Following independence in 1975 a prolonged civil war, and severe
droughts have meant that development has been extremely slow. Heavy
flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt the economy, but
recently (2002-3) signs are more positive.
Mozambique lies along the Indian Ocean and is bordered by Tanzania,
Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and South Africa. The country's
total land area is approximately 800 000 square kilometers.
Mozambique had an estimated population of 17.5 million in 2003,
giving the country an average density of 22 persons per square
kilometer. The population of Mozambique is mostly rural.
Of the 18 million cubic meters of wood used in Mozambique in 2001,
99.9 percent was used for firewood, with only 28 000 cubic meters
used for lumber production.
Following independence in 1975 a prolonged civil war, and severe
droughts have meant that development has been extremely slow. Heavy
flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt the economy, but
recently (2002-3) signs are more positive.