Welcome to Mozambique

Mozambique is a really fascinating country. We've made videos around the northwestern province of Tete. The region is important for its mining and the hydro-electricity produced along the Zambezi River. But although parts of the economy are booming, life for young people in Mozambique can still be a challenge. Come and take a look as we explore what life here is like.

Poverty & Healthcare

Two major threats

The two greatest threats to health in Mozambique today are malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Tourism & Communications

Coastal attraction

The beauty of Mozambique’s long coastline and its abundant wildlife are the main attractions for many visitors to the country.

Children's Stories

Our stories

Some of the youngsters from the SOS Children's Village at Tete have made films of the stories they'd like to tell. One is a very personal and moving tale from one teenager about becoming an orphan. The other story gives a message about the importance of education.

Welcome to Mozambique

Hello. We’re Albano and Manuela. Welcome to Mozambique.

Mozambique is a wonderful place to visit, with its beautiful coastline and amazing marine wildlife. We live inland, in the northern province of Tete. Here, activities like mining and the creation of hydro-electricity on the Zambezi River, are helping the country's economy. Come and take a look at some of the things happening around Tete.

Civil war

Hearing about the past

A group of young people listen to one of the SOS mothers as she tells them what it was like growing up in colonial times and during the civil war.

Climate

Africa is a massive continent, with a range of climates. Some regions are hot and dry, like the Sahara, Kalahari and Namib deserts. Other parts are wet or covered in tropical rainforest. Conditions also vary by altitude, from the dry salt pans of the Danakil Depression (one of the lowest points on earth) to the snowcaps (at certain times) of the highest mountains. Weather-wise, Africa has it all!

Development

‘People are the real wealth of a nation.’ This is the belief of the United Nations, whose Millenium Development Goals provide a framework for improving the lives of millions.

It helps when nations are peaceful, stable and growing economically. But even where the poorest countries focus on health, education and creating fairer societies, more Africans have the chance of a better life.

Famine & Agriculture

A quarter of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished and famines can impact whole regions.

Land is available to grow more food locally. But investment is needed in  technologies such as irrigation, for land to be used effectively. Farmers must also adapt to climate change if they are to feed the continent's rising population.

Foods

Africa has some of the most distinctive cuisines and flavours in the world. Food varies widely, but there are commonalities across regions. Depending on what's grown locally, dishes are also influenced by the traders, immigrants and rulers who settled across the continent. Arab, Asian and European elements blend in with traditional African cooking.

Games & Sports

Africa is home to arguably the oldest-recorded games and sports. While some are only known through archeology, modern-day games and sports such as Mancala/Mankala and Nubian wrestling are very much alive today.

Of course, new sports have come along to claim the attention of Africans. You may have heard of one - it's called football.

Health

Africa has a high number of communicable diseases, which place a huge burden on healthcare systems. The vast majority of malaria cases and HIV/AIDS-related deaths occur in Africa; these two diseases currently represent the greatest threats.

With low investment in healthcare and a severe shortage of medical staff, many countries struggle to meet the health needs of their people.

War and Empire

The first humans are thought to have lived in Africa and powerful African empires formed from the medieval age onwards.

However, today's African nations were shaped by the European powers who colonised this vast continent. Having gained their independence, many African countries are still coming to terms with the legacy left by their colonisers.

Baobab

A real-life Treebeard

The locals of Tete in the northwestern province of Mozambique talk about the most revered of their native trees – the baobab.

Capoeira

Sport or dance?

The village children are learning capoeira, a martial art which combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music.

Climate & Agriculture

The all-important harvest

Mozambique’s farmers benefit from a warm and sunny climate, but harvests can be affected by droughts and floods.

Dam

A vital dam

Albano and Manuela visit the Cahora Bassa dam on the Zambezi River, which flows through the northern province of Tete in Mozambique.

Dance

The Great Dance

Dancers in Matundo, a neighbourhood of Tete, give a demonstration of an important local dance.

People & Culture

Cultural diversity

The people of Mozambique belong to a variety of different groups and speak a number of Bantu languages.

Drugs

Young people of Tete

SOS Children community workers in Tete encourage youngsters to stay away from alcohol and drugs.

Economy & Industry

Mining the country’s wealth

The economy of Mozambique has been growing well over recent years, largely thanks to investment in mining.

Education & Jobs

A poorly-educated populace

A shortage of teachers and low school attendance levels mean that many Mozambicans are poorly educated.

Facts & Figures

A young population

Around half of Mozambique's population is under the age of 18 years. Find out other key facts here.

Food & Daily life

Traditional ways of life

The majority of Mozambicans live in the countryside, where many still follow traditional methods of farming and fishing.

Geography & Wildlife

Marine wonders

Some of the world's best-preserved coral reefs lie off Mozambique’s coastline, which is also famous for its impressive range of large sea mammals.

History & Politics

A place worth fighting for

Mozambique’s safe natural harbours and wide rivers providing access inland have been fought over by trading powers across the centuries.

State of Children

Around one in six children born in sub-Saharan Africa don't live to see their fifth birthday and life can be tough for those who do.

What are the common challenges facing African children and how do their lives compare with those of children in the UK?

Poverty

Across the rest of the world, absolute poverty has halved over recent decades, but in Africa it has barely fallen.

About two-fifths of the population of sub-Saharan Africa survive week by week on what someone in the UK earns from just one hour's work on the minimum wage.

Mozambique map

Explore Mozambique

Visitors to Mozambique often stay along the country’s coastline, which boasts some of the country’s key attractions. But you’ll see from the map there are also many places of interest inland.

AfricaFacts & FiguresPoverty & HealthcareFood & Daily lifeDamPeople & CultureGeography & WildlifeClimate & AgricultureBaobabCapoeiraWelcome to MozambiqueDanceEconomy & IndustryDrugsEducation & JobsChildren's StoriesHistory & PoliticsCivil warMozambique mapTourism & Communications