|
|
|
Mozambique is a long, slim country situated on the south eastern edge of Africa.
It's area is almost twice the size of California.
It borders six other African nations including South Africa and Zimbabwe and boasts a vast stretch of coastline on the Indian Ocean.
Maputo is the country's capital city, located in the south, in close proximity to South Africa.
|
|
|
|
The climate is sub tropical; the south has hot, humid summers and windy, dry winters - further north, the summer and winter are less distinctive.
As a result of its colonial history, Portuguese is the official language, although regional dialects are still very active among Mozambicans.
|
|
Mozambique's recent history is not dissimilar to the story of many African nations, where colonialism, civil war and natural disasters have contributed to desperate poverty and suffering.
Its independence from Portuguese rule in 1975 was a messy and bitter affair that left the country as one of the poorest in the world.
The 1980's saw a brutal civil war which entrenched the nation in suffering and destruction.
And if that wasn't been enough to cope with, famines and flooding have regularly assaulted the mid to north of Mozambique.
If you were to visit today, you would still see signs of a tortured past and as a nation there is a continual struggle against poverty.
|
|
However, Mozambique is making progress on many fronts.
Foreign aid and an influx of oversees investment is giving the country a much needed boost of development.
In 2007, Mozambique had one of the fastest growing tourism industries in the world, with the country starting to make the most of it's vast amount of beautiful coastline.
It appears as though the government is making a real effort to tackle poverty and corruption, providing more education to children and pouring finances into the health sector.
It is a nation that desperately wants to stand on it's on two feet and make the most of the independence it has gained.
If you want to read more, go to:
Wikipedia's History of Mozambique >>
|
|
