Mozambique

Where the name comes from

Mozambique Island was probably named after Mussa Ben Mbiki, its local ruler when Vasco da Gama arrived in 1498.

First people

Bantu-speaking societies and Swahili ports linked inland Africa with Indian Ocean trade.¹

Known for

Mozambique takes its name from an island whose buildings mix Swahili, Arab, Indian and European styles, and it is known for its long coral coast and dugongs.^2,3,4

Outside rule

Portugal built a fort at Sofala in 1505 but took control inland much later, making the island its colonial capital.¹

The modern country

Independence came in 1975.¹