Quick Facts
At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. In 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the population remains below the poverty line.
Population: 20 million
Percentage of population in poverty: 70%
Literacy rate: 33%
Percentage of children that die before the age of 5: 60%*
(*60% of the children in Mozambique die before the age of 5, and 8 out of 10 of the diseases they die from are vacinateable. They also die of malaria and AIDS, both of which are treatable.)
Infant mortality rate: 22%
HIV/Aids ratio: 1 in 6 people infected**
(**The national statistics for AIDS is 1 in 6, but local health professionals feel that number is greater closer to 1 in 4 in the Cabo Delgado area, due to growing polygamist practices and lack of knowledge on how AIDS is passed.)
Life expectancy: 34 years
Childhood parasitic worm infestation: 20% infected***
(***It is estimated that 20% of the children in sub-Saharan Africa are infested with intestinal parasites that consume up to 20% of their daily caloric intake.)