Mozambique Geography and Arts

According to LOVERISTS, Republic of Mozambique is a state of Southern Africa, bordered by the Indian Ocean and bordering Tanzania to the N, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe to the West, the Republic of South Africa and Swaziland to the SW and S.

Physical characteristics

In Mozambique there is a marked morphological contrast between the central-southern regions and the northern ones: the former consist of a vast alluvial plain, which, very extensive in the south, narrows in the central part of the country; the others consist of plateaus of medium height that overlook the Canale di Mozambique (the arm of the sea that separates the Mozambique from Madagascar in this stretch) with a high and steep coast, while in the interior they are delimited by the deep incision of the Rift Valley, here occupied by Lake Malawi and the course of the Scirè, emissary of the lake and tributary of the Zambezi. To the west of the Rift Valley, moreover, a large portion of the Zambezi basin belongs to Mozambique

The position in latitude means that throughout the country the thermal average is quite high (20-25 ° C), with very modest annual excursions in the eastern section, exposed to the influence of the Indian Ocean, more pronounced inland. The rains are concentrated in the summer period (from November to April), when an area of ​​low pressure is established over the country on which the moist air currents coming from the ocean converge. The driest areas (with annual rainfall of less than 500 mm) are inland areas, where oceanic influences are less felt; elsewhere the rainfall varies between 600-700 mm in the southern areas and over 1000 in the northern ones, although recording more pronounced values ​​(even 1700 mm) on the better exposed slopes of the major mountains.

The hydrographic system includes numerous watercourses, which, with an almost parallel course, descend from the internal plateaus directly to the ocean. The Zambezi, one of the largest African rivers, can be navigated for about 400 km; its course is interrupted by numerous rapids and waterfalls, including those of Cabora Bassa, where a large hydroelectric plant is in operation. Part of Lake Malawi belongs to Mozambique

The vegetation presents very varied aspects linked to the relief and the extent of rainfall: the savannah prevails, however, arborated or herbaceous, which, interrupted along the watercourses by the gallery forest, in the most arid territories gives way to the steppe and the plateaus to a thicket of xerophilic essences.

ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Notable examples of traditional and European-inspired architecture are preserved in the ancient Ilha de Moçambique, while in Maputo, characterized by a Portuguese-style historic center, are the Municipal Market (1903, David & Carvalho), the station (1910) and the Casa de Ferro (both designed by G. Eiffel); from the middle of the 20th century. functionalist buildings and skyscrapers were erected, while a local school of architecture began to form. From the beginning of the colonial age the rich tradition of sculpture in Mozambique was appreciated by Europeans, whose growing demand in the first half of the 20th century. it did not help the quality of the artifacts. Especially since the last decades of the century the inspiration from cultural and material traditions has renewed the sculptural production with artists such as Chissano, N. Langa, Gowane, S. Makamo, in the ceramics of R. Chadimba, in the concrete works of Massinguitana. Even in painting, the defense of local identity inspires the committed work of Mozambique Valente Ngwenya and Mozambique Mahumana. After independence, Neto’s realism emerged, the rituality of Idasse, the cubism of N. Ubisse; E. Lemos and F. Fernandes support abstract art as a means of expression. Of social and human commitment the works of Samate and R. Chichorro; in the graphics we distinguish G. Cossa and F. Conde.

Mozambique Arts