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Learn about Mozambique
Source of information: WWW Official Government Page
Located along the Indian
Ocean of southern
Africa, Mozambique is
slightly less than twice
the size of California
with a population of 17.5
million (’2003 Estimate).
In 1975, after centuries
of colonial exploitation,
Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal. The
indigenes population had no access to education during the
Colonial Era. An uneducated population combined with a
large-scale exodus of whites, mad the country vulnerable to
violence. Shortly after independence, the country was
plunged into a brutal civil war between the (then) Marxist-
Leninist Frelimo government and a rebel movement,
Renamo, with principal backing from South Africa. During this
18-year civil war, more than one million people died, two
million refugees fled across the borders, and close to three
million rural families were internally displaced. Coupled with
a severe drought and socialist mismanagement, by the time a
peace accord was signed in 1994, much of the country’s
economic infrastructure had been destroyed, approximately
two million land mines were buried in Mozambique’s arable
land, and with a US$80 per capita GNP, Mozambique was
classified by the World Bank as the world’s poorest country.
Since then Mozambique has made significant progress. The
government has undertaken a series of market reforms and
liberalization measures. During the late ‘90s, Mozambique
boasted one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
This momentum was halted by the severe flooding that
devastated the southern region of the country in the early
part of 2000 and to a lesser extent in the North during
2001.During the years of 2002 and 2003 the country
experienced a sever drought. Not withstanding these
setbacks, economic growth rates have rebounded to pre-
flood levels. While significant gains have in fact been made,
Mozambique still remains one of the world’s poorest
counties. Sixty-nine percent of the population still live in
abject poverty, and more than one in five children die before
the age of five (DHS-’97). Similarly, much of the gains from
the economic growth have been limited to the more
industrialized South, which holds the capital city of Maputo
and is strategically located near South Africa—Mozambique’s
most important trading partner. While comprising only 10%
of the country’s population, Maputo accounts for over 40% of
the GDP (PARPA-2001).
Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been
reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the
IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) policy and is
now at a manageable level.
Health and food security are the two mayor concerns in
Mozambique. Life expectancy at birth is 31.3 years. With 4.6
births per woman the population growth rate is 0.8%, infant
mortality is 217 deaths per 1,000 live births. Population per
physician 36,191people (1999) and population per hospital
bed are 1,153 people. Food availability remains a significant
problem, with the majority of households not yet able to
provide for year-round food needs. Hunger seasons occur
with variable duration and severity.
Location: South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique
Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania Area -
comparative: Slightly less than twice the size of California
Population: 17,479,266
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account
the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in
lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates,
lower population and growth rates.
Note: information available as of 1 January 2003 used in
the preparation of The World Fact book 2003
Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world.
With over 80% of the workforce occupied in agriculture food
insecurity is still an important issue. Poverty remains an
overriding concern in Mozambique and is known as
ABSOLUTE Poverty. The national financial incapacity to
properly attend health services is frightening.
Food insecurity results from a combination of availability and
access problems, as well as utilization issues. Availability and
access problems are partly attributed to war-related
devastation. Food crops, cash crops, and marketing
infrastructure all suffered severe damage during the civil
conflict. In some areas, smallholder farming has yet to be
rehabilitated even to subsistence level.
Additionally, according to the MOH, UNICEF, and national
authorities, poor health and inadequate food utilization also
contribute to food insecurity. UNICEF’s experience indicates
that lack of knowledge regarding good nutrition is a
widespread problem. Illness, due in part to inadequate
nutrition, results in decreased individual productivity among
smallholders. Consumption of a limited number of staple
crops such as cassava, maize and groundnuts, without the
inclusion of vitamin or protein-rich foods, is common and
traditional. In addition, parasite-related debilitating diseases
adversely affect an individual’s capacity to utilize food. This
leads to decreased local food availability and access, and
increased food insecurity.
According to the National Director of Health (NDH) life
expectancy is only 42 years, not considering the stillborn.
Only 40% to 50% of the national territory is covered by some
kind
Important efforts are undertaken to strengthen the agro-
industrial capacity of the country. Considerable international
funding is put into the revival of the national cashew nut
production. The country was once the number one cashew
producer in the world.of health services. Un-sufficient
funding and the lack of medical personal, 652 Physicians for
a population of 17,5 million, induced the administration to
lock for alternatives. Educational programs are implemented
to train district administrators, teachers, agricultural
extension workers and other public employees living in the
communities to assist in treatments against the number one
killer, Malaria. NGOs and churches are urged to lend a
helping hand. The limited availability of only US Dollar 2.00
(two) per capita and year for medication complicates the
matter further.
Inefficient health services, a mal nourished and diseased
population, suffering and dying rapidly from Malaria and Aids
are counter-productive ingredients for any kind of economy.
Though a number of NGOs are trying to help alleviate the
desperate situation in the area of health services, disease
prevention and treatment, it’s the lack of trained
professionals with at least a basic knowledge in this field that
hinders the advance of the work.