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Mozambique's Short Story

Mozambique is a southern African nation whose long Indian Ocean coastline is dotted with popular beaches like Tofo, as well as offshore marine parks. In the Quirimbas Archipelago, a 250km stretch of coral islands, mangrove-covered Ibo Island has colonial-era ruins surviving from a period of Portuguese rule. The Bazaruto Archipelago farther south has reefs which protect rare marine life including dugongs.

After 100 AD Bantu speaking people arrived in what is now Mozambique. They lived by farming and they made iron tools. They were organised into small kingdoms. By the 9th century Arab merchants arrived at the coast of Mozambique. For centuries afterwards there was trade between Africans and Arabs.

Then in 1498 the Portuguese sailor Vasco Da Gama landed at Ilha de Mocambique on his way to India. In 1511 A Portuguese called Antonio Fernandes explored the inland of Mozambique. During the 16th century the Portuguese established trading posts along the coast of Mozambique. They also took over some of the land and divided into large estates called prazos. However for centuries Portugal only had very limited control over Mozambique.

The situation changed in the late 19th century when Europeans carved up Africa between them. In 1891 Britain and Portugal signed a treaty. The British recognized the borders of Portuguese East Africa (Mozambique). A network of railways was built in Mozambique but nothing was done for the native people.

In the 1950s and early 1960s the situation in Africa changed and many African countries became independent. In 1962 the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) was founded. However the Portuguese were determined to hang on to their colonies in Africa. In 1964 Frelimo began an armed struggle. The war went on for 10 years with the Portuguese gradually losing ground. Finally on 25 June 1975 Mozambique became an independent nation.

However the new government in Mozambique adopted Socialist policies which left Mozambique impoverished. Worse, from 1977 Mozambique was riven by civil war. An anti-Communist organisation called Renamo fought the government for 15 years. However by 1989 Frelimo had given up its Socialist policies and in 1990 they published a new constitution. Then in 1992 a peace agreement was made with Renamo. On 1994 elections were held. Mozambique recovered from the war and today it is developing rapidly.
total.

Currency: Mozambican metical
► Mozambicans ethinic groups are: Asian diaspora,  Chopi‎, Coloureds, Makua‎, Ndwandwe‎, Sena‎, Shona‎, Tsonga‎,  Yao (East Africa).

Great progressing country. Still trying to find its self, much like South Africa.

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