Mozambique

= = =Mozambique = By: Laine Leitao

= =

**Location:**



[[image:http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/mozambique704/images/mozambique_map.gif align="left"]]
**Mozambique is located in Southeastern Africa, bordering on the Mozambique Channel (an arm of the Indian Ocean), between South Africa and Tanzania.**

Malawi 975 miles .................... Zambia 260 miles Zimbabwe 765 miles ............... Tanzania 470 miles South Africa 305 miles ............. Swaziland 65 miles
 * Borders: **

** Area: ** Mozambique is about twice the size of California!
 * **Total:** 309,500 square miles (801,590 sq km)
 * **Land:** 302,700 square miles (784,090 sq km)
 * **Water:** 6,757 square miles (17,500 sq km)

**Climate:** Because Mozambique has a mainly //tropical// climate, the weather is generally mild and warm enough to support plants all year round. However, temperatures and rainfall can vary greatly from one region to another, though all of Mozambique is //prone// to weather extremes.

**Terrain:** Mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in the center, high plateaus in the northwest, mountains in the west.

**Lowest point:** Indian Ocean 0 feet **Highest point:** Monte Binga 7,992 feet
 * Elevation Extremes **

** Natural Hazards: ** Severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces.

**Major Lakes and Rivers:**

 * The Zambezi River **
 * The **** Limpopo River **
 * The Pungwe River **




 * Culture **

Languages:
Portuguese and Swahili are Mozambique's most widely spoken languages. Many people involved in tourism, international trade, and higher education speak English.

**English: hello** Portuguese: hola Swahili: habari
 * Here are a few useful phrases! **

**English: thank you** Portuguese: obrigado Swahili: astante

**English: please** Portuguese: por favor Swahili: tafadhali

**English: my name is...** Portuguese: chamo me... Swahili: ninaitwa

**English: excuse me** Portuguese: disculpe Swahili: samahani

**English: good-bye** Portuguese: at Ã© logo Swahili: kwaheri

**English: yes** Portuguese: sim Swahili: ndio

**English: no** Portuguese: nao Swahili: hapana

**Media:**
Television is the most popular medium in towns and cities, with state-run TVM, the only national network, and private STV topping the ratings. Portuguese state TV's African service, RTP Africa, and Brazilian-owned TV Miramar are widely-watched.

State-run Antena Nacional radio is a key source of news for many Mozambicans. Private FM stations operate in most towns. BBC World Service broadcasts to Maputo (95.5 FM), Beira (88.5 FM), Xai Xai (100.9 FM), Nampula (88.3 FM) and Quelimane (95.3 FM).

Dozens of community radio and TV stations are funded by the government and Unesco. Print titles have little influence in the countryside because of high levels of illiteracy.

The constitution protects media freedom, but criminal libel laws deter total freedom of expression. The opposition says it receives inadequate coverage in the state media.

By early 2008, 200,000 Mozambicans were online (ITU figure).

Press
**Noticias** - main daily, has government shareholding

**Diario de Mocambique** - private, daily

**Demos** - private, weekly

**Zambeze** - private, weekly

**Domingo** - private, weekly

**Savana** - private, weekly

**Fim de Semana** - private, weekly

**Folha Universal** - private, weekly

Television
**Televisao de Mozambique (TVM)** - state-run

**Soico TV (STV)** - private

**TV Miramar** - private

Radio
**Radio Mozambique** - state-run, operates national Antena Nacional network and provincial and local channels in Portuguese, English and many indigenous languages

**Radio Cidade** - state-run, youth-oriented FM network

**Radio Miramar** - private

**99 FM** - private

**Radio-Televisao Klint (RTK)** - private

**Radio Maria Mozambique** - Roman Catholic

News agency
**Agencia Informacao Mocambique (AIM)** - English-language pages.


 * =  **January 01**  New Year's Day   **February 03**  Heroes' Day  **April 07**  Women's Day  **May 01**  Workers' Day  **June 25**  Independence Day ...............................................  ||=  **September 07**  Victory Day  **September 25**  Armed Forces Day  **October 04**  Peace Day  **December 2**   ...................................... Christmas Day / Family Day  ||

** Economy: **

**Currency:** Mozambique's currency is the metical. Its international currency code is MZN, and its written symbol is MTn. The government introduced the metical in 1980 to replace the escudo, the Portuguese currency in circulation at the time. Coins come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 centavos and 1, 2, 5, and 10 meticals. Paper notes come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 meticals.

.. Mozambique ................ US dollar ..... metical
 * 1.00 MZN = 0.0378072 USD **
 * .. 1 USD = 26.45 MZN **

[[image:http://mozambiqueun.webs.com/images-4.jpeg width="283" height="128" align="left"]]
** Mozambiques newer currency. **
 * Meticals: **

|| ]

New Year's Day  February     03 Heroes' Day  April  07 Women's Day <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> May <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> 01 <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">Workers' Day <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> June   <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">  25 **Escudos:**

Mozambique's older currency. <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">Independence Day <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> September <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> 07 <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">Victory Day <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> September <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> 25 <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">Armed Forces Day

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> October

** Services: **
Mozambique's service sector includes banking, transportation, wholesale and retail trade, business services, telecommunications, hotels, bars, restaurants, tourism, housing, and government services. This sector accounts for about 53% of the nations GDP. This GDP share has grown steadily since 1992. It keeps growing as businesses damaged in the civil war rebuild and recover. Service jobs employ about 13% of the nation's labor force.

** Tourism: **
Tourism in Mozambique is growing ever more important.Before the civil war, most visitors came from South Africa and Zimbabwe. In the twenty-first century, Mozambique attracts curious travelers from all over the world. The most important draw is the scenic coast of Inhambane province in southern Mozambique. Other key attractions are historical sites on Mozambique Island, scuba diving and sport fishing in the Bazaruto Archipelago, and cultural activities in Maputo.

** Industry: **
Mozambique's industrial sector includes manufacturing, mining, and energy. This sector is responsible for 27% of the nations GDP. It employs 7% of the labor force. While Mozambique was a colony, it served mainly as a source of raw materials for Portugal. Farming dominated the colonial economy. Industry went undeveloped because Portugal discouraged competition with its companies in Europe. In the 1970's, independence brought birth of the Mozambique industry.

**<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS,Bold;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS,Bold;">21,6 **//<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS,Italic;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS,Italic;">Millions of inhabitants - 2010 (estimates after 2009) *  // ** : World Bank (World Development Indicatotrs)
 * Population:**

**Current GDP:** **<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS,Bold;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS,Bold;">7,5 **//<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS,Italic;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS,Italic;">Billions of euros - 2010 (estimates after 2009) *  // **** : Trade-to-GDP ratio = (Exports + Imports) / GDP

<span style="color: #c70f0f; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 200%;">**History:**

**Timeline:**

media type="custom" key="11218372"

** Historical flags ** Last flag of Portuguese East Africa. Proposed flag of Portuguese East Africa. Flag of Mozambique between September 5, 1974 – June 25, 1975. Flag of Mozambique between June 25, 1975 – April, 1983. Flag of Mozambique between April 1983 – May 1, 1983.
 * The History of the Mozambique flag... **
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Flag_of_Portugal.svg/120px-Flag_of_Portugal.svg.png width="132" height="88"]]
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Flag_of_Portuguese_East_Africa_%28proposal%29.svg/120px-Flag_of_Portuguese_East_Africa_%28proposal%29.svg.png width="132" height="88" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Portuguese_East_Africa_(proposal).svg"]]
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Flag_of_Mozambique_%281974-1975%29.svg/120px-Flag_of_Mozambique_%281974-1975%29.svg.png width="131" height="82" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Mozambique_(1974-1975).svg"]]
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Flag_of_Mozambique_%281975-1983%29.svg/120px-Flag_of_Mozambique_%281975-1983%29.svg.png width="132" height="80" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Mozambique_(1975-1983).svg"]]
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Flag_of_Mozambique_%281983%29.svg/120px-Flag_of_Mozambique_%281983%29.svg.png width="132" height="88" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Mozambique_(1983).svg"]]

**Mozambique Flag Description:** The flag of Mozambique consists of three equal width horizontal stripes - the top stripe is green; the middle one black; and the bottom stripe is yellow. The black stripe is bordered above and below by a thin white stripe. On the left side of the Mozambique flag is a red horizontal triangle pointing towards the flag's center. In the center of triangle is a yellow, five-point star which has a part of the country's coat of arms in it. The emblem consists of a rifle and a hoe crossed over an open book.

**Mozambique Flag Meaning:** The red stripe represents the Mozambique's struggle for independence. The green symbolizes the land. The black represents the African continent and yellow stands for the mineral wealth of the nation. The yellow star represents the socialist beliefs of the country. The book represents education and the hoe represents the peasants and agriculture. The rifle represents the nation's determination to defend its freedom.

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> 04 <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">Peace Day <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> December <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> 25 <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">Christmas Day / Family Day

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">