Zambezia Province

Template:Distinguish Template:Short description Template:Infobox settlement Zambezia (Template:Langx Template:IPA) is the second most-populous province of Mozambique, located in the central coastal region south-west of Nampula Province and north-east of Sofala Province. It has a population of 5.11 million, according to the 2017 census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The provincial capital is Quelimane.

Zambezia has a total area of 103,478 km². The 2,574 kilometre Zambezi River runs through Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique before emptying into the Indian Ocean off the coast of Zambezia. Mangroves are predominant along the coast and five of the 10 islands archipelago are offshore of the region. Considerable forests can be found inland, with a scattering of estuaries and rivers.

Zambezia's islands lie in the Primeiras e Segundas Environmental Protection Area. This string of islands is split into the Primeiras Islands and Segundas Islands (First Islands and Second Islands in Portuguese) and are largely uninhabited, aside from providing a stop-off for local artisanal fishers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At present, only Ilha do Fogo, one of the Primeiras Islands, has infrastructure. It runs solely on clean energy, using solar power, and offers ecotourism retreats.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Drone footage of Ilha do Fogo, Zambezia, showing the island's solar plant.

Agricultural products include rice, maize, cassava, cashews, sugarcane, soybeans, coconuts, citrus, cotton, and tea. The country's largest tea estates are at Gurúè, while Lioma is a centre of soybean production.Template:Sfnp Fishing is especially productive of shrimp, and gemstones are mined at several sites.

Vasco da Gama landed at the site of Quelimane in 1498. Shortly after, the Portuguese established a permanent presence, and many moved up the Zambezi into the interior, for many years the farthest inland European presence (although over time there was much intermarrying, and few residents were of purely Portuguese descent).

Districts

Mount Ile, Zambezia

Zambezia Province is divided into 16 districts:

• Alto Molocue District - with an area of 6,386 km² and 278,064 people,
• Chinde District - with an area of 4,403 km² and 121,173 people,
• Gilé District - with an area of 8,875 km² and 168,962 people,
• Gurué District - with an area of 5,606 km² and 302,948 people,
• Ile District - with an area of 5,589 km² and 292,504 people,
• Inhassunge District - with an area of 745 km² and 91,989 people,
• Lugela District - with an area of 6,178 km² and 137,040 people,
• Maganja da Costa District - with an area of 7,597 km² and 282,173 people,
• Milange District - with an area of 9,794 km² and 515,029 people,
• Mocuba District - with an area of 8,867 km² and 306,543 people,
• Mopeia District - with an area of 7,614 km² and 115,614 people,
• Morrumbala District - with an area of 12,972 km² and 361,896 people,
• Namacurra District - with an area of 1,798 km² and 179,133 people,
• Namarroi District - with an area of 3,019 km² and 127,651 people,
• Nicoadala District - with an area of 3,582 km² and 232,929 people, and
• Pebane District - with an area of 9,985 km² and 186,330 people.

In addition, there is one municipality - the city of Quelimane - with an area of 117 km² and 192,876 population.

The above district populations are from the provisional results of the September 2007 Census.

Demographics

Chapel in Gurue

See also

• Postage stamps and postal history of Zambezia

Bibliography

• Template:Cite book

External links

• http://www.mozambique.mz/provinc/zambezia/eindex.htm Template:Webarchive
• Template:In lang Province of Zambezia official site
• Template:In lang Zambezia Online Template:Webarchive