Republic of Mozambique

National name: República de Moçambique

President: Armando Guebuza (2005)

Prime Minister: Luisa Diogo (2004)

Land area: 302,737 sq mi (784,089 sq km); total area: 309,496 sq mi (801,590 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 19,686,505 (growth rate: 1.4%); birth rate: 35.2/1000; infant mortality rate: 129.2/1000; life expectancy: 39.8; density per sq mi: 65

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Maputo, 1,691,000 (metro. area), 1,114,000 (city proper)

Monetary unit: Metical

Languages: Portuguese 9% (official; second language of 27%), Emakhuwa 26%, Xichangana 11%, Elomwe 8%, Cisena 7%, Echuwabo 6%, other Mozambican languages 32% (1997)

Ethnicity/race: indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Religions: Mozambique 24%, Islam 18%, Zionist Christian 18%, none 23% (1997)

Literacy rate: 48% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $25.66 billion; per capita $1,300. Real growth rate: 7.2%. Inflation: 7.8%. Unemployment: 21% (1997 est.). Arable land: 5%. Agriculture: cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry. Labor force: 9.2 million (2000 est.); agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.). Industries: food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco. Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite. Exports: $1.69 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity. Imports: $2.041 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles. Major trading partners: Netherlands, South Africa, Malawi, Portugal (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 90,000 (Dec. 2001); mobile cellular: 287,000 (2002). Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001). Radios: 730,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001). Televisions: 67,600 (2000). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2002). Internet users: 22,500 (2000).

Transportation: Railways: total: 3,123 km (2002). Highways: total: 30,400 km; paved: 5,685 km; unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.). Waterways: about 3,750 km of navigable routes. Ports and harbors: Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane. Airports: 165 (2002).

International disputes: none.

 

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