Moatize
Moatize | |
---|---|
Country | Mozambique |
Provinces | Tete Province |
Population (2007) | |
• Total | 39 073 |
Climate | BSh |
Moatize is the principle town and administrative center of Moatize District in western Mozambique's Tete Province. It is located on the eastern side of the Zambezi River at the confluence of the Moatize and Revuboe Rivers. After Tete, it is the second largest urban area, by population, in western Mozambique.
Economy
The economy of Moatize is based in the extraction of natural resources, specifically coking coal. The surrounding coal basin has an estimated 2.5 billion tons of coal. In 2006, VALE, a Brazilian company gained a concession to build and operate a coal mine at Moatize to export coal via rail to Beira, a Mozambican port. Riversdale Mining,[1] an Australian company also has coal leases in the area.
Additionally, there are several small-scale businesses located in and around Moatize that cater to international businessmen engaged in the coal mining industry, including several small hotels, restaurants, and night clubs.
Transport
To transport coal from Moatize for export through Beira, 670 km of railway has to be upgraded at a cost of $375m.[2] The first train in more than two decades reached Moatize on January 30, 2010.[3]
Demographics
Year | Population[4] |
---|---|
2007 | 39 073 |
See also
References
- ^ Riversdale Mining Limited
- ^ Australian Financial Review, 24 November 2007, p16
- ^ Railway gazette article
- ^ "Mozambique: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". World Gazetteer. Retrieved 2008-06-18.