Government & History
- Between the 1st and 4th century AD, Bantu speaking peoples migrated from the north through the Zambezi River Valley.
- Portuguese explorers reach Mozambique in 1498.
- 1500: Portuguese trading posts and forts were very common.
- Early 20th century, Portugal shifted most power to private companies, controlled and financed mostly by the British. British established railroad lines to other countries and supplied cheap, mostly forced, African labor to mines and other British colonies.
- 1962: anti-colonial political groups formed the Front For Liberation Of Mozambique (FRELIMO).
- 1964: armed campaign against Portuguese rule was declared.
- After 10 years of warfare and political changes in Portugal, Mozambique became independent on June 25, 1975. FRELIMO established a one-party state allied with the Soviet bloc and outlawed rival political activity.
- First decade of Mozambican independence harbored civil war, sabotage from neighboring states, and economic collapse. Mass exodus of Portuguese defined this time period, and so did weak infrastructure, nationalism and economic mismanagement. During Civil War, an estimated 1 million Mozambicans died and 1.7 million took refuge in neighboring states.
- FRELIMO’s third party congress in 1983, President Samora Machel pointed out the failure of socialism and the need for major reform. He later suspiciously died in a plane crash in 1986.
- President Joaquim Chissano continued reforms and began peace talks with RENAMO (Mozambican National Resistance).
- Enacted a new constitution in 1990 which provided a multi-party political system, market-based economy, and free elections.
- Civil War ended in 1992 with the General Peace Corps.
- By mid 1995, the 1.7 million Mozambican refugees returned. An estimated 4 million displaced people returned to their areas of origin.
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