Sofala | |
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.jpg) Gogogo, the highest peak of the Gorongosa mountain complex | |
 Sofala, Province of Mozambique | |
| Country | Mozambique |
| Capital | Beira |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Lourenço Ferreira Bulha |
| Area | |
• Total | 68,018 km2 (26,262 sq mi) |
| Population (2017 census) | |
• Total | 2,259,248 |
| • Density | 33.215/km2 (86.028/sq mi) |
| Postal code | 21xx |
| Area code | (+258) 23 |
| HDI (2019) | 0.482[1] low ·4th of 11 |
| Website | www |
Sofala[suˈfalɐ] is aprovince ofMozambique. It has a population of 2,259,248 (2017 census).[2]Beira is the capital of the province, named for the ruined port ofSofala which is 35 kilometres (22 mi) to the south.
Portuguese landholder and imperialistJoaquim Carlos Paiva de Andrada [pt] established a base at the river mouth at what is now Beira in 1884.[3]
Sofala Province is one of the strongholds of theRENAMO.[3] In late 1978 RENAMO guerrillas were "ranging into Sofala Province and launching attacks along the Beira–Chimoio road and rail line, the Dondo–Inhaminga corridor".[4]Some of the more scarcely populated areas of the province are affected by landmines; defensive rings around villages were still common in some rural areas according to mid 1990s reports byOxfam.[5]
In March 2019, the province was severely affected byCyclone Idai, with its capital city of Beira being largely destroyed.[6] The flooding resulting from this storm was widespread throughout the province and the rest of Central Mozambique.[7]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1,065,200 | — |
| 1997 | 1,368,671 | +1.49% |
| 2007 | 1,685,663 | +2.11% |
| 2017 | 2,259,248 | +2.97% |
| source:[8] | ||
Sofala Province, in central-eastern Mozambique, covers an area of 68,018 square kilometres (26,262 sq mi). The province is bordered to the north byTete Province, to the northeast byZambezia Province, to the south byInhambane Province, and to the west byManica Province.Rivers flowing through the province include theChiveve River, theBuzi River, theSave River, which flows along the Inhambane provincial border, and thePúnguè River, which flows into the sea at Beira. On theUrema River, a tributary of the Púnguè, the river forms the lagoon which are home to hundreds of hippopotamus.[9] The valleys of the province are subject to flooding; in late January 2012, unusually heavy rain caused widespread flooding along the banks of the Púnguè and the Save, and other major rivers in Africa such as theZambezi andLimpopo, leading over 100,000 people in total to be evacuated.[10]
Gorongosa National Park, at the southern end of theGreat African Rift Valley, covers several thousand square kilometres, including the valley floor and parts of surrounding forestedplateaus,[11] which containmiombo andmontane forests. The park contains the 1,863 metres (6,112 ft)Mount Gorongosa, a mountain which is considered sacred to the people of the country.[11] On the eastern slope of the mountain is a number of vegetation zones according to elevation, and there are numerous limestone caves in the vicinity.[11]
Sofala Province is divided into 13 districts:
The city ofBeira, the provincial capital and Mozambique's second-largest city and the busiest port in the country, plays a key role in the local economy. Principal exports include ores, tobacco, food products, cotton, hides and skins, with the chief imports including fertilizers, equipment and textiles, liquid fuels and wheat.[12] The Mozambique Company had their headquarters in Beira, during the building of the railway across the country.[3] Many buildings remain from the colonial period, it is "as famed for its seafood as for its tawdry nightlife".[3] TheMakuti Lighthouse of Beira was built in 1904.[3] The oil trade has been important to the regional economy, with Beira connected by pipeline to Zimbabwe in 1960. The port of Beira is crucial for the trade in oil involving Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and Congo.[12] In the 21st century, agricultural productivity in the province has shown significant improvement, reducing poverty.[12] The Austrian Development Cooperation has played a major role in investment in the province.[13]
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