Bantu speakers migrated to Mozambique in the first millennium, and Arab and Swahili traders settled the region thereafter. It was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498 and first colonized by Portugal in 1505. By 1510, the Portuguese had control of all of the former Arab sultanates on the east African coast. Portuguese colonial rule was repressive.
Guerrilla activity began in 1963 and became so effective by 1973 that Portugal was forced to dispatch 40,000 troops to fight the rebels. A cease-fire was signed in Sept. 1974, and after having been under Portuguese colonial rule for 470 years, Mozambique became independent on June 25, 1975.
One of the early leaders in the struggle for independence from Portuguese rule was the Democratic National Union of Mozambique (Udenamo), whose flag was adopted in November 1961. It had a diagonally divided field of green (for the country’s forested mountains and plains) and black (for the majority population). Its white central disk suggested the rivers and the Indian Ocean, and its central red star indicated the common blood of all struggling for liberation.
After independence from Portugal the flag of the main revolutionary army, the Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO), was adopted as the flag of the new country for an interim period until the flag that is seen today was decided on.
The red stripe represents the Mozambique's struggle for independence. The green symbolizes the land. The black represents the African continent and yellow stands for the mineral wealth of the nation. The yellow star represents the socialist beliefs of the country. The book represents education and the hoe represents the peasants and agriculture. The rifle represents the nation's determination to defend its freedom.
A yellow star was added to the red triangle, surmounted by an open book and a crossed hoe and assault rifle, standing, respectively, for education, the peasantry, and defense of the native country. The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize the history of Mozambique flag for the future.
Guerrilla activity began in 1963 and became so effective by 1973 that Portugal was forced to dispatch 40,000 troops to fight the rebels. A cease-fire was signed in Sept. 1974, and after having been under Portuguese colonial rule for 470 years, Mozambique became independent on June 25, 1975.
One of the early leaders in the struggle for independence from Portuguese rule was the Democratic National Union of Mozambique (Udenamo), whose flag was adopted in November 1961. It had a diagonally divided field of green (for the country’s forested mountains and plains) and black (for the majority population). Its white central disk suggested the rivers and the Indian Ocean, and its central red star indicated the common blood of all struggling for liberation.
After independence from Portugal the flag of the main revolutionary army, the Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO), was adopted as the flag of the new country for an interim period until the flag that is seen today was decided on.
The red stripe represents the Mozambique's struggle for independence. The green symbolizes the land. The black represents the African continent and yellow stands for the mineral wealth of the nation. The yellow star represents the socialist beliefs of the country. The book represents education and the hoe represents the peasants and agriculture. The rifle represents the nation's determination to defend its freedom.
A yellow star was added to the red triangle, surmounted by an open book and a crossed hoe and assault rifle, standing, respectively, for education, the peasantry, and defense of the native country. The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize the history of Mozambique flag for the future.
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