Mozamique's first inhabitants wereSan hunters and gatterers, ancestors of the Khoisani peoples. Between first and fourth century AD waves of Bantu speaking peoples migrated from the north through the Zamberi river valley and then gradually into the plateau and coasal areas in the first millennium.The Bantu were farmers and ironworkers.
Thereafter Arab and Swahili traders settled the region. It was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498 and Mozambique was first colonized by portugalin 1505. By 1510 the Portuguese conrolled all the former Arab Sulltanates on the east Africancoast. Portuguese colonial rule was repressive.
The island of Mozambique is a small coral island at the mouth of Mossuril Bay on the Nacala coast of northern Mozambique, first explored by Europeans in the late 1400s. The portuguese trading postsand forts became regular ports of call on the new route to the east .Later, traders and prospectors penetrated the interior regions seeking gold and slaves.Portuguese influence gradually expanded through the individual settlers having extesive autonomy. As a result , investment logged while Lisbon devoteditself to the more lucrative trade with India and the far east and to the colonisation of Brazil.
