Coat of arms of Mozambique
Encyclopedia
The national emblem of Mozambique
, which was adopted in 1990 in the Constitution of Mozambique article 194. The Article clearly states the design and meaning of the device. It shows a gear wheel, bordered by corn
stalks and sugarcane
. In the middle there is a red sun over a map of Mozambique in green, and blue waves, an AK-47
crossed with a hoe, and a book. The wreath is tied with a ribbon bearing the name of the country.
As described in the Mozambican constitution article 194, the various parts of the emblem have a special symbolism, i.e.
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country 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 Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, which was adopted in 1990 in the Constitution of Mozambique article 194. The Article clearly states the design and meaning of the device. It shows a gear wheel, bordered by corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
stalks and sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
. In the middle there is a red sun over a map of Mozambique in green, and blue waves, an AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
crossed with a hoe, and a book. The wreath is tied with a ribbon bearing the name of the country.
As described in the Mozambican constitution article 194, the various parts of the emblem have a special symbolism, i.e.
- the corn stalk and the sugar cane represent argricultural wealth
- the cog wheel represents labor and industry
- the book represents education
- the hoe for "peasantry and agricultureAgricultureAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
production" - the AK-47 for "defense and vigilance"
- the red star represents socialismSocialismSocialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, but is quoted in the Mozambican constitution to "symbolize the spirit of international solidarity of the Mozambican people". - the red sun symbolizes the building of a new life