Zimbabwe

Republic of Zimbabwe

parliamentary democracyIndependence 18 April 1980 (from UK)

Zimbabwe as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 86 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalHarare

Position20 00 S, 30 00 E

Area390,580 sq km

LocationSouthern Africa, northeast of Botswana

Populationas each edition published it

11.27 million July 1996 est. · 10.39m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.41% 1996 est. · 1.32% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

41.85 years 1996 est. · 42.82 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.09 children per woman 1996 est. · 5.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

72.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 65 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,620 1995 est. · $545 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-2.4% 1995 · -10% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, northeast of Botswana

15 fields

Land useshare of 390,580 sq km

arable land 7%meadows and pastures 13%forest and woodland 49%other 31%irrigated 2,250 sq km (1993 est.)permanent crops: NEGL (coffee)

Area

390,580sq km

land area: 386,670 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Montana

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Land boundaries

3,066km

border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km

International disputes

quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia is in disagreement

Climate

tropical;
moderated by altitude;
rainy season (November to March)

Terrain

mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east

lowest point:: junction of the Lundi and Savi rivers 162 m
highest point:: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources

coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Environment

current issues:: deforestation;
soil erosion;
land degradation;
air and water pollution;
the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching
natural hazards:: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

People

15 fields

Population

11,271,314

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 1.41% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

32.34Death

18.2

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years41.85

41.91 · 41.78

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy85%

90% · 80%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write in English (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%)white 1%mixed and Asian 1%

Religions

syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%Christian 25%indigenous beliefs 24%Muslim and other 1%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 44% (male 2,513,606; female 2,481,478)
15-64 years:: 53% (male 2,935,188; female 3,030,270)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 152,244; female 158,528) (July 1996 est.)

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.96 male(s)/female
all ages:: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

72.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective:: Zimbabwean

Languages

English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Government

Parliamentary democracy

21 fields

Legislature, 120 seatsone dot, one seat

(150 total, 120 elected) ZANU-PF 118ZANU-Ndonga 2

Name of country

conventional long form:: Republic of Zimbabwe
conventional short form:: Zimbabwe
former:: Southern Rhodesia

Administrative divisions

8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status;
Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo (Victoria), Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands

Legal system

mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987) was nominated by the House of Assembly (if more than one nomination, electoral college of members of the House of Assembly elect the president);
election last held 26-27 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002);
results - Robert MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%;
Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%;
Co-Vice President Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987);
Co-Vice President Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990) was appointed by the president
cabinet:: Cabinet was appointed by the president; responsible to Parliament

Parliament

elections last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held NA March 2000);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (150 total, 120 elected) ZANU-PF 118, ZANU-Ndonga 2

Political parties and leaders

Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), Robert MUGABE;
Zimbabwe African National Union-NDONGA (ZANU-NDONGA), Ndabaningi SITHOLE;
Zimbabwe Unity Movement (ZUM), Edgar TEKERE;
Democratic Party (DP), Emmanuel MAGOCHE;
Forum Party of Zimbabwe, Enock DUMBUTSHENA;
United Parties, Abel MUZOREWA

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Amos Bernard Muvengwa MIDZI
chancery:: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:: [1] (202) 332-7100

FAX

[1] (202) 483-9326

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON
embassy:: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
mailing address:: P. O. Box 3340, Harare
telephone:: [263] (4) 794521

FAX

[263] (4) 796488

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 70% of the labor force of | this landlocked nation and supplies almost 40% of exports.

20 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,620

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

-2.4%

(1995)industrial production growth: 10% (1994)

Inflation, consumer prices

25.8%

(1995)

Unemployment rate

45%

at least · (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector(1993 est.)

agriculture 18.3%industry 35.3%services 46.4% (1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.7 billionExpenditures

$2.2 billion

expenditures including capital expenditures of $253 million (FY92/93)

Installed generating capacity, 2,040,000 kW

Electricity production

9 billionElectricity consumption per capita

913 (1993)

Economic overview

Agriculture employs 70% of the labor force of this landlocked nation and supplies almost 40% of exports. Mining accounts for only 5% of both GDP and employment, but minerals and metals account for about 40% of exports. Severe drought caused GDP to drop 8% in 1992, with growth rebounding to 2% in 1993 and 4.5% in 1994, only to drop by 2.4% in 1995.

The government is continuing to push its IMF/World Bank structural adjustment program aimed at encouraging exports and foreign investment. Officials face the difficult task of restraining expenditures in their effort to keep inflation within bounds.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $18.1 billion (1995 est.)

Labor force

4.228 million (1993 est.); by occupation: agriculture 70%, transport and services 22%, industry 8%

Industries

mining, steel, clothing and footwear, chemicals, foodstuffs, fertilizer, beverage, transportation equipment, wood products

Agriculture

corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs

Exports

$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities:: agricultural 35% (tobacco 30%, other 5%), manufactures 25%, gold 12%, ferrochrome 10%, textiles 8% (1992)
partners:: UK 14%, Germany 11%, South Africa 10%, Japan 7%, US 5% (1991)

Imports

$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities:: machinery and transportation equipment 41%, other manufactures 23%, chemicals 16%, fuels 12% (1991)
partners:: South Africa 25%, UK 15%, Germany 9%, US 6%, Japan 5% (1991)

External debt

$4.4 billion (1994)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $362 million (1993)

Currency

1 Zimbabwean dollar (Z$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Zimbabwean dollars (Z$) per US$1 -9.3633 (January 1996), 8.6580 (1995), 8.1500 (1994), 6.4725 (1993), 5.0942 (1992), 3.4282 (1991)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 403 in all

over 3 047 m

2 438 to 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

198

185

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

91,078Railways

2,759 (1995)

Highways: paved: 14,572 km · unpaved: 76,506 km (1992 est.) · Railways: narrow gauge: 2,759 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double track) (1995 est.)

Railways

total:: 2,759 km (1995)
narrow gauge:: 2,759 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double track) (1995 est.)

Highways

total:: 91,078 km
paved:: 14,572 km
unpaved:: 76,506 km (1992 est.)

Waterways

Lake Kariba is a potential line of communication

Pipelines

petroleum products 212 km

Ports

Binga, Kariba

Communications

Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe | Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)

9 fields

Fixed lines

301,000

(1990 est.)

Telephone system

system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance

domestic:: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, and radiotelephone communication stations
international:: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

males age 15-49:: 2,629,880
males fit for military service:: 1,632,391 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $236 million, 3.4% of GDP (FY95/96)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Zimbabwe.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/zimbabwe/1996.

How to cite ← 1995 edition 1997 edition →