Mozambique is located on the southeast coast of Africa and is bordered by: Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania Zambia and Zimbabwe. On its east Mozambique has around 2,500 km of Indian Ocean coastline, one of the longest coasts in Africa.
It is divided by the Zambezi river, with coastal lowlands to the south, and hills, plateaus and highlands to the north.
Its tropical climate consists of a wet and a dry season, with variations depending on altitude.
After almost five centuries, Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975. Between 1976 and 1992, the country experienced a devastating civil war. In addition, Mozambique’s development was hampered by economic dependence on South Africa, emigration and severe drought. By the end of 1992 Mozambique was the poorest country in the world, with over one million lives lost, economic development halted, and much of its infrastructure destroyed.
The Government’s programme to revive the economy, combined with a UN-negotiated peace agreement in 1992, led to dramatic improvements in growth. Political stability since multiparty elections in 1994 and economic support from international donors has encouraged foreign investment.