Mozambique

General Country Information

Mozambique has 11 provinces with 128 districts and in 1997 had a population of 16.1 million people which grew to 18.8 million by 2004. Of these people 40% live along the coastline on only 23% of the countries surface, so there are large unsettled and inaccessible areas.

A vibrant afro-portuguese culture is prominant within the variety of tribes that occupy Mozambique. The northern maternal-linear groups include the Yao, Makonde, Makwa, Lomwe, Chew and Nyanja. The southern paternal-linear groups include the Shona, Tsonga, Chopi, Bitonga and Nguni. Mozambique was a Portuguese colony and Portuguese is the most commonly spoke n language. The most commonly spoken local languages are Makwa (spoken mostly in the north by about 24% of the population) and Changana (spoken mostly in the south by about 12% of the population).

During the past decade Mozambique has been recovering from 15 odd years of civil war between the two major political groups Renamo and Frelemo. The Mozambique people have put their devastating past behind them and are moving forward with gusto! They are bringing their country back from ruin at an amazing rate - and enjoying life as they go about it. Traditional music is widely played in Mozambique. About 50% of the population practice traditional religeous cults and of the remaining people, 30% are Christian and 20% Muslim.

The landscape is spectacular with paradise coastal areas changing slightly as you travel through the country. Palms trees and white sands to a broad belt of savannah and woodland, then forested mountains. Two of southern Africa's longest rivers, the Zambezi and the Limpopo, flow through the country.

The Portuguese influence is visibly apparent in the style of buildings found in the cities, and some war torn towns and villages dotted around the country.