African Reservations

Situated on the east coast of Southern Africa, Mozambique has a vibrant mix of African, Portuguese and Arab cultures. Its coastline stretches for nearly 3,000 kilometers and the country covers an area of approximately 800 000 km². Its inland waters include a portion of Lake Malawi. Long, winding rivers flow across its territory, including the Zambezi, which has its source in Angola. The Zambezi enters Mozambique at the country's western most border in the Tete province, and flows almost 800 kilometers before reaching the sea at Chinde. Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. The area was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498 and colonized by Portugal in 1505. Mozambique became independent in 1975, and became the People's Republic of Mozambique shortly after. It was the scene of an intense civil war lasting from 1977 to 1992. The country was named Moçambique by the Portuguese after the Island of Mozambique, derived from Musa Al Big or Mossa Al Bique or Mussa Ben Mbiki, an Arab trader who first visited the island and later lived there.