest in
GDP per capita, human development , measures of inequality , and average life expectancy.

The only official language of Mozambique is Portuguese, which is spoken mostly as a second language by about half of the population. Common native languages include Swahili , Makhuwa and Sena.

The country's population of around 24 million is composed overwhelmingly of Bantu people.

The largest religion in Mozambique is Christianity, with significant minorities following Islam and African traditional religions.

Mozambique is a member of the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations , the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, the Latin Union, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Southern African Development Community , and
an observer at La Francophonie.

At 309,475 sq mi (801,537 km 2 ), Mozambique is the world's 36th-largest country. It is comparable in size to Turkey.

Mozambique is located on the southeast coast of
Africa. It is bound by Swaziland to the south, South Africa to the southwest, Zimbabwe to the west, Zambia and Malawi to the northwest, Tanzania to the north and the Indian Ocean to the east.

Mozambique lies between latitudes 10° and 27°S , and longitudes 30° and 41°E .
The country is divided into two topographical regions by the Zambezi River.

To the north of the Zambezi River, the narrow coastal strip gives way to inland hills and low
plateaus. Rugged highlands are further west; they include the Niassa highlands, Namuli or Shire highlands, Angonia highlands, Tete highlands and the Makonde plateau, covered with miombo woodlands. To the south of the
Zambezi River, the lowlands are broader with the Mashonaland plateau and Lebombo Mountains located in the deep south.

The country is drained by five principal rivers and several smaller ones with the largest and most important the Zambezi. The country has four notable lakes: LakeNiassa (or Malawi), Lake Chiuta , Lake Cahora Bassa and Lake Shirwa  , all in the north. The major cities are Maputo, Beira , Nampula , Tete , Quelimane, Chimoio, Pemba , Inhambane, Xai-Xai and Lichinga .

Mozambique's Capital and largest city is Maputo, she runs Unitary presidential Republic with Filipe Nyusi as the incumbent President while Carlos Agostinho do Rosário as the Prime Minister.

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