FAX: (1) 490114

FAX: (202) 835-0245

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Sharon P. WILKINSON

embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo

mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo

telephone: (1) 492797

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book

Mozambique Economy

Economy - overview: Before the peace accord of October 1992, Mozambique's economy was devastated by a protracted civil war and socialist mismanagement. In 1994, it ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world. Since then, Mozambique has undertaken a series of economic reforms. Almost all aspects of the economy have been liberalized to some extent. More than 900 state enterprises have been privatized. A value-added tax, introduced in 1999, launched the government's comprehensive tax reform program. Pending are much needed commercial code reform and greater private sector involvement in the transportation, telecommunications, and energy sectors. Since 1996, inflation has been low and foreign exchange rates relatively stable. Albeit from a small base, Mozambique's economy grew at an annual 10% rate in 1997-99, one of the highest growth rates in the world. Growth slowed and inflation rose in 2000 due to devastating flooding in the early part of the year. Both indicators should recover in 2001. The country depends on foreign assistance to balance the budget and to pay for a trade imbalance in which imports greatly outnumber exports. The trade situation should improve in the medium term, however, as trade and transportation links to South Africa and the rest of the region have been improved and sizeable foreign investments are beginning to materialize. Among these investments are metal production (aluminum, steel), natural gas, power generation, agriculture, fishing, timber, and transportation services. Mozambique has received a formal cancellation of a large portion of its external debt through an IMF initiative and is scheduled to receive additional relief.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $19.1 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 44%

industry: 19%

services: 37% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 31.7% (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 7.4 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $466.9 million

expenditures: $1.004 billion, including capital expenditures of $502.5 million (2000 est.)

Industries: food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 7.2% (1999)

Electricity - production: 2.3 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 13.04%

hydro: 86.96%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 307 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 1.9 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 68 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, rice, coconuts, sisal, tropical fruits; beef, poultry

Exports: $390 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: prawns 40%, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity (2000)

Exports - partners: EU 27%, South Africa 26%, Zimbabwe 15%, India 12%, US 5%, Japan 4% (1999 est.)

Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs, textiles (2000)

Imports - partners: South Africa 44%, EU 16%, US 6.5%, Japan 6.5%,
Pakistan 3%, India 3% (1999 est.)

Debt - external: $1.4 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $1.04 billion (1998)

Currency: metical (MZM)

Currency code: MZM

Exchange rates: meticais per US dollar - 17,331.0 (January 2001), 5,199.8 (2000), 12,775.1 (1999), 11,874.6 (1998), 11.543.6 (1997), 11,293.8 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Mozambique Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 65,354 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 18,500 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair system but not available generally (telephone density is only 3.5 telephones for each 1,000 persons)

domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter

international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 16, shortwave 12 (2000)

Radios: 730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2000)

Televisions: 67,600 (2000)

Internet country code: .mz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000)

Internet users: 6,250

note: 150 corporate accounts and 6,100 individual accounts (2000)

Mozambique Transportation

Railways: total: 3,131 km

narrow gauge: 2,988 km 1.067-m gauge; 143 km 0.762-m gauge (1994)

Highways: total: 30,400 km

paved: 5,685 km

unpaved: 24,715 km (1996)

Waterways: 3,750 km (navigable routes)

Pipelines: crude oil 306 km; petroleum products 289 km

note: not operating

Ports and harbors: Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,125
GRT/7,024 DWT

ships by type: cargo 3 (2000 est.)

Airports: 168 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 5 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 146

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 37

under 914 m: 92 (2000 est.)

Mozambique Military

Military branches: Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Militia

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,627,052 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,670,933 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35.1 million (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (2000 est.)

Mozambique Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish, South Asian heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa)

@Namibia

Namibia Introduction

Background: South Africa occupied the German colony of Sud-West Afrika during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Independence came in 1990.

Namibia Geography

Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 825,418 sq km

land: 825,418 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 3,824 km

border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline: 1,572 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari
Desert in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish

note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use: arable land: 1%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 46%

forests and woodland: 22%

other: 31% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Namibia People

Population: 1,797,677

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, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.74% (male 389,028; female 379,229)

15-64 years: 53.54% (male 480,075; female 482,375)

65 years and over: 3.72% (male 29,109; female 37,861) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.38% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 34.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 20.9 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 71.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.62 years

male: 42.48 years

female: 38.71 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.83 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 19.54% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 160,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 18,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Namibian(s)

adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups: black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%

note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

Languages: English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 38%

male: 45%

female: 31% (1960 est.)

Namibia Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Namibia

conventional short form: Namibia

former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Government type: republic

Capital: Windhoek

Administrative divisions: 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap,
Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati,
Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected president; percent of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to determine members of the National Council, held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held by December 2004); National Assembly - last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December 2004)

election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%, other 1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1,

note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders: Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben
ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire
KAURA, president]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS];
South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam NUJOMA];
United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU,
NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU

chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: (202) 986-0540