MOZAMBIQUE

 

Mozambique is the southernmost in eastern Africa and has about twenty million habitants and is surrounded by the Indian Ocean.

Mozambique was a Portuguese colony for more than three hundred years until 1975.

After the independence the first president was Samora Machel. The currency is called meticais MT. The value of the currency is very low as a US dollar is worth thirty-seven meticais. The minimum wages is 3 000 meticais.

The official language is Portuguese but they also communicate in 13 dialects. The dominant religion is Catholic.

More than half of the population still lives in misery and is concentrated in the capital Maputo known in the past as Lourenço Marques.

There are several casinos and hotels of very good quality, but the poorest attend the beaches where there is no cultural traditions.

While some children have fun on the beaches others struggle to survive. Child labor is common in Mozambique.

Mozambique kept several things of the Portuguese culture as for example, grilled chicken that costs around 7$. Fish, amazingly enough is far more expensive.

The country is rich in minerals and is meant for agriculture and in spite of the 23 universities, 12 private and eleven public, most Mozambicans have no access to higher education.

According to the worldwide organization of health, fifteen percent of the adult population between 15 and 49 years old are contaminated with AIDS.

Poor countries are catching up with the wealthier countries, but not all countries made fast progress. For example, the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have progressed slowly, largely due to the HIV epidemic.

Mozambique was once the first poorest country in the world. 

Today is the fourth poorest!