The Country

Mozambique's recent history includes civil war, drought, and flooding.  In 1990, it was considered the poorest nation in the world.  In 1992, a severe drought caused widespread famine killing tens of thousands and resulting in over a million refugees fleeing from the country.  In 2001, floods killed about 700 people, left over 500,000 homeless and devastated the economy.  AIDS is epidemic and many children have been orphaned because of the disease. Millions of land mines are left over from the civil war and are a constant threat in daily life.   Needless to say, this is a country full of many needs.

The Religion

Like other southern African nations, animist religions have been in Mozambique for thousands of years. In fact, many people still hold onto their traditional beliefs alongside organized religion.

Arab traders introduced Islam in the 8th century and Portuguese missionaries brought Christianity in the 16th century. Today 24 % of the population are Roman Catholic, 22 % are Protestant, and 20 % are Muslim. Traditional beliefs make up the rest of the population.

There is freedom of religion in Mozambique. Government sources note that evangelical Christians represent the fastest growing religious group, with the number of followers under the age of 35 increasing rapidly. Some churches have reported growth of 20% per year and there are many new churches starting every year.

City Dump in Maputo

Population- 19 million

Capital city- Maputo

President- Joaquim Alberto Chissano

Languages- Portuguese, many indigenous languages

Literacy rate- 47%

Life expectancy- 37 years

Population in poverty- 70%

Currency- Metical ($1 = 24,000 Meticais)

If you would like to travel to Mozambique then please get in touch with us. We usually require teams of at least 10 people, and we take care of the rest.