republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
republic
Independence date
27 October 1991 (from Soviet Union)
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
Religions
Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)
Languages
Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%, other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)
Turkmen manat (TMM) per US dollar - 14,250 (as of 1 May 2008 est.)
meticais (MZM) per US dollar - 24.125 (2008 est.), 26.264 (2007), 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004) note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old meticais equal to 1 new meticais
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.400%
0.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
