--- title: Mozambique — English Wikipedia · full text with trees description: Wikipedia's «Mozambique», whole, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics, CC BY-SA 4.0. It begins: Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Z --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Mozambique/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/) / [en](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/) / Mozambique # Mozambique From Wikipedia, [«Mozambique»](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambique), revision of the 2026-09-01 dump, [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). The trees and pragmatics of these pages, Mova's parse of that text, are CC BY-SA 4.0 too. The English Wikipedia article «Mozambique», whole: 43 sections, 383 sentences and 8381 words, its 151 notes at the end. The marks in brackets «[n]» are Wikipedia's own, each leading to its note and source; the small number after every sentence leads to the sentence's own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Mozambique/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Mozambique/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Mozambique/page/4/) | Facts | | | --- | --- | | | **Republic of Mozambique · República de Moçambique** | | | **Anthem:** [Pátria Amada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pátria_Amada); "Beloved Homeland" | | Capital and largest city | [Maputo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maputo) [corpus](../Maputo/ "in our corpus"); 25°57′S 32°35′E | | Official languages | [Portuguese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_language) | | Recognised regional languages | [Tsonga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsonga_language), [Makhuwa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makhuwa_language), [Sena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sena_language), [Lomwe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomwe_language), [Swahili](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language) | | [Demonym](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonym) | Mozambican | | Government | Unitary dominant-party [semi-presidential republic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-presidential_system)[\[1\]](page/4/#ref-1 "note 1")[\[2\]](page/4/#ref-2 "note 2")[\[3\]](page/4/#ref-3 "note 3") under an [authoritarian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism) government[\[4\]](page/4/#ref-4 "note 4")[\[5\]](page/4/#ref-5 "note 5") | | • [President](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_Mozambique) | [Daniel Chapo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Chapo) | | • [Prime Minister](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Prime_Ministers_of_Mozambique) | [Maria Benvinda Levy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Benvinda_Levy) | | Legislature | [Assembly of the Republic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assembly_of_the_Republic_%28Mozambique%29) | | **[Independence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence) from [Portugal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Salvation_Junta)** | | | • [Portuguese Mozambique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Mozambique) | 1505–1975 | | • [Mozambican War of Independence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambican_War_of_Independence) | 25 September 1964 – 8 September 1974 | | • [Granted independence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lusaka_Accord) | 25 June 1975 | | • [People's Republic of Mozambique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Mozambique) | 25 June 1975 - 30 November 1990 | | • [Civil War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambican_Civil_War) | 1977–1992 | | • [Current constitution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Mozambique) | 21 December 2004 | | **Area** | | | • Total | 801,590 km² (309,496 sq mi) ([35th](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_area)) | | • Water (%) | 2.2 | | **Population** | | | • 2024 estimate | 34,881,007[\[6\]](page/4/#ref-6 "note 6") ([45th](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population)) | | • Density | 43.5/km² (113/sq mi) ([176th](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population_density)) | | [GDP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product) ([PPP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchasing_power_parity)) | 2025 estimate | | • Total | $61.950 billion[\[7\]](page/4/#ref-7 "note 7") ([126th](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29)) | | • Per capita | $1,730[\[7\]](page/4/#ref-7 "note 7") ([182nd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita)) | | [GDP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product) (nominal) | 2025 estimate | | • Total | $23.770 billion[\[7\]](page/4/#ref-7 "note 7") ([120th](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29)) | | • Per capita | $663[\[7\]](page/4/#ref-7 "note 7") ([183rd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29_per_capita)) | | [Gini](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gini_coefficient) (2022) | 49.6[\[8\]](page/4/#ref-8 "note 8"); high inequality | | [HDI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index) (2023) | 0.493[\[9\]](page/4/#ref-9 "note 9"); low ([183rd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index)) | | Currency | [Metical](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambican_metical) ([MZN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_4217)) | | Time zone | [UTC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinated_Universal_Time)+2 ([CAT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Africa_Time)) | | Calling code | [+258](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/+258) | | [Internet TLD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_code_top-level_domain) | [.mz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.mz) | | | **Website** | Mozambique,[\[10\]](page/4/#ref-10 "note 10") officially the Republic of Mozambique,[\[11\]](page/4/#ref-11 "note 11") is a country in [Southeast Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Africa) bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, [Tanzania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanzania) [corpus](../Tanzania/ "in our corpus") to the north, [Malawi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malawi) [corpus](../Malawi/ "in our corpus") and [Zambia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zambia) [corpus](../Zambia/ "in our corpus") to the northwest, [Zimbabwe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwe) [corpus](../Zimbabwe/ "in our corpus") to the west, and [Eswatini](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eswatini) [corpus](../Eswatini/ "in our corpus") and [South Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa) [corpus](../South_Africa/ "in our corpus") to the south and southwest.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") The [sovereign state](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_state) is separated from the [Comoros](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comoros) [corpus](../Comoros/ "in our corpus"), [Mayotte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayotte), and [Madagascar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar) [corpus](../Madagascar/ "in our corpus") through the [Mozambique Channel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambique_Channel) to the east.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") The capital and largest city is [Maputo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maputo) [corpus](../Maputo/ "in our corpus").[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") Between the 7th and 11th centuries, a series of Swahili port towns developed in the area, which contributed to the development of a distinct [Swahili culture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_culture) and dialect.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") In the late medieval period, these towns were frequented by traders from Somalia, Ethiopia, [Egypt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt) [corpus](../Egypt/ "in our corpus"), Arabia, Persia, and [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India) [corpus](../India/ "in our corpus").[\[12\]](page/4/#ref-12 "note 12")[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") The voyage of [Vasco da Gama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_da_Gama) in 1498 marked the arrival of the [Portuguese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Empire), who began a gradual process of colonisation and settlement in 1505.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") After over four centuries of [Portuguese rule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Mozambique), Mozambique [gained independence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambican_War_of_Independence) in 1975, becoming the [People's Republic of Mozambique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Mozambique) shortly thereafter.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") After only two years of independence, the country descended into an intense and protracted [civil war lasting from 1977 to 1992](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambican_Civil_War).[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") In 1994, Mozambique held its first multiparty elections and has since remained a relatively stable [presidential republic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_system), although it still faces a [low-intensity insurgency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurgency_in_Cabo_Delgado) mainly in the furthest regions from the southern capital and where Islam is dominant.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") Mozambique is endowed with rich and extensive natural resources.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") The country's economy is based chiefly on fishery—mostly [molluscs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mollusca), [crustaceans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crustacean) and [echinoderms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinoderm)—and agriculture with a growing industry of food and beverages, chemical manufacturing, aluminium and oil.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") The tourism sector is expanding.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Mozambique's GDP grew significantly after 2001, but since 2014/15, both a significant decrease in household real consumption and a sharp rise in [economic inequality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_inequality) have been observed.[\[13\]](page/4/#ref-13 "note 13")[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") The nation remains one of the poorest and [most underdeveloped countries](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_developed_countries) in the world,[\[14\]](page/4/#ref-14 "note 14") ranking low in [GDP per capita](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita), [human development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index), measures of [inequality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_inequality-adjusted_Human_Development_Index) and average [life expectancy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancy).[\[15\]](page/4/#ref-15 "note 15")[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Mozambique's population of around 34,777,605 as of 2024 estimates (a 2.96% increase from 2023) consists of more than 2,000 ethnic groups and is composed overwhelmingly of [Bantu peoples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu_peoples).[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") However, the only official language in the country is [Portuguese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_language), which is spoken in urban areas as a first or second language by most, and generally as a [lingua franca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingua_franca) between younger Mozambicans with access to formal education.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") The most important local languages include [Tsonga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsonga_language), [Makhuwa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makhuwa_language), [Sena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sena_language), [Chichewa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewa_language), and [Swahili](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language).[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") [Glottolog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glottolog) lists 46 languages spoken in the country,[\[16\]](page/4/#ref-16 "note 16") of which one is a signed language (Mozambican Sign Language/Língua de sinais de Moçambique).[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") The most popular [religion in Mozambique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Mozambique) is Christianity, with significant minorities following Islam and [African traditional religions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_African_religions).[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") ## Etymology The country was named Moçambique by the Portuguese after the [Island of Mozambique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_Mozambique), derived from either [Mussa Bin Bique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mussa_Bin_Bique), Musa Al Big, Mossa Al Bique, Mussa Ben Mbiki or Mussa Ibn Malik, an Arab trader who first visited the island and later lived there[\[17\]](page/4/#ref-17 "note 17") and was still alive when [Vasco da Gama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_da_Gama) called at the island in 1498.[\[18\]](page/4/#ref-18 "note 18")[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") The island-town was the capital of the Portuguese colony until 1898, when it was moved south to Lourenço Marques (now [Maputo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maputo) [corpus](../Maputo/ "in our corpus")).[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") ## History Main article: [History of Mozambique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mozambique) ### Bantu migrations Further information: [Bantu expansion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu_expansion) [Bantu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu_languages)-speaking peoples migrated into Mozambique as early as the 4th century BC.[\[19\]](page/4/#ref-19 "note 19")[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") It is believed between the 1st and 5th centuries AD, waves of migration from the west and north went through the [Zambezi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zambezi) River valley and then gradually into the plateau and coastal areas of Southern Africa.[\[20\]](page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") They established agricultural communities or societies based on herding cattle.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") They brought with them the technology for smelting[\[21\]](page/4/#ref-21 "note 21") and smithing iron.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Swahili Coast From the late first millennium AD, vast [Indian Ocean trade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ocean_trade) networks extended as far south as present day [Vilankulo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilankulo), as evidenced by the ancient port town of [Chibuene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chibuene).[\[22\]](page/4/#ref-22 "note 22")[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") Beginning in the 9th century, a growing involvement in Indian Ocean trade led to the development of numerous port towns along the entire East African coast, including modern day Mozambique.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") Largely autonomous, these towns broadly participated in the incipient [Swahili culture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_culture).[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Islam was often adopted by urban elites, facilitating trade.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") In Mozambique, [Sofala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofala), [Angoche](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angoche), and Mozambique Island were regional powers by the 15th century.[\[23\]](page/4/#ref-23 "note 23")[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") The towns traded with merchants from both the African interior and the broader Indian Ocean world.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") Particularly important were the gold and ivory caravan routes.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") Inland states like the [Kingdom of Zimbabwe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Zimbabwe) and [Kingdom of Mutapa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Mutapa) provided the coveted gold and ivory, which were then exchanged up the coast to larger port cities like [Kilwa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilwa_Kisiwani) and [Mombasa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mombasa).[\[24\]](page/4/#ref-24 "note 24")[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Portuguese Mozambique (1498–1960) Further information: [Portuguese Mozambique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Mozambique) The [Island of Mozambique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_Mozambique), after which the country is named, is a small coral island at the mouth of Mossuril Bay on the [Nacala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nacala) coast of northern Mozambique, and was first explored by Europeans in the late 15th century.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") When Portuguese explorers reached Mozambique in 1498, Arab-trading settlements had existed along the coast and outlying islands for several centuries.[\[25\]](page/4/#ref-25 "note 25")[\[26\]](page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") From about 1500, Portuguese trading posts and forts displaced the Arabic commercial and military hegemony, becoming regular ports of call on the new European sea route to the east,[\[20\]](page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[\[27\]](page/4/#ref-27 "note 27") the first steps in what was to become a process of colonisation.[\[27\]](page/4/#ref-27 "note 27")[\[28\]](page/4/#ref-28 "note 28")[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") The voyage of [Vasco da Gama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_da_Gama) around the [Cape of Good Hope](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_of_Good_Hope) in 1498 marked the Portuguese entry into trade, politics, and society of the region.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") The Portuguese gained control of the Island of Mozambique and the port city of Sofala in the early 16th century, and by the 1530s, small groups of Portuguese traders and prospectors seeking gold penetrated the interior regions.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") Here they set up garrisons and trading posts at [Sena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sena,_Mozambique) and [Tete](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tete,_Mozambique) on the Zambezi and tried to gain exclusive control over the gold trade.[\[26\]](page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") In the central part of the Mozambique territory, the Portuguese attempted to legitimise and consolidate their trade and settlement positions through the creation of [prazos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prazo).[\[26\]](page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") These land grants tied emigrants to their settlements, and inland Mozambique was largely left to be administered by prazeiros, the grant holders, while central authorities in Portugal concentrated their direct exercise of power on, in their view, the more important Portuguese possessions in Asia and the Americas.[\[26\]](page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[\[29\]](page/4/#ref-29 "note 29")[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") Slavery in Mozambique pre-dated European-contact.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") African rulers and chiefs dealt in enslaved people, first with Arab Muslim traders, who sent the enslaved to Middle East Asia cities and plantations, and later with Portuguese and other European traders.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") In a continuation of the trade, slaves were supplied by warring local African rulers, who raided enemy tribes and sold their captives to the prazeiros.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") The authority of the prazeiros was exercised and upheld amongst the local population by armies of these enslaved men, whose members became known as [Chikunda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chikunda).[\[26\]](page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Continuing emigration from Portugal occurred at comparatively low levels until late in the nineteenth century, promoting "Africanisation".[\[26\]](page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") While prazos were originally intended to be held solely by Portuguese colonists, through intermarriage and the relative isolation of prazeiros from ongoing Portuguese influences, the prazos became African-Portuguese or African-Indian.[\[26\]](page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[\[27\]](page/4/#ref-27 "note 27")[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Although Portuguese influence gradually expanded, its power was limited and exercised through individual settlers and officials who were granted extensive autonomy.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") The Portuguese were able to wrest much of the coastal trade from Arab Muslims between 1500 and 1700, but, with the Arab Muslim seizure of Portugal's key foothold at [Fort Jesus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Jesus) on [Mombasa Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mombasa_Island) (now in Kenya) in 1698, the pendulum began to swing in the other direction.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") As a result, investment lagged while [Lisbon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon) [corpus](../Lisbon/ "in our corpus") devoted itself to the more lucrative trade with India and the Far East and to the colonisation of Brazil.[\[20\]](page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Mazrui](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazrui) and [Omani Arabs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Oman) reclaimed much of the Indian Ocean trade, forcing the Portuguese to retreat south.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") Many prazos had declined by the mid-19th century, but several of them survived.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") During the 19th century other European powers, particularly the British ([British South Africa Company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_South_Africa_Company)) and the French (Madagascar), became increasingly involved in the trade and politics of the region around the Portuguese East African territories.[\[30\]](page/4/#ref-30 "note 30")[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") By the early 20th century the Portuguese had shifted the administration of much of Mozambique to large private companies, like the [Mozambique Company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambique_Company), the [Zambezia Company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zambezia_Company) and the [Niassa Company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niassa_Company), controlled and financed mostly by British financiers such as [Solomon Joel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Joel), which established railroad lines to their neighbouring colonies (South Africa and [Rhodesia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesia)).[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") Although slavery had been legally abolished in Mozambique, at the end of the 19th century the chartered companies enacted a forced labour policy and supplied cheap—often forced—African labour to the mines and [plantations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantation) of the nearby British colonies and South Africa.[\[20\]](page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") The Zambezia Company, the most profitable chartered company, took over several smaller prazeiro holdings and established military outposts to protect its property.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") The chartered companies built roads and ports to bring their goods to market including a railroad linking present-day Zimbabwe with the Mozambican port of [Beira](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beira,_Mozambique).[\[31\]](page/4/#ref-31 "note 31")[\[32\]](page/4/#ref-32 "note 32")[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") Due to their unsatisfactory performance and the shift, under the [corporatist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatist) [Estado Novo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estado_Novo_%28Portugal%29) regime of [Oliveira Salazar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliveira_Salazar), toward stronger state control of the [Portuguese Empire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Empire)'s economy, the companies' concessions were not renewed when they ran out.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") This was what happened in 1942 with the Mozambique Company, which, however, continued to operate in the agricultural and commercial sectors as a corporation, and had already happened in 1929 with the termination of the Niassa Company's concession.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") In 1951, the Portuguese overseas colonies in Africa were rebranded as Overseas Provinces of Portugal.[\[31\]](page/4/#ref-31 "note 31")[\[32\]](page/4/#ref-32 "note 32")[\[33\]](page/4/#ref-33 "note 33")[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Mozambican War of Independence (1961–1974) Main article: [Mozambican War of Independence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambican_War_of_Independence), [Portuguese Colonial War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Colonial_War) As [communist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism) and [anti-colonial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonization) ideologies spread out across Africa, many clandestine political movements were established in support of Mozambican independence.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") These movements claimed that since policies and development plans were primarily designed by the ruling authorities for the benefit of Mozambique's Portuguese population, little attention was paid to Mozambique's tribal integration and the development of its native communities.[\[34\]](page/4/#ref-34 "note 34")[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") According to the official guerrilla statements, this affected a majority of the indigenous population who suffered both state-sponsored discrimination and enormous social pressure.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") As a response to the guerrilla movement, the Portuguese government, from the 1960s and principally the early 1970s, initiated gradual changes with new socioeconomic developments and egalitarian policies.[\[35\]](page/4/#ref-35 "note 35")[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") The Front for the Liberation of Mozambique ([FRELIMO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FRELIMO)) initiated a guerrilla campaign against Portuguese rule in September 1964.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") This conflict—along with the two others already initiated in the other Portuguese colonies of [Angola](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Angola) and [Portuguese Guinea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Guinea)—became part of the so-called [Portuguese Colonial War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Colonial_War) (1961–1974).[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") From a military standpoint, the Portuguese regular army maintained control of the population centres while the guerrilla forces sought to undermine their influence in rural and tribal areas in the north and west.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") As part of their response to FRELIMO, the Portuguese government began to pay more attention to creating favourable conditions for social development and economic growth.[\[36\]](page/4/#ref-36 "note 36")[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Independence (1975) FRELIMO took control of the territory after ten years of sporadic warfare, as well as Portugal's own return to democracy after the fall of the authoritarian [Estado Novo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estado_Novo_%28Portugal%29) regime in the [Carnation Revolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnation_Revolution) of April 1974 and the failed [coup of 25 November 1975](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_of_25_November_1975).[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") Within a year, most of the 250,000 Portuguese in Mozambique had left—some expelled by the government of the nearly independent territory, some left the country to avoid possible reprisals from the unstable government—and Mozambique became independent from Portugal on 25 June 1975.[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") A law had been passed on the initiative of the relatively unknown [Armando Guebuza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armando_Guebuza) of the FRELIMO party, ordering the Portuguese to leave the country in 24 hours with only 20 kg of luggage.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") Unable to salvage any of their assets, most of them returned to Portugal penniless.[\[38\]](page/4/#ref-38 "note 38")[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Mozambican Civil War (1977–1992) Main article: [People's Republic of Mozambique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Mozambique), [Mozambican Civil War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambican_Civil_War) The [new government](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Mozambique) under President [Samora Machel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samora_Machel) established a [one-party state](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-party_state) based on [Marxist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism) principles.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") It received diplomatic and some military support from [Cuba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba) [corpus](../Cuba/ "in our corpus") and the [Soviet Union](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union) and proceeded to crack down on opposition.[\[39\]](page/4/#ref-39 "note 39")[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") Starting shortly after independence, the country was plagued from 1977 to 1992 by a long and violent civil war between the opposition forces of anti-communist Mozambican National Resistance ([RENAMO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RENAMO)) rebel militias and the FRELIMO regime.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") This conflict characterised the first decades of Mozambican independence, combined with sabotage from the neighbouring states of [Rhodesia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesia) and South Africa, ineffective policies, failed central planning, and the resulting economic collapse.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") This period was also marked by the exodus of Portuguese nationals and Mozambicans of Portuguese heritage,[\[40\]](page/4/#ref-40 "note 40") a collapsed infrastructure, lack of investment in productive assets, and government nationalisation of privately owned industries, as well as widespread famine.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Mozambique/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Mozambique/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Mozambique/page/4/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Mozambique/page/2/) - ↑ back to [English Wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/)