Inhambane Province

Inhambane is a province of Mozambique located on the coast in the southern part of the country. It has an area of 68,615 km² and a population of 1.412.349 (2006). [cite web |url=http://www.ine.gov.mz/Ingles/o_pais/populacao_total_prov |title=Total Population By Provinces - 2006 |accessdate=2008-06-15 |work=Instituto Nacional de Estatística |date= ] The provincial capital is also called Inhambane.

The climate is tropical throughout, more humid along the coast and dryer inland. The coast has a number of mangrove swamps.

The town of Inhambane existed in the 10th century, and was the southernmost port used by Arabs for slave trading. The region was visited by Vasco da Gama in 1498, who claimed Inhambane Bay for Portugal. The Portuguese established a trading post at Inhambane in 1534.

The province is the second largest grower of cashews (after Nampula), and also produces coconut and citrus fruit (inspiring Mozambique's most famous poet Craveirinha to write of "The Tasty Tangerines of Inhambane"). The long coastline supports much fishing. The Inhambane Bay area is of some interest for tourism, with a number of beaches, and one of the last remaining populations of dugong in Mozambique.

Districts of Inhambane Province

* Funhalouro District
* Govuro District
* Homoine District
* Jangamo District
* Inharrime District
* Inhassoro District
* Mabote District
* Massinga District
* Morrumbene District
* Panda District
* Vilankulo District
* Zavala District

Cities of Inhambane Province

*Inhambane "provincial capital"
*Maxixe "largest population, and the province's economic capital"

tamps and postal history of Inhambane

As with several other districts of colonial Mozambique, the Portuguese government printed postage stamps specifically for Inhambane for several years. The first issue was for the 700th anniversary of St. Anthony of Padua in 1895, the stamps being those of Mozambique overprinted "CENTENARIO / DE / S. ANTONIO / Inhambane / MDCCCXCV". This was followed up in 1903 by a regular set featuring a portrait of King Carlos and inscribed "IMHAMBANE". Between 1911 and 1917, revolution in Portugal resulted in a variety of "REPUBLICA" overprints. Subsequently Inhambane reverted to the use of the stamps of Mozambique.

Culture

Inhambane is famous for its music, in particular the "timbila" (xylophone ensemble) of the Chopi ethnic group.

ee also

*Chopi
*Music of Mozambique

References