Mozambique experienced almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony before it became independent in 1975. The country has had a difficult time in developing, largely due to economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war. The ruling party, the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO), formally abandoned Marxism in 1989 and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. Political stability and sound economic policies have encouraged recent foreign investment.

Mozambique is in southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania. It is slightly less than twice the size of the state of California. Indigenous ethnic groups such as the Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, and Sena comprise 99.6 percent of the approximately 18.8 million people living in Mozambique. The remaining population comprises Europeans, Euro-Africans, and Indians. Approximately half of the population adhere to indigenous religions; 30 percent are...