Mozambique <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em"> <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff" width="200"> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Flag</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 2px">Image:mz-flag.png</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; border-top: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Quick Facts</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Capital'''</td><td>Maputo</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Government'''</td><td>republic<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Currency'''</td><td>metical (MZM)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Area'''</td><td>''total:'' 801,590 sq km <br>''water:'' 17,500 sq km <br>''land:'' 784,090 sq km</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Population'''</td><td>19,607,519 (est.)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Language'''</td><td>Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Religion'''</td><td>indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Calling Code'''</td><td>258</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Internet TLD'''</td><td>.mz</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Time Zone'''</td><td>UTC +2</td></tr> </table> </div>  '''Mozambique''' (Moçambique) is a country on the Indian Ocean coast of Southern Africa|Southern Africa. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Tanzania to the north and has inland borders with Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Mozambique possesses a very long eastern coastline along the Indian Ocean, a fantastic drawcard for scuba divers, fishermen, sailors and beach lovers. Image:mz-map.png|frame|Map of Mozambique ==Regions== ==Cities== *Maputo - capital *Beira - port town and capital of Sofala Province *Nampula - capital of Nampula Province ==Other destinations== *Ponta do Ouro - an excellent dive spot, more easily accessible from South Africa than from Maputo *Inhambane - A pretty historic town on a bay *Tofo Beach - A backpacker haven on the coastline east of Inhambane *Bazaruto Archipelago - a beautiful island resort geared to high-end tourism *Ilha de Mozambique - a UNESCO World Heritage Site *Pemba - in Northern Mozambique, a popular holiday destination for Mozambiquans, although yet to be on the regular tourist route for Western visitors. *Vilanculos *Cahora Bassa dam - Hydro electric scheme in the Zambezi river. ==Understand== Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close for Mozambique with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by European inhabitants, 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 multi-party elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the fighting in 1992. Heavy flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt the economy. ==Get in== ===By plane=== To enter Mozambique by plane, you will need to fly in from Portugal in Europe or one of the surrounding countries, most probably South Africa. Flights from Johannesburg with can be booked with [http://www.flysaa.com South African Airways (SAA)] and [http://www.lam.co.mz Linheas Aereas de Mocambique (LAM)]. LAM also offers flights within the country, for example to Pemba (northern Mozambique) and to the island of Réunion, as well as to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. When coming from Durban (South Africa) or Swaziland, use [http://www.swaziexpress.com Swazi Express Airways]. ===By train=== By train to Malawi There is only train line in Mozambique, which connects Nampula with Cuamba (near the Malawi border). The train carries first, second and third classes and is usually packed (when I was in the country there was no second class available). I can only speak of the Nampula-Cuamba itinerary, and if you are travelling the other way you should check for information on the ground in Malawi. From Nampula, the train leaves early - around 5am-6am, although you should arrive earlier to buy tickets from the booking office at the station. The area is packed with people travelling towards Malawi and so expect queues. Once on board the journey is long, slow but fairly efficient and will get to Cuamba mid-afternoon. From here a Shapa ride will take you to the border (Entre Lagos) as only freight trains use this bit of the line. Be warned that even for a hardened African traveller this stretch of road is very rough and you should expect it to take a fair amount of time. Once at Entre Lagos, the border formalities are located within the station building (easy to find as the town is a typical small border town), although be warned that this place doesn't see that many people passing through (when I was there in 2003, the official hadn't seen the new computerised visa). From here it is about a 1km walk to the Malawi side of the border. BE WARNED - the Malawi border closes before the Mozambique one, although there is a guesthouse if you get trapped. The easiest way to get from here to Liwonde is by train, we managed to get a lift in the guards van of a goods train quite late in the evening (fairly common practise it seemed). ===By car=== ====From Johannesburg==== The highway from Johannesburg to Maputo is very good. From Johannesburg, take the N4 towards Nelspruit. From Nelspruit, continue following the N4 to Komatipoort, the last town on the South African side. Just past Komatipoort is the Komatipoort/Ressano Garcia border post. NB: current car registration papers (or good facsimile thereof) are required to get a car past the border. On the Mozambican side, just follow the N4 (now called EN4) for a further 100km or so to reach Maputo. ===By bus=== ===By boat=== ==Get around== Transport leaves early in Mozambique - 4 am is not unusual, particularly as you go further north. Roads are generally in poor condition, especially when compared to South Africa, although significant work is ongoing to improve these. ==Talk== The official language of Mozambique is Portuguese, though many people speak English in the capital Maputo and in tourist areas. The further north you travel, the less likely you are to encounter English speakers - in the more remote areas you are equally unlikely to encounter Portuguese speakers, so picking up a few local phrases helps. On the northern coast, towards Tanzania, Swahili may be helpful. ==Buy== The currency of Mozambique is the Metical (plural: Meticais). ==Eat== ==Drink== ==Sleep== ==Learn== ==Work== ==Stay safe== Carry a wallet with you close. ==Stay healthy== Malarial prophylaxis is essential in all parts of Mozambique. Do not drink the tap water. As Fatima (of Maputo#Stay|Fatima's Place) puts it: "Your stomachs are not used to it." There is a high HIV incidence. Do not have unprotected sex. ==Respect== ==Contact== ==External links== *[http://www.mozambique.mz/turismo/eindex.htm Tourism Mozambique] {{stub}} fr:Mozambique ro:Mozambic WikiPedia:Mozambique de:Mosambik First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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