Mozambique

Learn a little about Mozambique and enjoy our collection of printables, worksheets and flags.

Mozambique fishermen

A little Geography

• The Republic of Mozambique is in southeast Africa, opposite the island of Madagascar.
• It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east and Tanzania to the north, South Africa to the south west and Zimbabwe to the west.
• Mozambique is forecast to be one of the fastest growing countries in the next 10 years, helped by exports of coal and natural gas.
• Sadly, Mozambique is still a very poor country with half its people living on less than $1 a day.
• Maputo, the capital, is a vibrant city with a population of 1.5m, with white sandy beaches and a mural showing the civil war which is 95 metres long.
• Mozambique's coast runs for 1500 miles and features islands and coral reefs where over 1200 species of fish can be found.

A little History

• Mozambique was first inhabited by the San people, who were hunter-gatherers.
• Around the first century AD, Bantu tribespeople migrated to the area, followed by Arabs who set up trading settlements along the coast of the country.
• The first Europeans to arrive were the Portuguese in 1498. The Portuguese built forts and trading posts along the coast as well. After World War II, when many other European countries were granting independence to their colonies, Portugal hung on to Mozambique. Many people immigrated to Mozambique from Portugal. There were around 250,000 Portuguese in the country at the time the country became independent.
• Mozambique was a Portuguese colony for nearly 500 years, known for crops such as cashew nuts and cassava in addition to all sorts of spices, from chilli to garlic.
• Mozambique was torn apart by a 16 year civil war after achieving independence from Portugal in 1975, but fighting stopped in 1992

And Some Interesting Facts

• Maputo Elephant Reserve is home to a herd of 350 elephants, whose habitat was under threat.
• Mozambique would score more than any other one-word country spelt out in Scrabble tiles! It is also the only country with a single word name that includes all five vowels.
• Half the people in Mozambique are under-17.
• Mozambique is the only country in the Commonwealth never to have been part of the British Empire.
• The Vumba Rock Paintings depict human figures and animals. They are thought to be around 8,000 years old.
• Some of the richest coral reefs in the world are found in Mozambique, containing over 1,200 species of fish.

Mozambique on the Map

You can print this map here

Bazaruto Island, Mozambique

The Mozambique Flag

The flag of Mozambique stands out from all other flags because of its representation of an AK-47 rifle! The three stripes of the Mozambique flag - green, black and yellow - represent the riches of the land, the colour of the people of the African continent, and the country's minerals. The white stripes between them signifiy peace, while the red triangle stands for the struggle for independence.

On the triangle you can see that modern rifle we mentioned earlier (for defence and vigilance), an open book (representing the importance of education), a hoe (recognising the importance of the country's agriculture) and a yellow star (symbolic of Marxism).

Printables, Maps and Worksheets