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asphalt, rock salt and other minerals.
The well developed ports of Beira and Lourenco Marques
which provide a crucial outlet to the sea for Mozambique's
landlocked neighbours (Nya3aland and North Rhodesia) brings in
nearly half of the colonial income.
A six year development pro r^me initiated by the
Portuguese imperialists in"1959 estimated an expenditure of
about U.S. $  125,000,000 over half of this amount has been
epent on colonisation projects in setting white Portuguese
colonialists.  This programme has not been completely carried
out because the freedom fighters of Mozambique intensified their
struggle and as a result Portuguese channelled very big parts
of this amount to military expenditures in order to suppress our
people.
The forestsare rich and it is estimated that 25 per cent
of the country is covered by forest in which can bo found many
rich species of various trees and woods.
Fishing plays a co siderablc part in the economy of the
Colony.
The climate is suitable for cattle ranching and the
breeding of goats, sheep, pi^s nd poultry. But on of the
difficulties in this respect is that many areas are infested
with Tse-tse fly.
Great possibilities exist for the exploitation of
hydro-electric energy but at the present moment there is only
one hydro-electric station.
The total length of roads is 21,000 kilometers and that
of railways is 3*000.
Mozambique has a very long coast and due to this tho
country has many ports. Among the 12 ports most important are
those of Lourenco Marquest, Beira, Mozambique Porto Amelia and
Nacala. Lourenco Marques is one of the big est ports in the
African continent. All those n tural resources create £reat and
vast opportunities for us to build an independent National
Economy based on self -reliance which v/ill place us in a position
to conduct an independent foreign policy and implement our economic development plans.
The success of the peoples of Africa, Asia, Latin
America in thoir struggle against imperialism will put us in a
£00d position to carry out the development of our country with
the aim of establishing an Independent National fconomy and this
will create conditions for Economic co-operation between Mozambique end other Afro-Asian and Latin American countries.
Extracts from the speech of Mr.
Lourenco Mutaca, Financial Secretary of FRELIMO, at the Economic
Seminar in Pyong-Gian^; (Korea).