INDEPENDENT ISLAMIC STATES

Mozambique

Official Name: Republic of Mozambique (MZ)

Capital city   : Maputo

Important Cities: Matola, Nampula, Beira, Chimoio, Nacala, Quelimane, Tete, Lichinga:

Area: 799,380 km2

Population        : 32,800,000 (2021)[1]

Ethnicity: Black African 99%, European and others 1%.

Language: Portuguese (official language), 3 main African language groups: Makua-Lomwe, Tsonga and Sena-Nyanja)

Religion: Muslim 28.9, Catholic 27.2, Pentecostal 15.3, Zionist Christian 15.6,

Geography: Located in the south-east of the African continent, Mozambique borders Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia to the north, Zimbabwe to the west, the Republic of South Africa and Swaziland to the south-west. There is the Indian Ocean to the east and south-east. The country generally has a tropical climate. Agricultural land 56.3%, Forest 43.7%,  Although it is a poor country located in the southeast of the African continent, it has rich natural resources. With the effect of these resources, Mozambique is expected to achieve high growth rates in the medium term and will have an important economic power in Africa in the long term.

Mode of Government: Presidential system. It is divided into 10 provinces: Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia. The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the President. Parliamentary and presidential elections are organised every five years. According to the Constitution, heads of state can serve a maximum of two terms. The legislature, called the Assembly of the Republic, consists of 250 deputies elected by the people every five years. With 32.8 million inhabitants, it is the fiftieth most populous country in the world and the twelfth country on the African continent.

History: It gained its independence after a difficult war against the Portuguese, which began in 1964 and ended in 1975. After independence, Mozambique experienced a period of violent civil war between FRELIMO (Mozambique Liberation Front) and RENAMO (Mozambique National Resistance), which ended in 1992. Mozambique adopted a multi-party democratic system with a new constitution in 1990, and the country's official name was changed from the People's Republic of Mozambique to the Republic of Mozambique.

Economy: Two thirds of the country's population live in rural areas and earn their living from agriculture, while one third live in urban areas. 74.4% of the labour force is employed in agriculture, 3.9% in industry and 21.7% in services. It is stated that the unemployment rate in the country has been around 25 per cent in recent years. Mozambique is a country rich in natural resources. The main natural resources are coal, natural gas and mineral sand. The development of new coal mining projects and the expansion of natural gas production in Mozambique point to a rapid rise in the natural resource sector. According to the World Bank, new gas and coal projects in Mozambique will attract significant amounts of investment in the coming years. Significant expenditure will also be made on infrastructure. There are coal deposits near Tete, which are estimated to be the largest unexploited coal field in the world. Mozambique also has significant natural gas reserves. The amount of natural gas discovered in the country is 2.8 trillion cubic metres and Mozambique ranks 14th in the world with this amount.[2] Many people (40%) still live below the poverty line in the country. However, it is predicted that the country will continue to grow, especially with the recently discovered natural gas reserves, and it is estimated that the country will make great strides in the medium and long term. Agriculture accounts for 22.3 per cent of the GDP. Agricultural potential is high, especially in the fertile northern regions of the country, but the land tenure problem restricts this potential. Important agricultural products are cotton, sugar cane, cassava and tapioca, maize, coconut, cashew, tea, tropical fruits, potato, sunflower and tobacco. Cattle and poultry breeding in the country also has an important place in terms of animal husbandry. Mozambique also has a good potential in aquaculture and shellfish is the most exported agricultural/food product after tobacco and tropical fruits.

The industrial sector accounts for 23% of the country's GDP. The manufacturing sector is growing due to the expansion of the Mozal aluminium plant, the largest foreign investment in the country. The main industries established in the country are aluminium, petrochemical, chemical, textile, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco, food and beverage industries. Although the tourism sector is not yet sufficiently developed, it has a high potential. Although there has been a significant increase in the number of foreign tourists coming to the country and tourism revenues especially in the last decade, the desired levels have not yet been reached. Further expansion of the Mozal aluminium plant is planned in the coming periods. According to the World Bank, new gas and coal projects in Mozambique will attract significant amounts of investment in the coming years.

Currency: Mozambique Meticali (MTN)

National Income per Capita: 1,293 USD (2021)[3]

Energy: Mozambique has significant hydroelectric potential with Africa's most powerful hydroelectric power plant located in Songo. Mozambique's annual energy production is around 20 billion kWh. Consumption is around 14 billion kWh. Approximately 86 per cent of the electrical energy production is hydroelectric and 14 per cent is obtained from fossil fuels.

Transport: Construction of an oil pipeline between Mozambique's Nacala port and Malawi has started. The project, which also includes Zambia, is expected to cost about 1 billion USD and will significantly reduce transport costs between these countries

[1]   www.ticaret.gov.tr(November-2021 Access)

[2]  www.ticaret.gov.tr(November-2021 Access)

[3]  www.ticaret.gov.tr(November-2021 Access)