The state enjoyed close political and military ties with the Soviet Union, which was one of the first nations to provide diplomatic recognition and financial support to the fledgling FRELIMO government.

[3] For the duration of its history, the People's Republic of Mozambique remained heavily dependent on Soviet aid, both in financial terms as well as with regards to food security, fuel, and other vital economic necessities.

[3] From 1977 to 1992, the country was devastated by a deadly civil war which pitted the armed forces against the anti-communist Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) insurgency, backed by neighbouring Rhodesia and South Africa.

[8] FRELIMO had begun forming a guerrilla army to resist Portuguese rule by early 1963, with most of the insurgents being trained in Algeria and provided with arms by both the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China.

[9] FRELIMO also soon gained a monopoly on support and recognition from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which plied it with financial assistance as well as arms funnelled through the sympathetic Tanzanian government.

[10] For example, a South African military intelligence report at the time claimed that domestic insurgents "will enjoy much greater freedom of movement through...Mozambique while they will receive more direct and indirect moral and material support...the timescale according to which events will likely develop will be defined chiefly by the USSR and China: the two powers who have the greatest incentive to create and manipulate tension in southern Africa".

[9] It also granted FRELIMO effective political ascendancy in Mozambique during the interim period as Portuguese administrators, civil servants, and military personnel departed.

[13] Fearful of FRELIMO reprisals upon their return, the defectors staged demonstrations outside the UNHCR offices in Nairobi, prompting the Kenyan government to review their case and allow them to remain in that country.

[13] With regard to the judiciary, the government banned all private law practice and called for a national legal consultancy to provide public defenders for those in court.

[13] Until the legal consultancy could be established, FRELIMO ruled that the organs of state were empowered to administer "people's justice", or otherwise extrajudicial and often arbitrary judgments without the use of the court system.

[16] Machel declared that it was the responsibility of the state to impose the will of the peasant and worker majority, "even if it meant forcing those who refuse to accept such an imposition, and to repress those who oppose such a will".

[13] Their movements were heavily restricted; to ensure compliance with the communal ward and bloc system, only registered persons were permitted to use hospitals, clinics, schools, and shops.

[13] Following the Portuguese withdrawal, many rural Mozambicans moved out of the fortified settlements established as part of the wartime villagisation programme, returning to their ancestral homesteads.

[17] As part of their politicisation campaign, FRELIMO cells constantly reminded Mozambicans that the permanent enemies of the state were the abstract concepts of colonialism, imperialism, and capitalism.

[17] To identify potential enemies of the state, the security services established an official network of informants, which eventually grew to number 17,000 in the Maputo area and 150,000 nationwide.

The People's Republic of Mozambique experienced numerous extreme weather events, most notable were Tropical Storm Domoina in 1984 and an extensive drought and famine from 1985 to 1987.

The People's Republic of Mozambique enjoyed close military, political, and economic ties with the member states of COMECON during its brief history, particularly the Soviet Union and Cuba.

[3] There were also large civilian technical contingents deployed; up to 600 Cuban and 650 Soviet technicians were in the country during the late 1980s, working on developing mining and rail infrastructure and fisheries.

[3] Despite the frosty diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of Mozambique and South Africa's avowedly anti-communist National Party government, economic realities ensured that certain practical ties were always retained.

In December 1975 Mozambique was rocked by an abortive rebellion in Lourenço Marques (Maputo) when 400 troops of the FAM occupied strategic positions in Machava before being forced back by loyal police, military and civilians.