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Mozambique
General Information
Area: 799,380 sq km (308,641 sq miles).
Population: 19,104,696 (2000).
Population Density: 23.9 per sq km.
Capital: Maputo. Population: 1,018,938 (official estimate 2000).
GEOGRAPHY: Mozambique borders Tanzania to the north, Zambia and Malawi to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and South Africa and Swaziland to the southwest. To the east lies the Indian Ocean and a coastline of nearly 2500km (1550 miles) with beaches bordered by lagoons, coral reefs and strings of islands. Behind the coastline, a vast low plateau rising towards mountains in the west and north accounts for nearly half the area of Mozambique. The landscape of the plateau is savannah – more or less dry and open woodlands with tracts of short grass steppe. The western and northern highlands are patched with forest. The Zambezi is the largest and most important of the 25 main rivers which flow through Mozambique into the Indian Ocean. The major concentrations of population (comprising many different ethnic groups) are along the coast and in the fertile and relatively productive river valleys, notably in Zambezia and Gaza provinces. The Makua-Lomwe, who belong to the Central Bantu, live mainly in the area north of Zambezia, Nampula, Niassa and Cabo Delgado provinces. The Tsonga, who are the predominant race in the southern lowlands, provide a great deal of the labour for the South African mines. In the Inhambane coastal district are the Chopi and Tsonga, while in the central area are the Shona. The Makonde inhabit the far north. Mestizos and Asians live in the main populated area along the coast and in the more fertile river valleys.
Government: Republic since 1990. Gained independence from Portugal in 1975. Head of State: President Joaquím Alberto Chissano since 1986. Head of Government: Prime Minister Pascoal Manuel Mocumbi since 1994.
Language: Portuguese is the official language. Many local African languages, such as Tsonga, Sena Nyanja, Makonde and Macua, are also spoken.
Religion: Christian (mainly Roman Catholic), Muslim and Hindu. Many also follow traditional beliefs.
Time: GMT + 2.
Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz.
Communications:
Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 258. Outgoing international calls must go through the operator; there may be some delay.
Mobile telephone
GSM 1800/900 networks with limited roaming agreements. Coverage is mainly of Maputo and some towns in the south. The only network operator at present is Mcel (website: www.mcel.co.mz). Handsets cannot be hired for short periods.
Internet
ISPs include Teledata (website: www.teledata.mz). There are at least two Internet cafes in Maputo (one in Avenida Julius Nyerere).
Telegram
Connections are via South Africa to international telecommunications network. Internal communications exist between most major towns.
Post
Postal services are available in main centres. Airmail to Europe usually takes five to seven days, but sometimes longer.
Press
There are no English-language newspapers published in Mozambique. The daily papers are Notícias, Correio da Manha and Diário de Moçambique. Mediafax and Metical are news sheets available by fax.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Passport/Visa
| | Passport Required? | Visa Required? | Return Ticket Required? | | British | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Australian | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Canadian | Yes | Yes | Yes | | USA | Yes | Yes | Yes | | OtherEU | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Japanese | Yes | Yes | Yes |
PASSPORTS: Passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond intended date of departure required by all.
VISAS: Required by all.
Types of visa and cost: Tourist and Business: £40-£60 (single-entry); £70-110 (multiple-entry). Transit: £40. Prices vary according to the desired processing time.
Validity: Single-entry visas: between one day and one month from date of entry, renewable to a maximum of three months. Multiple-entry visas: between one month and six months from date of issue. Transit visas: Five days from date of issue.
Application to: Mozambique Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates; or Empresa Nacional de Turismo (see Contact Addresses section).
Note: A visa can sometimes be obtained through a contact living in Mozambique or at the airport.
Application requirements: (a) Official application form. (b) Two passport-size photos. (c) Valid passport. (d) Return or onward ticket or flight confirmation slip. (e) For Business visas, a letter of invitation to Mozambique and/or introduction from an official or business institution. (f) Fee payable in cash or by cheque (made payable to the Mozambique High Commission). (g) Stamped, self-addressed registered envelope for postal applications.
Working days required: Three. Visas can be processed on the same day or within 24 hours for an additional fee.
Temporary residence: Apply to the Embassy or High Commission (see Contact Addresses section).
Money
Currency: Mozambique Metical (MT) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of MT100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5000, 1000, 500 and 100. Coins are in denominations of MT5000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1.
Currency exchange: There are bureaux de change at the airports. Money can also be changed at banks. It is advisable to take US Dollars or South African Rand.
Credit & debit cards: These are rarely used.
Travellers cheques: High rates of commission are often charged on these. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or South African Rand.
Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, subject to declaration. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on import.
Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Metical against Sterling and the US Dollar:
| Date | May ’02 | Aug ’02 | Nov ’02 | Feb ’03 | | £1.00= | 33741.60 | 35380.70 | 36907.50 | 37175.10 | | $1.00= | 23153.50 | 23263.00 | 23338.50 | 23347.50 |
Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1530.
Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Mozambique, by persons irrespective of age, without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco; 0.75l of spirits; a reasonable quantity of perfume (opened).
Prohibited/restricted items: Narcotics are prohibited. Firearms require a permit.
Public Holidays
Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. Feb 3 Heroes’ Day. Apr 7 Day of the Mozambican Woman. May 1 Workers’ Day. Jun 25 Independence Day. Sep 7 Lusaka Agreement Day. Sep 25 Armed Forces Day. Dec 25 National Family Day/Christmas Day. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Feb 3 Heroes’ Day. Apr 7 Day of the Mozambican Woman. May 1 Workers’ Day. Jun 25 Independence Day. Sep 7 Lusaka Agreement Day. Sep 25 Armed Forces Day. Dec 25 National Family Day/Christmas Day.
Health
| | Special Precautions | Certificate Required | | Yellow Fever | No | 1 | | Cholera | Yes | 2 | | Typhoid and Polio | 3 | N/A | | Malaria | 4 | N/A |
1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required of travellers over one year of age arriving from countries with infected areas.
2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to Mozambique. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential; renewed outbreaks of cholera have been reported, Maputo and Beira are among the infected areas. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. For more information, see the Health appendix.
3: Immunisation against typhoid and poliomyelitis is often advised.
4: Malaria risk exists throughout the year, particularly in the north. The predominant falciparum strain is reported to be highly resistant to chloroquine and resistant to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. Travellers should bring a mosquito net.
Food & drink: All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Some milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Other risks: Diarrhoeal diseases, giardiasis, dysentery and typhoid fever are all common. Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Hepatitis A, B and E are present. Meningococcal meningitis may occur. Human trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) has been reported. Plague has been reported in remote areas.
Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, see the Health appendix.
Health care: Full health insurance is essential. Medical facilities are scarce. Many rural health centres were forced to close during the conflict with the MNR rebels. It is advisable to carry basic medical supplies including medications and sterile syringes.
Travel - International
AIR: Mozambique’s national airline is LAM-Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM). Other airlines serving Mozambique include Air France, TAP Air Portugal, Air Mauritius, Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways.
Approximate flight times: From Maputo to London is 14 hours, including stopover in Johannesburg.
International airports: Maputo International (MPM) (Maputo) is 3km (1.8 miles) northwest of the city. Bus and taxi services run to the centre (travel time – 15 minutes). Airport facilities include bank, restaurant, bar, snack bar, car hire (Avis, Hertz and Imperial) and post office.
Beira (BEW) is 13km (8 miles) from the city (travel time – 15 minutes). Beira receives flights from Continental Europe, other African countries and America. Airport facilities include restaurant, shops and a post office.
Departure tax: US$20 if destination is outside Africa. US$10 if destination is within Africa. Infants under two years of age and transit passengers are exempt.
SEA: British, European, American, Japanese and South African cargo vessels call at Maputo and Beira, but there are no regular passenger services.
RAIL: A train runs six times a week from Johannesburg to the Mozambique border at Komatipoort where there is a connection to Maputo (travel time – 15 hours). An overnight train runs regularly from Durban to Maputo. There is a service from Harare to Beira. There are connections from Malawi to Beira (although the border still has to be crossed on foot).
Note: Rail services are sometimes sporadic and unreliable.
ROAD: There are good road links with all neighbouring countries except Tanzania. However, road travel can be dangerous and should only be undertaken in daylight. Highjacking and robberies are rife and travellers should be aware of the possiblilty of unexploded landmines on the lesser-used roads. Bus: There is a daily bus service from Maputo to Johannesburg, and there are good bus links to other South African cities. Minibuses run between Maputo and towns in Swaziland, crossing the border at Namaacha. For further information about entry requirements and routes for border crossing, contact the High Commission (see Contact Addresses section).
Travel - Internal
AIR: There are flights linking Maputo with Beira, Blantyre (Malawi), Inhambane, Lichinga, Nampula, Pemba, Quelimane and Tete. Flights depart from Maputo between 0500 and 0730 and are subject to seasonal alterations. Flights are frequently delayed or cancelled and baggage is often lost or tampered with. Air-taxi services are also available, and are the safest means of transport outside the main cities.
Departure tax: US$7.
RAIL: There is no rail connection between Maputo and Beira. There is a rail link between Beira and Tete and lines from the towns of Moçambique and Nacala, via the junction at Monapo, to Nampula and Lichinga. Trains also run from Maputo to Goba and Ressano Garcia, and northwards on the line to Zimbabwe. Most trains have three classes, but there are few sleepers and no dining or air-conditioned cars. For seats and sleepers, it is necessary to book in advance. All train services are subject to disruption.
ROAD: There are an estimated 29,810km (18,631 miles) of roads in Mozambique. Tarred roads connect Maputo with Beira and Beira with Tete. It is now possible to travel by road in southern Mozambique though flood damage can still cause serious delays. Traffic drives on the left. Bus: There are regular services covering most of the country. In more rural areas, road passage can only be undertaken by converted passenger trucks known as chapa-cems. It is advisable to carry food and water on long journeys. There are occasional controls on the roads to check papers, especially in the north and near the border with Zimbabwe. Bus travel is the cheapest form of transport in the country and is, on the whole, fairly reliable. Taxi: Rarely available outside large towns. Car hire: Cars can be hired from international and national agencies in Maputo and Beira. Only hard currency is accepted. Documentation: International Driving Permit is recommended.
Note: Landmines may make travel by road outside the capital risky, and up-to-date travel advice should be sought. Driving after dark can be hazardous owing to vehicles travelling without headlights. Hijacking occurs.
URBAN: Bus services in Maputo have been improved with the introduction of new vehicles, and there are now fairly extensive services. Taxis are metered. Taxi drivers expect a tip.
Accommodation
HOTELS: Hotels of international standard are found in the cities of Maputo and Beira. Accommodation in smaller towns is generally of a low standard. More information is available (website: www.mozambique.mz).
GUEST-HOUSES: It is possible to rent holiday cottages, bungalows and rondavels cheaply.
CAMPING/CARAVANNING: There are campsites along the beaches, and a rest camp with a restaurant in Gorongosa Game Park. Camping is also permitted at various Catholic and Protestant missions in the country.
Introduction
The country is opening up to tourism, but at present, it is mainly in the form of package tours. Independent travellers are relatively few in number. Beira has lovely beaches and is the base for trips to Gorongosa National Park (see below). Amongst the numerous beaches in Mozambique are Ponta do Ouro, Malugane (in the south), Inhaca Island (near Maputo), Inhambane with its beach resort of Tofo (about 400km/250 miles north of the capital), Xai-Xai, Vilankulo, São Martino do Bilene and Chonguene. The museum in Maputo (the capital) houses paintings and sculptures by well-known local artists. The gallery in the Ministry of Labour building is also worth a visit, as is the market. Ilha de Moçambique (Mozambique Island), near Nampula in the north, is a fascinating place, dotted with 17th- and 18th-century buildings, many of them from the colonial Portuguese period. There are also some interesting mosques dating from that period. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Regions that are being promoted as tourist resorts include the Bazaruto Archipelago (780km/485 miles north of Maputo), consisting of four islands plus surrounding islets and reefs. This beautiful area features inviting sandy beaches and offers excellent opportunities for game fishing.
NATIONAL PARKS: There are three good national parks in Mozambique. The Gorongosa National Park is open from the beginning of May to the end of October. Visits can be booked through the LAM office in Maputo. Access is provided by an airstrip at Chitengo. Guides and cars are available inside the park. The Maputo Elephant Park is on the right bank of the Maputo River. The Marromeu National Park is at the mouth of the Zambesi River.
Sport & Activities
Watersports: There is good fishing for marlin, barracuda, sailfish and swordfish. Notable resorts are Inhaca Island near Maputo, the Bazaruto Archipelago and Mozambique Island. There are many beaches and lagoons with safe bathing; however, there is a danger of occasional sharks in the warm Indian Ocean. Many hotels have pools. Some resorts have facilities and excellent clear waters full of underwater sights for divers to explore. Zavora’s coral reef is outstanding.
Social Profile
Food & Drink: The cuisine is mainly Portuguese with Far Eastern influences. Specialities are piri-piri chicken, Zambesi chicken, shellfish, including Delagoa Bay prawns (which are grilled and served with piri-piri sauce), matapa (sauce of ground peanuts and cassava leaves) with rice or wusa (stiff maize porridge). Restaurants are to be found in main towns, as well as hotel dining rooms.
Nightlife: Maputo has a lively nightlife, particularly on weekends. Feira Popular is the main forum of evening activity with various bars and discos, some with live music. The style of music in clubs varies from typical Mozambican rhythms to Western pop music. The National Company of Song & Dance has rehearsals which are open to the public. Most major towns have cinemas.
Shopping: Special purchases include basketwork, reed mats, woodcarvings, masks, printed cloth and leather articles. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1230 and 1400-1730, Sat 0800-1800.
Special Events: For details of special events in 2003, contact the Mozambique National Tourism Company (see Contact Addresses section).
Social Conventions: Shaking hands is the customary form of greeting. The courtesies and modes of address customary in Portugal and other Latin countries are still observed. Casual wear is acceptable. Formal dress is seldom required. Photography: Visitors should not take photographs of soldiers, airports, bridges or government buildings.
Business Profile
Economy: Agriculture, which employs 80 per cent of the working population, is the mainstay of the economy. Cash crops include cashew nuts, tea, sugar, sisal, maize, cotton, copra, oil seeds and some citrus fruit. Forestry is increasing in importance. Fishing is both an important source of food and a vital export earner. Manufacturing industry produces one quarter of GDP: products include processed foods, textiles, drinks, cement and fertiliser. Mining operations produce coal, salt, bauxite, gemstones and marble. In addition, natural gas is extracted from onshore fields and piped to South Africa.
Following the end of the debilitating civil war in 1994, the Mozambican economy picked up strongly over the next five years, recording annual growth of up to seven per cent. Mozambique was also deemed eligible for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, which was agreed by major donors in 1999 and lifted some of the country’s substantial debt burden. However, much of Mozambique’s fragile economic progress was undone by the devastating floods of 2000; since then drought has exacerbated the situation and, by mid-2002, some parts of the country faced starvation. Once again, Mozambique has been obliged to call upon its aid donors. Mozambique is a member of the Southern African Development Conference. South Africa, the USA and Portugal are Mozambique’s most important trading partners.
Business: Safari suits are advised for the hot season, while lightweight suits or jackets should be worn for the rest of the year. Prior appointments are recommended. A knowledge of Portuguese is normally necessary for business dealings, although there are translation facilities available in Maputo. January is the main holiday month, so this should be avoided for business trips. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1230 and 1400-1730.
Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Câmara de Comércio de Moçambique, CP 1836, Rua Mateus Sansão Mutemba 452, Maputo (tel: (1) 491 970; fax: (1) 492 211).
Climate
Climate varies according to area. Inland is cooler than the coast and rainfall higher as the land rises, with most rain between January and March. Hottest and wettest season is October to March. From April to September the coast has warm, mainly dry weather tempered by sea breezes.
Required clothing: Tropical lightweights, with warmer clothing for evenings. Rainwear advisable all year round.
History and Government
History: Bantu tribes moved into the area part of which is now Mozambique from central and west Africa during the third century. The 11th-century empire of the Shona – the main ethnic group in modern Zimbabwe – covered part of Mozambique: relations between the two peoples are still very close. Much of the historical data for this period comes from the records of Arab and Indian traders who made contact with the region in the 10th century. The first European expedition to Mozambique was led by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama who arrived in 1498. Thereafter, Portuguese influence gradually displaced the Arabs and Indians in the trading system. The Portuguese gradually moved inland, usurping the local rulers and taking over land and mineral resources.
In the 18th century, Mozambique became a major centre for the slave trade, an industry which continued to thrive for decades after its official banning in 1842. By this time, Mozambique had become a Portuguese colony, but administration was left to the trading companies who had received long-term leases from Lisbon. This arrangement ended in 1932 after the takeover in Portugal by the fascist Salazar government. Thereafter, Mozambique, along with other Portuguese colonies, was put under the direct control of Lisbon. In 1951, it became an ‘overseas province’. The economy expanded rapidly during the 1950s and early 1960s, attracting thousands of Portuguese settlers to the country. It was around this time that the first nationalist groups began to form. In the face of intransigent colonial authorities, the main nationalist movement, FRELIMO, began a guerrilla war which gradually wrested control of large parts of the country – especially in the north – from the Portuguese. The liberation war came to an end in 1974 following a military coup in Portugal. The new left-wing government in Lisbon had no wish to maintain an empire and negotiations on the country’s independence began immediately. Mozambique became independent in 1975, and FRELIMO took power in a one-party state. The FRELIMO leader Samora Machel was President from 1975 until his death in a plane crash in October 1986, initially following an orthodox Marxist programme while at the same time encouraging Western investment, a delicate policy which he followed with a fair degree of success.
Mozambique’s desperate problems are largely the result of the 16-year civil war which wrecked the country. The National Resistance Movement (RENAMO), set up by the white-run Rhodesian government and then backed by apartheid South Africa and the US, fought a guerrilla war against FRELIMO from 1976 onwards. Two peace treaties in 1984 and 1989 both broke down within months of their signing. Finally, a series of agreements brokered by the Italian government in late 1991 and early 1992 – which followed the first face-to-face meeting between President Chissano and RENAMO leader Alfonso Dhlakama – brought the fighting to an end.
A UN force, ONUMOZ, entered the country to guarantee the ceasefire, organise disarmament and police the scheduled elections. These were eventually held in October 1994 and won by Chissano and FRELIMO. The new government and president were sworn in at the end of December 1994 to continue the gargantuan task of economic and social reconstruction (by the end of March 1995, nearly all ONUMOZ personnel had left Mozambique). The Government was confronted with hundreds of thousands of refugees – many of whom were returning from exile or to their homes from other parts of the country – as well as large numbers of demobilised soldiers from both sides, massive social and economic dislocation, and the destruction of virtually all health and education services.
Despite inevitable setbacks, the Chissano government made steady progress in tackling these problems during the late 1990s, and at the latest poll in December 1999, Chissano and FRELIMO prevailed once again. Chissano has recently decided not to contest the 2004 poll; FRELIMO has selected Armando Guebuza, a veteran of the liberation war, as their presidential candidate. In the last few years, however, the government has experienced serious difficulties, especially on the economic front. There are two main causes: catastrophic flooding in the spring of 2001 which caused huge damage to the agricultural sector; and economic problems in neighbouring Zimbabwe and South Africa, upon which Mozambique relies heavily.
South Africa dominates Mozambique’s foreign relations. In general relations between the two countries are good and Mozambique has derived substantial benefits from the advent of democratic government in South Africa in 1994. Further afield, in an unexpected development and after strong lobbying from its southern African members, Mozambique was admitted to the Commonwealth in November 1994; it is the first non-Anglophone of the 53-member organisation.
Government: Under the 1990 constitution, the president holds executive power and appoints and presides over a council of ministers. Legislative authority belongs to the 250-strong National Assembly. Both the president and the National Assembly are elected for five-year terms.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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