with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic
dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war
hindered the country's development. The ruling party formally abandoned
Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for
multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace
agreement with rebel forces ended the fighting in 1992.
Geography Mozambique
Location: Southern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between
South Africa and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 S, 35 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 801,590 sq km water: 17,500 sq km land: 784,090 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 4,571 km border countries: Malawi 1,569 km,
South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km,
Zimbabwe 1,231 km
Coastline: 2,470 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical to subtropical
Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in
northwest, mountains in west
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Monte Binga 2,436 m
Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum,
graphite
Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% other: 96% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,070 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur
in central and southern provinces
Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in
the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population
to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences;
desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant
poaching for ivory is a problem
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements
Geography - note: the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most
fertile part of the country
People Mozambique
Population: 19,607,519 note: estimates for this country explicitly
take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can
result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates,
lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.5% (male 4,162,413; female 4,176,295)
15-64 years: 54.7% (male 5,313,511; female 5,407,052) 65 years and over:
2.8% (male 227,761; female 320,487) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.13% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 36.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 25.13 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 138.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 34.65 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 4.71 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 12.6 to 16.4%, estimates vary (2001)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,546,643 (2001)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 114,111 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican
Ethnic groups: indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe,
Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%,
Indians 0.08%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Languages: Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 42.3% male: 58.4% female: 27% (1998 est.)
Government Mozambique
Country name: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: 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: 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, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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, UNTAET,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando
RANGUENE FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 chancery:
Suite 570, 1990 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Sharon P. WILKINSON embassy: Avenida Kenneth
P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone:
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
Economy Mozambique
Economy - overview: At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the
world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil
war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1988, the government
embarked on a series of dramatic macroeconomic reforms designed to
stabilize the economy and reduce government participation. These steps
combined with the political stability that has prevailed since the
1994 multi-party elections have led to dramatic improvements in the
country's growth rate fueled by foreign and domestic investments and
donor assistance. Inflation was brought to single digits during the
same period, although it has returned to double digits in 2000 and
2001. Foreign exchange rates have remained relatively stable. Fiscal
reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of
the customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection
abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon
foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of
the population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture
continues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. A
substantial trade imbalance persists, although it has diminished
with the opening of the MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest
foreign investment project. Additional investment projects in titanium
extraction/processing and garment manufacturing should further close the
import/export gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been
reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is
now at a manageable level.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $17.5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 9.2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 25% services:
42% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 31.7% (1996-97)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 39.6 (1996-97)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 7.4 million (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13%
(1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $393.1 million expenditures: $1.025 billion, including
capital expenditures of $479.4 million (2001 est.)
Industries: food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints),
petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (2000)
Electricity - production: 7.017 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.56% hydro: 96.44%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 925.81 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 5.7 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 100 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava
(tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes,
sunflowers; beef, poultry
Exports: $746 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: prawns 40%, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus,
timber; bulk electricity (2000)
Exports - partners: South Africa 12.7%, Zimbabwe 12.2%, Spain 10.6%,
Portugal 10.0% (2000)
Imports: $1.254 billion (c.i.f., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral products,
chemicals, metals, foodstuffs, textiles (2000)
Imports - partners: South Africa 33.5%, Portugal 4.8%, US 4.2%, Australia
3.8% (2000)
Debt - external: $1 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $632.8 million (2001)
Currency: metical (MZM)
Currency code: MZM
Exchange rates: meticais per US dollar - 23,314.2 (January 2002),
20,703.6 (2001), 15,447.1 (2000), 13,028.6 (1999), 12,110.2 (1998),
11,772.6 (1997) note: average of buying and selling exchange rates of
all transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public;
meticais is the plural form of metical
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Mozambique
Telephones - main lines in use: 90,000 (December 2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 100,000 (June 2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: fair system but not available
generally (telephone density is only 3.5 telephones for each 1,000
persons) domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and
trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean
and 3 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)
Radios: 730,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)
Televisions: 67,600 (2000)
Internet country code: .mz
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2002)
Internet users: 22,500 (2000)
Transportation Mozambique
Railways: total: 3,131 km narrow gauge: 2,988 km 1.067-m gauge; 143 km
0.762-m gauge (2001)
Highways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1996)
Waterways: 3,750 km (navigable routes)
Pipelines: crude oil 306 km; petroleum products 289 km note: not
operating
Ports and harbors: Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,125
GRT/7,024 DWT ships by type: cargo 3 note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 2 (2002 est.)
Airports: 166 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047
m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: 16 914 to 1,523 m: Military Mozambique
Military branches: Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Special Forces, Militia
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,711,318 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,720,583
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35.1 million (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (2000 est.)
Transnational Issues Mozambique
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish,
South Asian heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for
the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local
consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa)
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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New Caledonia
Introduction New Caledonia
Background: Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of
the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It
served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for
independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated.
Geography New Caledonia
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 19,060 sq km water: 485 sq km land: 18,575 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 2,254 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Panie 1,628 m
Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver,
gold, lead, copper
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 160 sq km (1991)
Natural hazards: cyclones, most frequent from November to March
Environment - current issues: erosion caused by mining exploitation
and forest fires
Geography - note: consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one
of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute,
and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls
People New Caledonia
Population: 207,858 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 31,862; female 30,577) 15-64 years:
64.1% (male 67,043; female 66,102) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,777;
female 6,497) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.43% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 19.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 76.36 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.44 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%,
Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.)
Government New Caledonia
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and
Dependencies
New Caledonia local short form: et Dependances
Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1956
Government type: NA
Capital: Noumea
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are
no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government,
but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud
Independence: none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum
on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is
scheduled for 2014
National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to
the islands; formerly under French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC
(since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Thierry LATASTE
(since 19 July 1999) elections: French president elected by popular
vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French
president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president
of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress
head of government: Consultative Committee
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres
Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial
Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA
2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3,
LKS 1 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections
last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results
- percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia
also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held: first round - 9 June 2002;
second round 16 June 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - RPR 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint
Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court
Political parties and leaders: Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier
LE ROUX]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes
or FCCI [Raphael MAPOU]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de
Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National
Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM);
Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE];
Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union
Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no
longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti
de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM
[Victor TUTUGORO]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU,
SPC, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy New Caledonia
Economy - overview: New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known
nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of
depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export
earnings. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation,
and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel,
the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys
to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by
the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices
for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions
were made to capacity. Strikes in the building industry in 2001, which
lasted four months, adversely affected many other sectors of the economy.
French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are
being transferred to local ownership.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 30% services: 65%
(1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70%
(1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 19% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $861.3 million expenditures: $735.3 million, including
capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)
Industries: nickel mining and smelting
Industrial production growth rate: -0.6% (1996)
Electricity - production: 1.565 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 77.64% hydro: 22.36%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.455 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products
Exports: $400 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners: Japan 25.8%, France 18.8%, Taiwan 12%, Australia
8.2%, US 3.0% (1999)
Imports: $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities: transport equipment, machinery and electrical
equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice
Imports - partners: France 50.2%, Australia 15.1%, Singapore 5.9%,
New Zealand 5.2%, Japan 3.7% (1999)
Debt - external: $79 million (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $880 million annual subsidy from France
Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code: XPF
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93
(1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - linked at the rate of 119.25
XPF to the euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications New Caledonia
Telephones - main lines in use: 47,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 13,040 (1998)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)