General Information

Official name:                          The Republique of Mosambique

Capital:                                     Maputo

Extent:                                      799 380 square kilometres

Population number:              18,8 millions (estimation 2003)

Official language:                   Portuguese

State organization:                Republic

 

Highest mountain peak:       Mount Binga (2436 m)

Main religion:                          Traditional local religions (50%), Christians (30%),

                                                   Moslems (20%)

 

Geography

Mosambique is placed at east coast of south Africa. West part of the country is neighbouring with Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland. Coastal line is approx. 2500 kms long and is washed with Mosambique Channel, together with Indian Ocean. Two important rivers - Zambezi and Limpopo - are flowing throughout the country.

Nature

To most  popular National Parks belong Gorongosa, Zinave and Beira. Anyway, a jewel of Mosambique is Bazaruto group of islands, where Sea National Park is situated, consisting of several cliffs and islands. In south direction from capital Maputo, so called Elephant Reservation is to be found. Owing to civil wars, effected in past, which passed there for last seventeen years, till 1992, many nature localities were used for military basis. Even the fights were signed on stage of several areas and mumber of animals.

So, it is worth to check on spot actual information, regarding just passing re-cultivating programmes, where you would to go, in order to admire local flora and fauna.

Climate

Dry time period in Mosambique starts usually in April and finishes in September. At that time period, daily maximum temperatures move between 24 - 27° C, whereas in inland, the temperatures decline moderately. During rain period, the temperatures reach 27-31° C. The highest temperature dominates in capital Maputo within January and February, when most quantity of precipitations fall down there.

Population

The country has nearly 19 millions of inhabitants and is consisting of 16 main ethnical groups, which differ from each other with customs, religion, etc. Makua (most numerous ethnic group), Niassa, Nampula, Maconde, Sena, Manica, Tete, Shangaan, etc. belong to those most important ones. As mentioned above, each ethnic group has their own language, but the Portuguese is an official language there.

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