Zimbabwe
Republic of Zimbabwe
parliamentary democracyIndependence 18 April 1980 (from UK)
Zimbabwe as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 75 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Corrected. The 1993 edition's appendices (the UN system, international organizations, weights and measures) follow the last entry in the file, Zimbabwe, and the source parser made them fields of that entry. All corrections
Geography
Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
14 fieldsLand useshare of 390,580 km2
Natural resources
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Environment
- recurring droughts;
- floods and severe storms are rare;
- deforestation;
- soil erosion;
- air and water pollution
People
14 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1993 est.)
Male · female(1993 est.)
Government
Parliamentary democracy
20 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Names
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Zimbabwe
- conventional short form:
- Zimbabwe
- former:
- Southern Rhodesia
Administrative divisions
8 provinces; Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo (Victoria), Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
Political parties and leaders
- Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), Robert MUGABE;
- Zimbabwe African National Union-Sithole (ZANU-S), Ndabaningi SITHOLE;
- Zimbabwe Unity Movement (ZUM), Edgar TEKERE;
- Democratic Party (DP), Emmanuel MAGOCHE;
- Forum Party, Enock DUMBUTSHENA
Elections
- Executive President:
- last held 28-30 March 1990 (next to be held NA March 1996); results - Robert MUGABE 78.3%, Edgar TEKERE 21.7%
- Parliament:
- last held 28-30 March 1990 (next to be held NA March 1995);
- results - percent of vote by party NA;
- seats - (150 total, 120 elected) ZANU-PF 117, ZUM 2, ZANU-S 1
Leaders
- Chief of State and Head of Government:
- Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987);
- Co-Vice President Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987);
- Co-Vice President Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990)
Member of
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-15, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Counselor (Political Affairs), Head of Chancery, Ambassador-designate Amos Bernard Muvengwa MIDZI
- chancery:
- 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
- telephone:
- (202) 332-7100
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Edward Gibson LANPHER
- embassy:
- 172 Herbert Chitapo Avenue, Harare
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 3340, Harare
- telephone:
- [263] (4) 794-521
- FAX:
- [263] (4) 796-488
Flag
- seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle edged in black based on the hoist side;
- a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle
Economy
Agriculture employs three-fourths of the labor force and supplies almost 40% | of exports.
18 fieldsOverview
Agriculture employs three-fourths of the labor force and supplies almost 40% of exports. The manufacturing sector, based on agriculture and mining, produces a variety of goods and contributes 35% to GDP. Mining accounts for only 5% of both GDP and employment, but supplies of minerals and metals account for about 40% of exports.
Wide fluctuations in agricultural production over the past six years have resulted in an uneven growth rate, one that on average has matched the 3% annual increase in population. Helped by an IMF/World Bank structural adjustment program, output rose 3.5% in 1991. A severe drought in 1991/92 caused the economy to contract by about 10% in 1992.
Exports
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
- commodities:
- agricultural 35% (tobacco 20%, other 15%), manufactures 20%, gold 10%, ferrochrome 10%, cotton 5%
- partners:
- UK 14%, Germany 11%, South Africa 10%, Japan 7%, US 5% (1991)
Imports
$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
- commodities:
- machinery and transportation equipment 37%, other manufactures 22%, chemicals 16%, fuels 15%
- partners:
- UK 15%, Germany 9%, South Africa 5%, Botswana 5%, US 5%, Japan 5% (1991)
Industries
mining, steel, clothing and footwear, chemicals, foodstuffs, fertilizer, beverage, transportation equipment, wood products
Agriculture
- accounts for 13% of GDP and employs 74% of population;
- 40% of land area divided into 4,500 large commercial farms and 42% in communal lands;
- crops - corn (food staple), cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts;
- livestock - cattle, sheep, goats, pigs;
- self-sufficient in food
Economic aid
- US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-89), $389 million;
- Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.6 billion;
- OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $36 million;
- Communist countries (1970-89), $134 million
Exchange rates
Zimbabwean dollars (Z$) per US$1 - 6.3532 (February 1993), 5.1046 (1992), 3.4282 (1991), 2.4480 (1990), 2.1133 (1989), 1.8018 (1988)
Communications
6 fieldsNetworkskm
Highways
85,237 km total; 15,800 km paved, 39,090 km crushed stone, gravel,; stabilized soil: 23,097 km improved earth; 7,250 km unimproved earth
Airports
- total:
- 485
- usable:
- 403
- with permanent-surface runways:
- 22
- with runways over 3,659 m:
- 2
- with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
- 3
- with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
- 29
Telecommunications
- system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance;
- consists of microwave links, open-wire lines, and radio communications stations;
- 247,000 telephones;
- broadcast stations - 8 AM, 18 FM, 8 TV;
- 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police | (including Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police), People's Militia
3 fieldsBranches
Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (including Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police), People's Militia
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Zimbabwe.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/zimbabwe/1993.