Zimbabwe

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

parliamentary democracyIndependence 18 April 1980 (from UK)

Zimbabwe as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 113 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 land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km
LocationSouthern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
2001

Every edition of Zimbabwe

Populationas each edition published it
11.37 million July 2001 est. · 10.39m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.15% 2001 est. · 1.32% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.9 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
37.13 years 2001 est. · 42.82 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.28 children per woman 2001 est. · 5.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
62.61 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 65 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,500 2000 est. · $545 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-6.1% 2000 est. · -10% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated to keep whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence.

Geography

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

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Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Irrigated land
1,930sq km
(1993 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates

20 00 S, 30 00 E

Area

total: 390,580 sq km land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km

Land boundaries

total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Elevation extremes

lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save 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

Land use

arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 23% other: 57% (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People

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Per 1,000 population

Birth
24.68 (2001 est.)Death
23.22 (2001 est.)Net migration
0
Net migration: (2001 est.) note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

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

Population

  • 11,365,366 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS;
  • this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.68% (male 2,223,332; female 2,172,479) 15-64 years: 57.69% (male 3,319,982; female 3,236,286) 65 years and over: 3.63% (male 208,785; female 204,502) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

0.15% (2001 est.)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

62.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 37.13 years male: 38.51 years female: 35.7 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.28 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

160,000 (1999 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

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80% (1995 est.)

Government

Parliamentary democracy; Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987)

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

47.2%
ZANU-PF 47.2%MDC 45.6%ZANU-Ndonga 0.7%United Parties 0.7%

Legislature, 120 seatsone dot, one seat

ZANU-PF 63MDC 56ZANU-Ndonga 1

Country name

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Capital

Harare

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution

21 December 1979

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987);
  • Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999);
  • note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987);
  • Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999);
  • note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president;
  • responsible to the House of Assembly elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote;
  • election last held 16-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002);
  • co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president;
  • percent of electoral college vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%;
  • Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%

Legislative branch

unicameral parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for six-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors) elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 47.2%, MDC 45.6%, ZANU-Ndonga 0.7%, United Parties 0.7%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 63, MDC 56, ZANU-Ndonga 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders

  • Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI];
  • Popular Democratic Front or PDF [Austin CHAKAODZA];
  • United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA];
  • Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Ndabaningi SITHOLE];
  • Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert MUGABE];
  • Zimbabwe Unity Movement or ZUM [Edgar TEKERE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

National Constitutional Assembly or NCA

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, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100

FAX

[1] (202) 483-9326

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Earl M. IRVING embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593

FAX

[263] (4) 796487

Flag description

  • seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side;
  • a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle

Economy

The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier moves to develop a market-oriented economy.

32 fields
Real growth rate
-6.1%
(2000 est.)industrial production growth: NA%
Unemployment rate
50%
(2000 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
5.78 billion (1999)Electricity consumption
6.939 billion (1999)Electricity imports
1.564 billion (1999)

Economy - overview

The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier moves to develop a market-oriented economy. Its involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, has already drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy.

Badly needed support from the IMF suffers delays in part because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999 and 60% in 2000. The economy is being steadily weakened by excessive government deficits and AIDS; Zimbabwe has the highest rate of infection in the world.

Per capita GDP, which is twice the average of the poorer sub-Saharan nations, will increase little if any in the near-term, and Zimbabwe will suffer continued frustrations in developing its agricultural and mineral resources.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $28.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 28% industry: 32% services: 40% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 46.9% (1990)

Labor force

5.5 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996 est.)

Budget

revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $279 million (FY96/97 est.)

Industries

mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 69.98% hydro: 30.02% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

tobacco 29%, gold 7%, ferroalloys 7%, cotton 5% (1999 est.)

Exports - partners

South Africa 10%, UK 9%, Malawi 8%, Botswana 8%, Japan 7%, (1999 est.)

Imports

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 35%, other manufactures 18%, chemicals 17%, fuels 14% (1999 est.)

Imports - partners

South Africa 46%, UK 6%, China 4%, Germany 4%, US 3% (1999 est.)

Debt - external

$4.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$200 million (2000 est.)

Currency

Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

Exchange rates

Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 54.9451 (January 2001), 43.2900 (2000), 38.3142 (1999), 21.4133 (1998), 11.8906 (1997), 9.9206 (1996)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

10 fields
Mobile cellular
70,000
(1999)
Fixed lines
212,000
(in addition there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997) · country code .zw

Telephone system

general assessment:
  • system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance;
  • more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network;
  • Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat;
  • two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

1.14 million (1997)

Televisions

370,000 (1997)

Internet users

30,000 (1999)

Transportation

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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: 18,338 km paved: 8,692 km unpaved: 9,646 km (1996 est.)

Waterways

the Mazoe and Zambezi rivers are used for transporting chrome ore from Harare to Mozambique

Pipelines

petroleum products 212 km

Ports and harbors

Binga, Kariba

Airports

455 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 18 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 437 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 209 under 914 m: 224 (2000 est.)

Military

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

5 fields

Military branches

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

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,996,631 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,860,167 (2001 est.)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Illicit drugs

significant transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets

Central Intelligence Agency. “Zimbabwe.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/zimbabwe/2001.

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