MAPUTO, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Island of Mozambique, the first capital of the southeast African country Mozambique, celebrates on Monday its 200 years anniversary since the island was raised to city status.
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi said during the celebration that the island is in the list of world routes for tourists, scientists, religious and curious people, and all those seeking to know more about themselves and the human history.
"This is one of the country's centers of resistance against colonial penetration and of the exploration of men, the Mozambican island represents the wealth and diversity of our cultural heritage at world dimension," said the President.
As the first region in the country where foreigners docked, the Island of Mozambique in Mozambique's northeastern province of Nampula is currently home to 16,000 people. With a unique group of buildings with a mix of Arabic and Portuguese architecture, it is on the list of UNESCO's world heritages.
According to the island administrator Saide Gimba, the island is struggling with maintenance to preserve its genuine architecture due to climate change effects in forms of erosion, and reduction of forest species such as mangrove.
