stline: 2,470 km

_#_Maritime claims:

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

_#_Climate: tropical to subtropical

_#_Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus
in northwest, mountains in west

_#_Natural resources: coal, titanium

_#_Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and
pastures 56%; forest and woodland 20%; other 20%; includes irrigated
NEGL%

_#_Environment: severe drought and floods occur in south;
desertification

_*_People
_#_Population: 15,113,282 (July 1991), growth rate 4.6% (1991);
note--900,000 Mozambican refugees in Malawi (1990 est.)

_#_Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Net migration rate: 17 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Infant mortality rate: 134 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 46 years male, 49 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Mozambican(s); adjective--Mozambican

_#_Ethnic divisions: majority from indigenous tribal groups; Europeans
about 10,000, Euro-Africans 35,000, Indians 15,000

_#_Religion: indigenous beliefs 60%, Christian 30%, Muslim 10%

_#_Language: Portuguese (official); many indigenous dialects

_#_Literacy: 33% (male 45%, female 21%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)

_#_Labor force: NA, but 90% engaged in agriculture

_#_Organized labor: 225,000 workers belong to a single union,
the Mozambique Workers' Organization (OTM)

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Republic of Mozambique

_#_Type: republic

_#_Capital: Maputo

_#_Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provincias,
singular--provincia); Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo,
Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

_#_Independence: 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

_#_Constitution: 30 November 1990

_#_Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary
law

_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic
(Assembleia da Republica)

_#_Judicial branch: People's Courts at all levels

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State--President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6
November 1986);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Mario da Graca MACHUNGO
(since 17