After 500 years of Portuguese domination, Mozambique became independent on 25 June 1975. The country was subject to a FRELIMO (Mozambique Liberation Front) one-party regime until 30 November 1990, when the new Constitution acknowledged the existence of a multi-party system. The 4 October 1992 Rome Agreement put an end to the guerrilla warfare waged by the RENAMO (Mozambique National Resistance), that had lasted for 16 years, although the movement has occasionally taken up arms. In 2004, after almost 20 years as head of state, President J. Chissano decided not to stand for re-election. Since 2016, the north-eastern part of the country has been subject to attacks by an Islamic fundamentalist group. The President of the Republic is elected by direct suffrage for a term of five years, as is the Parliament (250 members). On the basis of the 2004 Constitution, a State Council and 10 provincial assemblies have been set up.

The country’s economy, which maintained one of the highest growth rates in Africa until 2015, has felt the effects of the crisis that began in 2016 following the discovery of hidden debts, which caused investors to withdraw and international financing to decline; in 2018, inflation was brought under control, but the country’s debt remains serious. The country continues to be influenced by the flow of raw resources, particularly aluminium.
The main commercial crops are sugar cane, tobacco, cotton, peanuts and bananas. Valuable woods include mahogany, red ebony and cedar. Among the mining resources, natural gas is particularly important (extracted in the province of Inhambane and exported to South Africa via a 900 km gas pipeline); the large field off the shore of Cabo Delgado is being exploited. Coal (in Moatize, near Tete), gold (in the Manica Province), bentonite (in Boane), graphite, titanium and bauxite (in Moriangane) are also mined. Hydro-electric power is particularly significant thanks to the large Cahora-Bassa plant on the River Zambezi. Industry is concentrated in Maputo (aluminium foundry also using bauxite from Australia, agricultural products, food processing and textiles). Cement, beer and sugar are also produced; in many areas cashew nuts are grown.
Tourism. The main destinations are the beaches and the large national parks, including the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, shared with both South Africa and Zimbabwe.