Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Portuguese: Moçambique or República de Moçambique, pronounced [ʁɛˈpublikɐ di musɐ̃ˈbiki]), is a country in southeastern 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.
The area was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498 and colonized by Portugal in 1505. Mozambique became independent in 1975, to which it became the People’s Republic of Mozambique shortly after, and was the scene of an intense civil war lasting from 1977 to 1992. The country was named Moçambique by the Portuguese after the Island of Mozambique, derived from Musa Al Big or Mossa Al Bique or Mussa Ben Mbiki, an Arab trader who first visited the island and later lived there.
Mozambique is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries and the Commonwealth of Nations and an observer of the Francophonie. Mozambique’s life expectancy and infant mortality rates are both among the worst ranked in the world due to the excessive malaria carrying mosquitoes. Its Human Development Index is one of the lowest on earth.
[Maputo]
Mozambique
country name:
Mozambique
capital:
Maputo
area:
801,590.0 km²
population:
21,284,000
currency:
Meticail (MZN)
languages:
Portuguese, Makhuwa
neighbours:
Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi
