Zimbabwe

Republic of Zimbabwe

parliamentary democracyIndependence 18 April 1980 (from UK)

Zimbabwe as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 121 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, between South Africa and Zambia

Populationas each edition published it

12.67 million July 2004 est. · 10.39m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.68% 2004 est. · 1.32% in 1993

Median ageyears

19.1 years 2004 est. · 18.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

37.82 years 2004 est. · 42.82 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.6 children per woman 2004 est. · 5.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

67.08 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 65 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,900 2003 est. · $545 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-13.6% 2003 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 that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete 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. His chaotic land redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their brutal repression of regime opponents.

Geography

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

18 fields

Land useshare of 390,580 sq km

arable land 8.32%permanent crops 0.34%other 91.34% (2001)irrigated 1,170 sq km (1998 est.)

Area

390,580sq km

land: 386,670 sq kmwater: 3,910 sq kmslightly larger than Montana

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

2,592m

Inyanganilowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m

Land boundaries

3,066km

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

Location

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates

20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references

Africa

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Natural resources

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

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;
poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution

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

Geography - note

landlocked;
the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia;
in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

People

19 fields

Population

12,671,860

growth rate: 0.68% (2004 est.)

Note

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 2004 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth

30.05Death

23.3

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2004 est.)37.82

38.63 · 36.99Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)67.08

69.74 · 64.33

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)90.7%

94.2% · 87.2%Median age years (2004 est.)19.1

19.1 · 19.1

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

Ethnic groups

African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%)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%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

33.7%

(2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 39.4% (male 2,520,082; female 2,472,641)
15-64 years:: 57% (male 3,649,400; female 3,571,631)
65 years and over:: 3.6% (male 230,272; female 227,834) (2004 est.)

Net migration rate

negligible migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.6 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2.3 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

200,000 (2001 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; Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

56.2%

Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2008)

House of Assembly, 120 seats, elected 24-25 June 2000one dot, one seat

ZANU-PF 62MDC 57ZANU-Ndonga 1

Percent of vote

ZANU-PF 48.6%MDC 47.0%other 4.4%

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

Legal system

mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987);
Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004; 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);
Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004; 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 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2008);
co-vice presidents appointed by the president
election results:: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president)

elections:: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results:: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 48.6%, MDC 47.0%, other 4.4%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 62, MDC 57, ZANU-Ndonga 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders

Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI];
National Alliance for Good Governance or NAGG [Shakespeare MAYA];
United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA];
Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA];
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE];
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU];
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Brian KAGORO];
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

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 Joseph G. SULLIVAN
embassy:: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
mailing address:: P. O. Box 3340, Harare
telephone:: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594
FAX:: [263] (4) 796488

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 representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace;
green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people

Economy

The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare shelves.

40 fields

Real growth rate

-13.6%

(2003 est.)industrial production growth: -14.7% (2003 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

384.7%

(2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

70%

(2002 est.)

Population below poverty line

70%

(2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2003)

agriculture 17.3%industry 24.5%services 58.3% (2003)

Budget

Revenues

$1.568 billionExpenditures

$2.004 billion (2003)

expenditures including capital expenditures of NA

Electricity

Electricity production

6.735 billion (2001)Electricity consumption

9.813 billion (2001)Electricity imports

3.55 billion (2001)

Economy - overview

The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy.

Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 383% in 2003, and is expected to reach 700% in 2004. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $24.03 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

8.9% of GDP (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

50.1 (1995)

Labor force

4.17 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Public debt

41.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

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

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Current account balance

$-346 million (2003)

Exports

$1.261 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

Exports - partners

Zambia 6.3%, South Africa 6.1%, China 5.3%, Germany 4.6%, Japan 4.4% (2003)

Imports

$1.691 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners

South Africa 51.3%, Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.1%, Germany 2.8% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$78 million (2003)

Debt - external

$3.404 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)

Currency

Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

Currency code

ZWD

Exchange rates

Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 55.0358 (2002), 55.0521 (2001), 44.4179 (2000), 38.3012 (1999);
note - these are official exchange rates, non-official rates vary significantly

Fiscal year

1 January - 31 December

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

379,100

(2003)

Internet users

4,501

(2003)

Fixed lines

300,900

(2003) · 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:: country code - 263;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat;
two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)