PORTUGUESE EAST AFRICA, or MOZAM BIQUE. A colonial possession of Portugal, on the eastern coast of Africa. bounded by German East Africa on the north, the Indian Ocean (mainly the Strait of Mozambique) on the east, Zululand on the south, and the Transvaal, Rhodesia, the Central Africa Protectorate, and Lake Nyassa on the west (Map: Africa, H 6) . Area, 310,000 square miles. The coast is low and forms but few harbors. In the portion north of the Zambezi the country rises rapidly toward the west, where the Namuli Mountains form the principal mountain range of the colony and rise, in Namuli Peak, to an altitude of nearly 9000 feet. In the south ern part the ascent is more gradual. The chief elevations here are the Slanica plateau. with Mount Doe rising to nearly 8.000 feet. the Gorangoza plateau, and the Lebombo Mountains. The principal are the Rovuma. which forms part of the northern boundary of the colony, the Zambesi, the Shire, the Pungwe, the Sabi. and the H1111)015). There are, besides, many small streams along the coast. The climate of the region, except in the mountainous districts. is malarial and subject to rile fluctuations. The mean annual temperature at Quilimane, near the coast, is 85° F.. ranging from 106° to 49°. The rainy season lasts from December to March.
The vegetation is tropical. The coat region yields cocoanuts, indigo, tobacco, coffee, and rub ber. Wheat, corn, beans. sugar cane, and rice are also grown to some extent. The country possesses great mineral wealth, including gold. iron, and coal. The gold deposits are found prin cipally in Manica, near the frontier of Rhodesia, and are exploited almost exclusively by British subjects. Iron is extracted to sonic extent by the Makwas. The exploitation of the inineral resources of the country as well as its entire economic development is greatly obstructed by the lack of transportation facilities and the un favorable climatic conditions, which prevent an extensive European immigration. The Mozam bique Company, organized largely with British capital, secured a royal charter for the adminis tration of the Maniea and Sofala regions for a period of 50 years beginning with 1891. The
Nyassa Company controls the region between the Rovuma, Lake Nyassa, and the Lurio.
The commerce of the colony amounted in 1900 to $18,861.189, of which two-thirds represented imports, chiefly for reexport. The imports are composed mainly of cotton goods. iron products, and beverages. The principal exports are rub ber, wax, ivory, and minerals. Most of the trade passes through the ports of Lourenco Marques, Beira. and :Mozambique. The colony has two railway lines, one connecting Beira with Rhodesia. 222 miles in the colony, and another leading from Lourenco Marques to the Transvaal Colony (57 miles in the colony). The colony is under the administration of a Governor-General and is divided into the districts of Lourenco Marques, Mozambigne, Zambezia, Gaza, and Inhambane. The estimated revenue and expenditures for 1901 02 were $3,064,548 and $3,294,325 respectively. The population is estimated at over 3.000.000.
The principal tribes are the Makwas and the Ajaus in the north, both belonging to the Bantu race: the Tavalas in the central part; and the Vatwas, a Zulu tribe, and the Tougas, a tribe of mixed origin, in the south. The seat of adminis tration is Loureneo Marques. The occupation of the eastern coast of Africa by the Portuguese dates from 1498, when Vasco da Gama landed at one of the mouths of the Zambezi. A number of settlements were founded along the coast during the first decade of the sixteenth century, and the military post of Tete, on the Zambesi, found ed in 1632. Slavery was abloished in 1878. The boundaries of the colony were fixed by agree ments with Great Britain in 1891 and with Ger many in 1886 and 1890. Consult: Andrade Corvo, Est udos sohrr az Prorineirs Y'ltramarinns (4 vols., Lisbon, 1883-87) ; Oliveira Martins, Portugal cm, Africa (Porto. 1891) ; Theal, The Portuguese frt south Africa (London. 1896).