Tofo Beach Tofo | |
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Coordinates: 23°51′20″S35°32′53″E / 23.85556°S 35.54806°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Provinces | Inhambane Province |
Founded in | 1976 |
Area | |
• Total | 17 km2 (7 sq mi) |
• Land | 9 km2 (3 sq mi) |
• Water | 8 km2 (3 sq mi) |
Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Population | |
• Total | 8,000 |
• Density | 7/km2 (20/sq mi) |
Area code | +258 |
Website | https://www.tofomozambique.com |
[1] |
Tofo Beach (pt: Praia do Tofo) or simply Tofo is a small town in southeastern Mozambique. The town lies on the Indian Ocean coast, on Barra Beach peninsula in Inhambane Province, Jangamo District, 22 km drive from Inhambane city. [2]
The main local language spoken in Tofo, Mozambique is Bitonga, which is also known as Tswa or Xitsonga. It is a Bantu language that is widely spoken in Southern Africa, particularly in Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. Bitonga is also one of the official languages of Mozambique, along with Portuguese. Other languages that are spoken in the region include Makhuwa, Chopi, and Sena. The diverse linguistic landscape of Tofo reflects the rich cultural heritage of the area., [3]
Tofo has a history that dates back to the pre-colonial era. The town was originally inhabited by the Bitonga people, who were skilled fishermen and traders. During the 16th century, Portuguese explorers arrived in the region and established a trading post in nearby Inhambane. This led to the introduction of Christianity and the Portuguese language to the area. [4]
In the 19th century, the Bitonga [5] people were conquered by the Gaza Empire, which was led by the powerful ruler Soshangane. The Gaza Empire controlled much of what is now southern Mozambique, including the Tofo region. The Bitonga people were forced to pay tribute to the Gaza Empire, and many were enslaved and taken to other parts of the empire.
During the colonial era, Tofo and the surrounding region became part of Portuguese East Africa. The Portuguese introduced cashew farming to the area, and many local people were forced to work on the plantations. In the 1960s, a liberation struggle began against Portuguese rule, and Tofo became a center of resistance.
After Mozambique gained independence in 1975, Tofo and the surrounding region experienced significant economic growth. Tourism became an important industry.
Tofo is a small coastal town located in southeastern Mozambique, near the city of Inhambane. It is situated on the Indian Ocean and boasts a long, sandy beach with clear turquoise waters. The town is surrounded by lush vegetation, including palm trees and mangroves, and is known for its natural beauty and wildlife, including dolphins, whales, and sea turtles. The region also features several coral reefs and is popular among divers and snorkelers. Tofo is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world to experience its unique geography and marine life. [6] ,
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Africa to the southwest. The sovereign state is separated from the Comoros, Mayotte and Madagascar by the Mozambique Channel to the east. The capital and largest city is Maputo.
Portuguese Mozambique or Portuguese East Africa were the common terms by which Mozambique was designated during the period in which it was a Portuguese colony. Portuguese Mozambique originally constituted a string of Portuguese possessions along the south-east African coast, and later became a unified colony, which now forms the Republic of Mozambique.
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 1,488,676. The provincial capital is also called Inhambane.
Cabo Delgado is the northernmost province of Mozambique. It has an area of 82,625 km2 (31,902 sq mi) and a population of 2,320,261 (2017). As well as bordering Mtwara Region in the neighboring country of Tanzania, it borders the provinces of Nampula and Niassa. The region is an ethnic stronghold of the Makonde tribe, with the Makua and Mwani as leading ethnic minorities.
Gaza is a province of Mozambique. It has an area of 75,709 km2 and a population of 1,422,460, which is the least populous of all the provinces of Mozambique.
The Tsonga people are a Bantu ethnic group primarily native to Southern Mozambique and South Africa. They speak Xitsonga, a Southern Bantu language. A very small number of Tsonga people are also found in Zimbabwe and Northern Eswatini. The Tsonga people of South Africa share some history with the Tsonga people of Southern Mozambique, and have similar cultural practices, but differ in the dialects spoken.
The Ndau are an ethnic group which inhabits the areas in south-eastern Zimbabwe in the districts of Chipinge and Chimanimani in which they are natives. They are also found in parts of Bikita, in the Zambezi valley, in central Mozambique all the way to the coast and in central Malawi. The name "Ndau" is a derivation from the people's traditional salutation "Ndau wee!" in greetings and other social settings. When the Ngoni observed this, they called them the Ndau people, the name itself meaning the land, the place or the country in their language. Some suggestions are that the name is derived from the Nguni words "Amading'indawo" which means "those looking for a place" as this is what the Gaza Nguni called them and the name then evolved to Ndau. This is erroneous as the natives are described in detail to have already been occupying parts of Zimbabwe and Mozambique in 1500s by Joao dos Santos. The five largest Ndau groups are the Magova; the Mashanga; the Vatomboti, the Madanda and the Teve. Ancient Ndau People met with the Khoi/San during the first trade with the Arabs at Mapungumbwe and its attributed to the Kalanga people not Ndau. They traded with Arabs with “Mpalu” “Njeti” and “Vukotlo’’ these are the red, white and blue coloured cloths together with golden beads. Ndau people traded traditional herbs, spiritual powers, animal skins and bones.
Xai-Xai is a city in the south of Mozambique. Until 1975, the city was named João Belo. It is the capital of Gaza Province. As of 2007 it has a population of 116,343.
Ngungunyane, also known as Mdungazwe Ngungunyane Nxumalo, N'gungunhana, or Gungunhana Reinaldo Frederico Gungunhana, was a tribal king and vassal of the Portuguese Empire, who rebelled, was defeated by General Joaquim Mouzinho de Albuquerque and lived out the rest of his life in exile, first in Lisbon, but later on the island of Terceira, in the Azores.
The Save River, or Sabi River is a 400 mi (640 km) river of southeastern Africa, flowing through Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The river has its source in Zimbabwe, some 80 km (50 mi) south of Harare, then flows south and then east, from the Zimbabwean highveld to its confluence with the Odzi River. It then turns south, drops over the Chivirira Falls, and flows down the western side of Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands forming a dry river valley in the rain shadow of these mountains. It is joined by the Runde River or Lundi at the Mozambique border, forming a dramatic confluence at Mahenya. It then crosses Mozambique to flow into the Indian Ocean at about 21°S.
Inhambane, also known as Terra de Boa Gente, is a city located in southern Mozambique, lying on Inhambane Bay, 470 km northeast of Maputo. It is the capital of the Inhambane Province and according to the 2017 census has a population of 79,724, growing from the 1997 census of 54,157.
Mozambique is a multilingual country. A number of Bantu languages are indigenous to Mozambique. Portuguese, inherited from the colonial period, is the official language, and Mozambique is a full member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Ethnologue lists 43 languages spoken in the country.
The Gaza Empire (1824–1895) was an African empire established by general Soshangane and was located in southeastern Africa in the area of southern Mozambique and southeastern Zimbabwe. The Gaza Empire, at its height in the 1860s, covered all of Mozambique between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers, known as Gazaland.
Zavora is a beach, north east of Maputo in Mozambique, in the district of Inharrime, province of Inhambane. It is located 420 km north east of Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, and 27 km east from the town of Inharrime. The capital of the province, the city of Inhambane, is approximately 2 hours drive away towards the North East.
Jangamo District is a district of Inhambane Province in south-east Mozambique. Its principal town is Jangamo. The district is located in the south of the province, and borders with Homoine District in the north and with Inharrime District in the south and in the west. In the east, the district is bounded by the Indian Ocean. The area of the district is 1,294 square kilometres (500 sq mi). It has a population of 93,681 as of 2007.
Massinga District is a district of Inhambane Province in south-east Mozambique. Its principal town is Massinga. The district is located at the east of the province and borders with Inhassoro District in the north, Vilanculos District in the northeast, Morrumbene District in the south, and with Funhalouro District in the west. In the east, the district is bounded by the Indian Ocean. The area of the district is 7,458 square kilometres (2,880 sq mi). In terms of the area, this is the biggest district of Inhambane Province. It has a population of 184,531 as of 2007.
Barra Beach or simply Barra is a tourist beach in southeastern Mozambique. This holiday settlement lies on the Indian Ocean coast, on the Ponta da Barra peninsula in Inhambane Province, 25 km drive from Inhambane city. A major Mozambican tourist destination, Barra is home to beach resorts, private vacation homes, restaurants and diving charters. Snorkeling is popular below the Barra Lighthouse at low tide where there is a natural tidal pool. The wreck of the SS Inharrime, an Italian built cargo ship that ran aground in 1949, lies exposed nearby. The Barra and Tofo area is one of the global hotspots for divers to see whale sharks, sea turtles and manta rays.
The insurgency in Cabo Delgado is an ongoing Islamist insurgency in Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique, mainly fought between militant Islamists and jihadists attempting to establish an Islamic state in the region, and Mozambican security forces. Civilians have been the main targets of terrorist attacks by Islamist militants. The main insurgent faction is Ansar al-Sunna, a native extremist faction with tenuous international connections. From mid-2018, the Islamic State's Central Africa Province has allegedly become active in northern Mozambique as well, and claimed its first attack against Mozambican security forces in June 2019. In addition, bandits have exploited the rebellion to carry out raids. As of 2020, the insurgency intensified, as in the first half of 2020 there were nearly as many attacks carried out as in the whole of 2019.
Barra Lighthouse is a lighthouse in southeastern Mozambique. The lighthouse stands on the Indian Ocean coast, at Barra Beach on the Ponta da Barra peninsula in Inhambane Province, 25 km drive from Inhambane city. The beach is a major Mozambican tourist destination. Snorkeling is popular below the lighthouse at low tide where there is a natural tidal pool. The wreck of the SS Inharrime, an Italian-built cargo ship that ran aground in 1949, lies exposed nearby. The Barra and Tofo area is one of the global hotspots for divers to see whale sharks, sea turtles and manta rays.
Tofinho Beach or simply Tofinho is a tourist Beach, Monument and Residential area in southeastern Mozambique. This holiday settlement lies on the Indian Ocean coast, on the Ponta da Barra peninsula in Inhambane Province, 1.5km south of Tofo, 25km Northeast of Inhambane in Mozambique.
Coordinates: 23°50.965′S35°32.616′E / 23.849417°S 35.543600°E