Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
conventional short form: Mozambique
local short form: Mocambique
former: Portuguese East Africa
local long form: Republica de Mocambique
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Maputo
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city*; Cabo
Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Maputo City*, Nampula,
Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia
Independence:
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 June (1975)
Constitution:
30 November 1990
Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6
November 1986); note - before being popularly elected, CHISSANO was
elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee on 4 November 1986
(reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since 17
December 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president;
percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA
47.71%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret
ballot to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 48.54%,
Renamo-UE 38.81%; seats by party - Frelimo 133, Renamo-UE 117
note: Renamo-UE ran as a multiparty coalition; none of the other
opposition parties received the 5% required to win parliamentary
seats; in September 2000, Renamo-UE member Raul DOMINGOS was
expelled from the party; he continues to hold his parliamentary seat
as an independent
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional
judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the
Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs
courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a
separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in
its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases
Political parties and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de
Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, president];
Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional
Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,
president]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)
or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,
chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e
Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos
Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and
Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia
FRANCO, secretary general]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE
FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245
telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146
chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
telephone: [258] (1) 492797
FAX: [258] (1) 490448
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with
a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is
edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed
star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an
open white book