While most of the population of Mozambique is of Afrcan origin, it has a number of oeople of portuguese, Arabs, Indians, and east asian descent who came here before and after the colonial era.People from Goa and Macao came to Mozambique from these erstwhile portuguese possissions in Asia. During 16th. century small group of Portuguese traders and prospectors penetrated the interior regions seeking gold where they set up garrisons and and trading posts at rena and Tete on the Zambezi riverand tried to control exclusive control over the gold trade. The Portuguese attempted to legitimate and consolidate their trade and settlement positions through the creation of Prazos (land grants)tied to portuguese settlement and administration.
Although portuguese influence gradually expande, its power was limited and exercesedthrough individual settlers and offcials who were granted extensive autonomy.
As communist and anti-colonial ideologies spread out across Africa, many political movements were established in support of Mozambican independence.
Mozambique war of independence
(clock wise from left) a portuguese supply convoytraverse the country side, a foot petrol of portuguese soldiers,portuguese troops embark, portuguese armoured.
By the early 20th. century the Portuguese had shifted the administration of much of the country to large private companies , contolled and financed by the British which established railroads , supplied cheap sometimes forced African labor to the mines and plantations from near by British colony, as South Africa.
