Country Guide

Zimbabwe Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

Location:
Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia


Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 30 00 E


Map references:
Africa


Area:
total:390,757 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 61
land:386,847 sq km
water:3,910 sq km


Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Montana


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


Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)


Maritime claims:
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:10.49%
permanent crops:0.31%
other:89.2% (2011)


Irrigated land:
1,735 sq km (2003)


Total renewable water resources:
20 cu km (2011)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
20 cu km (2011)

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; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)

People and Society

Nationality:
noun: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective:Zimbabwean


Ethnic groups:
African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%


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


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


Population:
13,771,721country comparison to the world: 72
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2014 est.)



Age structure:
0-14 years:38.4% (male 2,670,642/female 2,615,440)
15-24 years:22.1% (male 1,527,964/female 1,520,255)
25-54 years:32.3% (male 2,298,355/female 2,153,659)
55-64 years:3.6% (male 180,554/female 318,410)
65 years and over:3.6% (male 193,385/female 293,057) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:74.8 %
youth dependency ratio:68.1 %
elderly dependency ratio:6.7 %
potential support ratio:14.9 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:20.2 years
male:19.9 years
female:20.4 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
4.36% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 2


Birth rate:
32.47 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 34


Death rate:
10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 39


Net migration rate:
21.78 migrant(s)/1,000 populationcountry comparison to the world: 3
note:there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2014 est.)



Urbanization:
urban population:38.6% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:3.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
HARARE (capital) 1.542 million (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1.07 male(s)/female
55-64 years:1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.7 male(s)/female
total population:0.95 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Mother's mean age at first birth:
20.5


Maternal mortality rate:
570 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


    Infant mortality rate:
total:26.55 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 70
male:28.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female:24.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


Life expectancy at birth:
total population:55.68 yearscountry comparison to the world: 204
male:55.4 years
female:55.97 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
3.56 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 44


Contraceptive prevalence rate:
58.5% (2010/11)


Physicians density:
0.06 physicians/1,000 population (2009)


Hospital bed density:
1.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 97.3% of population
rural: 68.7% of population
total: 79.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2.7% of population
rural: 31.3% of population
total: 20.1% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 51.6% of population
rural: 32.4% of population
total: 39.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 48.4% of population
rural: 67.6% of population
total: 60.1% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
14.7% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 5


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,368,100 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 8


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
39,500 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 10


Major infectious diseases:


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
7% (2008)country comparison to the world: 143


Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
10.1% (2011)country comparison to the world: 69


Education expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2010)country comparison to the world: 155

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over can read and write English
total population:83.6%
male:87.8%
female:80.1% (2011 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:9 years
male:10 years
female:9 years (2003)


Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:7.6%country comparison to the world: 125
male:7.6%
female:7.6% (2004)

Government

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


Government type:
parliamentary democracy


Capital:
name:Harare
geographic coordinates:17 49 S, 31 02 E
time difference:UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)


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 the UK)


National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 April (1980)


Constitution:
previous 1979; latest approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013 (2013)


Legal system:
mixed legal system of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law, and customary law


International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


Executive branch:
chief of state:Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joice MUJURU (since 6 December 2004)
head of government:Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987) note - according to the new constitution, following the 31 July 2013 presidential elections the position of Prime Minister was abolished
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 for a five-year term (no term limits); elections last held on 31 July 2013 (next to be held in 2018); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership
election results:Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 61.1%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 34.4%, Welshman NCUBE 2.7% other 1.8%; note - the election process was considered flawed and roundly criticised by election monitors and international bodies; both the AU and the SADC endoresed the results of the election with some concerns


Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (80 seats - 60 members elected by popular vote for a five-year term, 18 traditional chiefs elected by the Council of Chiefs and 2 seats reserved for people with disabilities) and a House of Assembly (270 seats - members elected by popular vote for five-year terms and 60 seats reserved for women who are identified by their parties and nominated by proportional representation)
elections:last held on 31 July 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results:Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 37 MD-T 21, MDC-N 2, chiefs 18, people with disabilities 2; House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 197, MDC-T 70, MDC-N 2, independent 1


Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges)
judge selection and term of office:Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body consisting of the chief justice, Public Service Commission chairman, attorney general, and 2-3 members appointed by the president; judges normally serve until age 65, but can elect to serve until age 70
subordinate courts:High Court, regional magistrate courts, and special courts


    Political parties and leaders:
African National Party or ANP [Egypt DZINEMUNHENZVA]
Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai or MDC-T [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]
Movement for Democratic Change - Ncube or MDC-N [Welshman NCUBE]
Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA
United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]
United People's Party or UPP [Daniel SHUMBA]
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 [Dumiso DABENGWA]
Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA


Political pressure groups and leaders:
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition


International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO


Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Richard CHIBUWE (since April 2014)
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 David Bruce WHARTON (since 15 November 2012)
embassy:172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
mailing address:P. O. Box 3340, Harare
telephone:[263] (4) 250-593 through 250-594
FAX:[263] (4) 796-488, or 722-618


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 represents agriculture, yellow mineral wealth, red the blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people


National symbol(s):
Zimbabwe bird symbol, African fish eagle, flame lily


National anthem:
name:'Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe' [Northern Ndebele language] 'Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe' [Shona] (Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe)
lyrics/music:Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA
note:adopted 1994

Economy

Economy - overview:
Zimbabwe's economy is growing despite continuing political uncertainty. Following a decade of contraction from 1998 to 2008, Zimbabwe's economy recorded real growth of roughly 10% per year in 2010-11, before slowing in 2012-13 due poor harvests and low diamond revenues. The government of Zimbabwe faces a number of difficult economic problems, including infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies, ongoing indigenization pressure, policy uncertainty, a large external debt burden, and insufficient formal employment. Until early 2009, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe routinely printed money to fund the budget deficit, causing hyperinflation. Dollarization in early 2009 - which allowed currencies such as the Botswana pula, the South Africa rand, and the US dollar to be used locally - ended hyperinflation and reduced inflation below 10% per year, but exposed structural weaknesses that continue to inhibit broad-based growth.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$7.496 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
$7.265 billion (2012 est.)
$6.957 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.48 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
4.4% (2012 est.)
10.6% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$600 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 227
$600 (2012 est.)
$500 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:68.5%
government consumption:30.4%
investment in fixed capital:22.2%
exports of goods and services:68.4%
imports of goods and services:-89.4%
(2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:20.1%
industry:25.4%
services:54.5% (2013 est.)


Agriculture - products:
corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs


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


Industrial production growth rate:
3.7% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82

Labor force:
3.939 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92


Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:66%
industry:10%
services:24% (1996)


Unemployment rate:
95% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
80% (2005 est.)
note:figures include unemployment and underemployment; true unemployment is unknown and, under current economic conditions, unknowable


Population below poverty line:
68% (2004)


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:2%
highest 10%:40.4% (1995)


Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.1 (2006)
country comparison to the world: 21
50.1 (1995)


    Budget:
revenues:$NA
expenditures:$NA (2013 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
NA% of GDP


Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
NA% of GDP



Public debt:
202.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
244.2% of GDP (2012 est.)


Fiscal year:
calendar year


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
8.2% (2012 est.)


Central bank discount rate:
7.17% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
975% (31 December 2007)


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
28% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
30% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$23.03 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
$12.27 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
note:Zimbabwe's central bank no longer publishes data on monetary aggregates, except for bank deposits, which amounted to $2.1 billion in November 2010; the Zimbabwe dollar stopped circulating in early 2009; since then, the US dollar and South African rand have been the most frequently used currencies; there are no reliable estimates of the amount of foreign currency circulating in Zimbabwe


Stock of broad money:
$22.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$47.61 billion (31 December 2013 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$14.06 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
$9.844 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2012 est.)


Current account balance:
-$576 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
-$416.5 million (2012 est.)


Exports:
$3.144 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
$3.314 billion (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
platinum, cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing


Exports - partners:
China 21.1%, South Africa 15.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 12.1%, Botswana 10.8%, Italy 4.6% (2012)


Imports:
$4.571 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
$4.569 billion (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels, food products


Imports - partners:
South Africa 51.9%, China 10% (2012)


Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$437 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
$575.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)


Debt - external:
$8.445 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
$8.765 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA


Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA


Exchange rates:
Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar -
234.25 (2010)
234.25 (2009)
9,686.8 (2007)
note:the dollar was adopted as a legal currency in 2009; since then the Zimbabwean dollar has experienced hyperinflation and is essentially worthless

Energy

Electricity - production:
7.808 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100


Electricity - consumption:
12.57 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87


Electricity - exports:
56 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82


Electricity - imports:
5.338 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
2.035 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
66.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
33.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145


Crude oil - production:
120 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210


Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211


Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
19,030 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131


Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147


Refined petroleum products - imports:
13,290 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124


Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213


Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213


Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212


Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84


Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
8.875 million Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
301,600 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 117


Telephones - mobile cellular:
12.614 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 69


Telephone system:
general assessment: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, 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; 2 international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru) (2010)



    Broadcast media:
government owns all local radio and TV stations; foreign shortwave broadcasts and satellite TV are available to those who can afford antennas and receivers; in rural areas, access to TV broadcasts is extremely limited (2007)


Internet country code:
.zw


Internet hosts:
30,615 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 108


Internet users:
1.423 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 84

Transportation

Airports
196 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 29


Airports - with paved runways
total:17
over 3,047 m:3
2,438 to 3,047 m:2
1,524 to 2,437 m:5
914 to 1,523 m:7 (2013)


Airports - with unpaved runways
total:179
1,524 to 2,437 m:3
914 to 1,523 m:104
under 914 m:
72 (2013)


    Pipelines
refined products 270 km (2013)


Railways
total:3,427 kmcountry comparison to the world: 51
narrow gauge:3,427 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2008)


Roadways
total:97,267 kmcountry comparison to the world: 47
paved:18,481 km
unpaved:78,786 km (2002)


Waterways



Ports and terminals
river port(s):Binga, Kariba (Zambezi)

Military

Military branches
Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) (2012)


Military service age and obligation
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women are eligible to serve (2012)


Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49:2,616,051
females age 16-49:2,868,376 (2010 est.)


Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49:1,528,166
females age 16-49:1,646,041 (2010 est.)


    Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:154,870
female:152,550 (2010 est.)


Military expenditures
2.94% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 21
2.05% of GDP (2011)
2.94% of GDP (2010)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international
Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration


    Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs:(political violence, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2013)


Trafficking in persons



Illicit drugs
transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines en route to South Africa
 Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook