Part 580

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 : 40.1% male: 57.7% female: 23.3% (1995 est.)

@Mozambique:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local long form : Republica Popular de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique

Data code: MZ

Government type: republic

National capital: Maputo

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, 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 4 November 1986 (reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since NA December 1994) cabinet : Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 27 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO elected president; percent of vote - Joaquim CHISSANO 53.3%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 33.3%

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 27-29 October 1994 (next to be held NA October 1999) election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 44.33%, RENAMO 33.78%, Democratic Union 5.15%, other 16.74%; seats by party - Frelimo 129, RENAMO 112, Democratic Union 9 note: the presidential and legislative elections took place as called for in the 1992 peace accords; RENAMO participated in the elections

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president and judges elected by the Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Front for the Liberation of Mozambique or FRELIMO [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, chairman]; Mozambique National Resistance or RENAMO [Afonso DHLAKAMA, president]; Democratic Union or DU [Antonio PALANGE, general secretary]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcos Geraldo NAMASHULUA chancery: Suite 570, 1990 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 293-7146 FAX: (202) 835-0245

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Peter Michael McKINLEY embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone : (1) 492797 FAX: (1) 490114

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

Economy - overview: One of Africa's poorest countries, Mozambique has failed to exploit the economic potential of its sizable agricultural, hydropower, and transportation resources. Agricultural output is at only 75% of its 1981 level, and grain has to be imported. Industry operates at only 20%-40% of capacity. Foreign assistance programs supply the foreign exchange required to pay for imports of goods and services. The peace accord, signed in October 1992, has improved Mozambique's prospects. The restoration of electrical transmission lines to South Africa and the completion of a new transmission line to Zimbabwe (permitting the giant Cahora Bassa hydropower plant to export large amounts of electricity), proposed construction of a natural gas pipeline to South Africa, and reform of transportation services will greatly improve foreign exchange receipts. The Mozambique and South African governments are developing the Maputo corridor, linking the port of Maputo with Witbank, South Africa. In the past few years, more than 500 state enterprises have been privatized, including the country's largest commercial bank and a number of sizable manufacturing firms. Other pending reform measures are the privatization of customs operations, the reform of tax collection, and the facilitation of private enterprise in the transportation, energy, and telecommunications sectors.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.2 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $670 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 12% services : 55% (1994 est.)