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Cities Stocks Weather Movies Coupons Travel Blogs Health Horoscope Maps ASIA EUROPE Classifieds Yellow Pages| Zimbabwe Republic of Zimbabwe |
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| Motto: "Unity, Freedom, Work" | ||||||
| Anthem: Simudzai Mureza wedu WeZimbabwe (Shona) Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe (sindebele) "Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe" |
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| Capital (and largest city) | Harare (formerly Salisbury) | |||||
| Official languages | English | |||||
| Recognised regional languages | Shona, Sindebele | |||||
| Demonym | Zimbabwean | |||||
| Government | Autocracy | |||||
| - | President | Robert Mugabe (1980–Present) |
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| - | Vice President | Joseph Msika (1999–Present) Joyce Mujuru (2004–Present) |
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| - | President of the Senate | Edna Madzongwe | ||||
| - | Speaker of Parliament | John Nkomo | ||||
| Independence | from the United Kingdom | |||||
| - | Rhodesia | November 11, 1965 | ||||
| - | Zimbabwe | April 18, 1980 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 390,757 km² (60th) 150,871 sq mi |
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| - | Water (%) | 1 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | July 2005 estimate | 13,010,0001 (68th) | ||||
| - | Density | 33/km² (170th) 85/sq mi |
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| GDP (PPP) | 2005 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $30.581 billion (94th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $2,607 (129th) | ||||
| Gini (2003) | 56.8 (high) | |||||
| HDI (2007) | ▲ 0.513 (medium) (151st) | |||||
| Currency | Dollar ($) (ZWD) |
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| Time zone | CAT (UTC+2) | |||||
| - | Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC+2) | ||||
| Internet TLD | .zw | |||||
| Calling code | +263 | |||||
| 1 Estimates explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS. | ||||||
Zimbabwe (pronounced /zɪmˈbɑːbweɪ/), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, and formerly Southern Rhodesia, the Republic of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe Rhodesia, is a landlocked country in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It borders South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique to the east. The official language of Zimbabwe is English, however the majority of the population speaks Shona which is the native language of the Shona people, it is one of the native languages of Zimbabwe along with Sindebele which is spoken by the Matabele people.
From circa 1250–1629, the area that is known as Zimbabwe today was ruled under the Mutapa Empire, also known as Mwene Mutapa, Monomotapa or the Empire of Great Zimbabwe, which was renowned for its gold trade routes with Arabs. However, Portuguese settlers destroyed the trade and began a series of wars which left the empire near collapse in the early 17th century. In 1834, the Matabele people arrived while fleeing from the Zulu leader Shaka, making the area their new empire, Matabeleland. In the 1880s, the British arrived with Cecil Rhodes\' British South Africa Company. In 1898, the name Southern Rhodesia was adopted.
As colonial rule was ending throughout the continent, and as African-majority governments assumed control in neighbouring Northern Rhodesia and in Nyasaland, the white-minority Rhodesia government led by Ian Smith declared unilateral independence on November 11, 1965. The United Kingdom deemed this an act of rebellion, but did not re-establish control by force. The white-minority regime declared itself a "republic" in 1970. It was not recognised by the UK or any other state, other than white minority-led South Africa.
A civil war ensued, led by Robert Mugabe and assisted by African National Congress forces from South Africa.
On 18 April 1980, the country attained independence and along with it a new name, Zimbabwe, new flag, and government led by Robert Mugabe of ZANU. Canaan Banana served as the first president with Mugabe as Prime Minister. In 1987, the government amended the Constitution to provide for an Executive President and abolished the office of Prime Minister. The constitutional changes went into effect on 1 January 1988, establishing Robert Mugabe as President.
Under the leadership of Mugabe, land issues, which the liberation movement promised to solve, reemerged as the vital issue in the 1990s. Despite majority-rule, whites made up less than one percent of the population but held 70% of the country\'s commercially viable arable land because of the colour line arising from British colonialism. PBS, Online NewsHour, "Land Redistribution in Southern Africa." [1] Beginning in 2000, Mugabe began an effort to redistribute land from white holders (predominantly large farms) to black people.
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a hard currency shortage, which has led to hyperinflation and chronic shortages in imported fuel and consumer goods. Mugabe\'s critics blame his programme of land reform. Zimbabwe\'s current economic and food crisis, described by some observers as the country\'s worst humanitarian crisis since independence, has been attributed, in varying degrees, to a drought affecting the entire region, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the government\'s price controls and land reforms.Crisis profile: Zimbabwe\'s humanitarian situation(26 July 2005) Reuters Foundation AlertNet
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The name Zimbabwe derives from "Dzimbadzemabwe" meaning "big house of stone" in the Shona language.Zimbabwe, History Department of UKZN. Its use as the country\'s name is a tribute to Great Zimbabwe, site of the capital of the Empire of Great Zimbabwe. In other languages, such as German, the initial Z is replaced with an S so as to produce the same sound in the phonics of the said language; for example Zimbabwe is spelled "Simbabwe".German Wikipedia. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
Stone Age hunters, related to today\'s Khoisan people, settled in the area about 5000 years ago or earlier. They painted scenes of life in hundreds of caves across Zimbabwe; these are known as the Bushman paintings.Chippindale, Christopher. Pictures in Place: Looking at Pictures in Place. Page 15. Iron Age Bantu-speaking peoples began migrating into the area about 2,000 years ago, eventually displacing the earlier hunters. These included the ancestors of the Shona, who account for roughly four-fifths of the country\'s population today. The People of Zimbabwe. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.Ethnicity/Race of Zimbabwe. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.
The Great Zimbabwe ruins in Masvingo.
By the Middle Ages, there was a Bantu civilisation in the region, as evidenced by ruins at Great Zimbabwe and other smaller sites, whose outstanding achievement is a unique dry stone architecture. Around the early 10th century, trade developed with Muslim merchants on the Indian Ocean coast, helping to develop Great Zimbabwe in the 11th century. The state traded gold, ivory, and copper for cloth and glass. It ceased to be the leading Shona state in the mid-15th century. In 1837-8, the Shona were conquered by the Ndebele, who arrived from south of the Limpopo and forced them to pay tribute and concentrate in northern Zimbabwe.So Who Was Shaka Zulu- Really? Africa Stage
Matabeleland in the 1800s.
In 1888, British entrepreneur Cecil Rhodes extracted mining rights from King Lobengula of the Ndebele.Hensman, Howard. Cecil Rhodes: A Study of a Career. Page 106–107. He used this concession to persuade the British government to grant a royal charter to his British South Africa Company (BSAC) over Matabeleland and its subject states such as Mashonaland, and to negotiate similar concessions covering all territory between the Limpopo River and Lake Tanganyika, referred to as \'Zambesia\'. Through such concessions and treaties, many of which were deceitful,Parsons, Neil. A New History of Southern Africa, Second Edition, 1993. London: Macmillan. Pages 178–181. he promoted the colonisation of the region\'s land, labour, and precious metal and mineral resources.Bryce, James. Impressions of South Africa. Page 170. In 1895 the BSAC adopted the name \'Rhodesia\' for Zambesia, after Cecil Rhodes, and in 1898 \'Southern Rhodesia\' was officially adopted for the part south of the Zambezi,Gray, J. A. (1956). "A Country in Search of a Name." The Northern Rhodesia Journal III (1) (1956). Page 78. which later became Zimbabwe. The part to the north was administered separately by the BSAC and was later named Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia.
The Shona staged unsuccessful revolts (Chimurenga) against the encroachment on their lands in 1896 and 1897.Palamarek, Ernie. Hatari. Page 132. Both the Ndebele and Shona became subject to the Rhodes administration. This was the beginning of a larger settlement of white settlers that led to land distribution favouring whites, displacing both the Shona and Ndebele and other black people.
Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British colony in October 1923, following a referendum a year earlier. Rhodesians fought for the United Kingdom during World War II. Among other contributions to the war effort were Rhodesian ground and air forces involved in the East African Campaign. This campaign fought against the Axis forces in Italian East Africa.
In 1953, in the face of African opposition,Parsons (1993). Page 292. Britain joined the two parts of Rhodesia with Nyasaland (now Malawi) in the ill-fated Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland which was dominated by Southern Rhodesian settlers. Growing African nationalism and unrest, particularly in Nyasaland, forced Britain to dissolve it in 1963, and each of the three countries went their separate ways. On November 11, 1965, Ian Smith made history when he unilaterally declared independence from Britain and Southern Rhodesia dropped the designation \'Southern\', becoming the Republic of Rhodesia in 1970.Judd, Denis. Empire: The British Imperial Experience from 1765 to the Present. Page 372.Parsons (1993). Pages 318–320.
After the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI), the British government requested United Nations economic sanctions against Rhodesia as negotiations with the Smith administration in 1966 and 1968 ended in stalemate. The Smith administration declared itself a republic in 1970 which was recognised only by South Africa,Malawi political backgroundZambia political background NationsEncyclopedia.com, 2003 then governed by its apartheid administration. Over the years, the guerrilla fighting against Smith\'s UDI government intensified. As a result, the Smith government opened negotiations with the leaders of the Patriotic Fronts — Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the Zimbabwe African People\'s Union (ZAPU). ZANU was led by Robert Mugabe and ZAPU was led by Joshua Nkomo.
In March 1978, with his regime near the brink of collapse, Smith signed an accord with three black leaders, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa, who offered safeguards for white civilians. As a result of the Internal Settlement, elections were held in April 1979. The United African National Council (UANC) party won a majority in this election. On June 1 1979, the leader of UANC, Abel Muzorewa, became the country\'s Prime Minister and the country\'s name was changed to Zimbabwe Rhodesia. The internal settlement left control of the country\'s police, security forces, civil service, and judiciary in white hands. It assured whites of about one third of the seats in parliament. It was essentially a power-sharing arrangement which did not amount to majority rule.1 June 1979 BBC News However, on June 12, the United States Senate voted to end economic sanctions against Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
On December 1, 1979, delegations from the British and Rhodesian governments and the Patriotic Front met in London and signed the Lancaster House Agreement, ending the civil war.Preston, Matthew. Ending Civil War: Rhodesia and Lebanon in Perspective. Page 25 Following the Meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government held in Lusaka from August 1–7 1979, the British government invited Muzorewa and the leaders of the Patriotic Front to participate in a Constitutional Conference at Lancaster House. The purpose of the Conference was to discuss and reach agreement on the terms of an Independence Constitution, and that elections should be supervised under British authority to enable Rhodesia to proceed to legal independence and the parties to settle their differences by political means. Lord Carrington, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, chaired the Conference.Chung, Fay. Re-living the Second Chimurenga: memories from the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe, Preben (INT) Kaarsholm. Page 242. The conference took place from 10 September–15 December 1979 with 47 plenary sessions.
Britain\'s Lord Soames was appointed governor to oversee the disarming of revolutionary guerrillas, the holding of elections, and the granting of independence to an uneasy coalition government with Joshua Nkomo, head of ZAPU. In the free elections of February 1980, Mugabe and his ZANU won a landslide victory. Letter by George M. Houser, Executive Director of the American Committee on Africa (ACOA), on the 1980 independence election in Rhodesia. Retrieved on 2007-12-01. Mugabe has won re-election ever since.
In 1982, Nkomo was ousted from his cabinet, sparking fighting between ZAPU supporters in the Ndebele-speaking region of the country and the ruling ZANU. A peace accord was negotiated in 1987, resulting in ZAPU\'s merger (1988) into the ZANU-PF.
Land issues, which the liberation movement promised to solve, re-emerged as the vital issue for the ruling party beginning in 1999. Despite majority rule, and the existence of a "willing buyer-willing seller" land reform programme since the 1980s, ZANU (PF) claimed that whites made up less than 1% of the population but held 70% of the country\'s commercially viable arable land (though these figures are disputed by many outside the Government of Zimbabwe). Mugabe began to redistribute land to blacks in 2000 with a compulsory land redistribution; charges that the programme as a whole is designed to reward loyal Mugabe deputies have persisted in Zimbabwe since the beginning of the process.
The legality and constitutionality of the process has regularly been challenged in the Zimbabwean High and Supreme Courts; however, the policing agencies have rarely acted in accordance with courts\' rulings on these matters. The chaotic implementation of the land reform led to a sharp decline in agricultural exports, traditionally the country\'s leading export producing sector.Fast Track Land Reform in Zimbabwe Human Rights WatchPDF (175 KiB). Mining and tourism have surpassed agriculture. As a result, Zimbabwe is experiencing a severe hard currency shortage, which has led to hyperinflation and chronic shortages in imported fuel and consumer goods. In 2002, Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations on charges of human rights abuses during the land redistribution and of election tampering.Zimbabwe suspended indefinitely from Commonwealth, HumanRightsFirst.org, 8 December 2003
Following elections in 2005, the government initiated "Operation Murambatsvina," a supposed effort to crack down on illegal markets and homes that had seen slums emerge in towns and cities. This action has been widely condemned by opposition and international figures, who charge that it has left a substantial section of urban poor homeless. The Zimbabwe government has described the operation as an attempt to provide decent housing to the population although they have yet to deliver any new housing for the forcefully removed people.Zimbabwe: Housing policy built on foundation of failures and lies, Amnesty International, 9 August 2006
Zimbabwe\'s current economic and food crisis, described by some observers as the country\'s worst humanitarian crisis since independence, has been attributed, in varying degrees, to a drought affecting the entire region, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the government\'s price controls and land reforms.Crisis profile: Zimbabwe\'s humanitarian situation, July 26, 2005. AlertNet.
Life expectancy at birth for males in Zimbabwe has dramatically declined since 1990 from 60 to 37, the lowest in the world. Life expectancy for females is even lower at 34 years."Zimbabwe Life Expectancy Lowest In The World", Public Health News, 10 April, 2006 Concurrently, the infant mortality rate has climbed from 53 to 81 deaths per 1,000 live births in the same period. Currently, 5.6 million Zimbabweans live with HIV.Guardian article, The wasteland — inside Mugabe\'s crumbling state, March 17, 2007 The Guardian
Satellite image of Zimbabwe, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library
Topography of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country, surrounded by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the west, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east and northeast. Zimbabwe also meets Namibia to the west at a single point. To the south, Zimbabwe is separated from South Africa by the Limpopo River. The north-western border is defined by the Zambezi River. Zimbabwe\'s highest peak is Mount Nyangani (formerly Mount Inyangani), at 2,592 m (8,504 ft); Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. Retrieved on 2007-11-13. it lies within the Nyanga National Park in the east of the country. The lowest point of Zimbabwe is the junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m (531 ft). Victoria Falls is a popular tourist destination on the Zambezi.
Zimbabwe\'s climate is largely tropical, however this is moderated by altitude. It has a short rainy season which lasts about four months between November and March. The terrain of Zimbabwe is mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld) and a mountainous range in the east.
Natural hazards in Zimbabwe include recurring droughts and unpredictable rainfall, though severe storms are rare. There are several environmental issues in Zimbabwe including deforestation, soil erosion, land degradation, and air and water pollution. The black rhinoceros herd — once the largest concentration of the species in the world — has fallen significantly. Showdown in Zimbabwe: in the nation that once held Africa\'s greatest concentration of black rhinos, private citizens struggle to save the last of the animals. Retrieved on 2008-01-06. Poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution. Some of these problems have worsened by the current political crisis, whereby Zimbabweans are cutting down forests for firewood or for sale. The World Factbook. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
Administrative divisions of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is divided into eight provinces and two cities with provincial status. The World Factbook. Retrieved on 2007-11-13. These are territorial divisions for the purposes of administrative, political and geographical demarcation. The provinces are subdivided into 59 districts and 1,200 municipalities. Zimbabwe\'s provinces are Bulawayo (city), Harare (city), Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, and Midlands. The names of the provinces are generally generated from the Mashonaland and Matabeleland divide which existed before colonisation. These two lands were the tribal homes of the Shona people and the Matabele people. The provinces have regional capitals and these are generally, on the whole, in the centre of the province but not always the largest town/city in the province. The World Gazetteer. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
Zimbabwe has a parliamentary government. Under constitutional changes in 2005, an upper chamber, the Senate, was reinstated.Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 17) Act, 2005 NGO Network Alliance Project The House of Assembly is the lower chamber of Parliament.
President Robert Mugabe\'s Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front has been the dominant political party in Zimbabwe since independence.Mugabe, Robert. (2007). Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2007 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica. In 1987 then-prime minister Mugabe revised the constitution and made himself president. His ZANU party has won every election since independence. In particular, the elections of 1990 were nationally and internationally condemned as being rigged, with the second-placed party, Edgar Tekere\'s Zimbabwe Unity Movement, winning only 16% of the vote.Tekere says Mugabe \'insecure\' in new book. Retrieved on 2008-01-06. Presidential elections were last held in 2002 amid allegations of vote-rigging, intimidation and fraud.Zimbabwe: Election Fraud Report, University of Pennsylvania, 18 April 2005 The next Presidential elections are due to be held in 2008, although Mugabe is currently trying to amend the constitution in an attempt to stay in power until 2010.Mugabe could stay on until 2010, South African Mail and Guardian, 21 January 2007
The Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai is the largest opposition party. The MDC is currently split into two factions. One faction, led by Welshman Ncube contested the elections to the Senate, while the other, led by Morgan Tsvangirai, opposed to contesting the elections, stating that participation in a rigged election is tantamount to endorsing Mugabe\'s claim that past elections were free and fair. However, the opposition parties have resumed participation in national and local elections as recently as 2006. The two MDC camps had their congresses in 2005 with Morgan Tsvangirai being elected to lead the main splinter group which has become more popular than the other group. Mutambara, a robotics professor and former NASA robotics specialist has replaced Welshman Ncube who was the interim leader after the split. Morgan Tsvangirai did not participate in the Senate elections, while the Mutambara faction participated and won five seats in the senate. The Mutambara faction has however been weakened by defections from MPs and individuals who are disillusioned by their manifesto. As of 2007, the Tsvangirai-led MDC has become the most popular, with crowds as large as 20,000 attending their rallies as compared to between 500–5,000 for the other splinter group.Contrast in styles as contenders hold rallies in Harare townships. Retrieved on 2008-01-06. There is wide disagreement in Zimbabwe and neighbouring states as to whether a divided MDC can win presidential elections against a disciplined ruling party. The opposition continues to be weak in rural areas, where a large number of the population of Zimbabwe resides.
The 2005 Zimbabwe parliamentary elections were held on March 31 and multiple claims of vote rigging, election fraud and intimidation were made by the MDC and Jonathan Moyo, calling for investigations into 32 of the 120 constituencies.Mugabe\'s former ally accuses him of foul play, March 12, 2005. Independent Online Zimbabwe. Jonathan Moyo participated in the elections despite the allegations and won a seat as an independent member of Parliament.
Protesters against the Mugabe regime abroad; protests are discouraged by Zimbabwean police in Zimbabwe
There are widespread reports of systematic and escalating violations of human rights in Zimbabwe under the Mugabe administration and his party, ZANU-PF.
According to human rights organisations such as Amnesty International Zimbabwe. Amnesty International. Retrieved on 2007-12-02. and Human Rights Watch Zimbabwe — Events of 2006. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved on 2007-12-02. the government of Zimbabwe violates the rights to shelter, food, freedom of movement and residence, freedom of assembly and the protection of the law. There are assaults on the media, the political opposition, civil society activists, and human rights defenders.
Opposition gatherings are frequently the subject of brutal attacks by the police force, such as the crackdown on a March 11, 2007 Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) rally. In the events, party leader Morgan Tsvangirai and 49 other opposition activists were arrested and severely beaten by the police. After his release, Morgan Tsvangirai told the BBC that he suffered head injuries and blows to the arms, knees and back, and that he lost a significant amount of blood. "Unbowed Tsvangirai urges defiance", BBC, 2007-03-14. Retrieved on 2007-12-02. The police action was strongly condemned by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, the European Union and the United States.BBC (2007-03-14). Unbowed Tsvangirai urges defiance. Retrieved on 2007-03-14. While noting that the activists had suffered injuries, but not mentioning the cause of them,The Herald, Zimbabwe (2007-03-14). Opposition protesters’ case not heard. Retrieved on 2007-03-14. the Zimbabwean government-controlled daily newspaper The Herald claimed the police had intervened after demonstrators "ran amok looting shops, destroying property, mugging civilians, and assaulting police officers and innocent members of the public". The newspaper also argued that the opposition had been "wilfully violating the ban on political rallies".The Herald, Zimbabwe (2007-03-14). Violence flares in Glen View. Retrieved on 2007-03-14.
There is also an abuse of human rights in the media. The Zimbabwean government suppresses freedom of the press and freedom of speech. It has also been repeatedly accused of using the public broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, as a propaganda tool.ZIMBABWE Press, Media, TV, Radio, Newspapers Press Reference, 2006 Newspapers critical of the government, such as the Daily News, closed after bombs exploded at their offices and the government refused to renew their license.Zimbabwe newspaper bombed BBC News, 28 January 2001Zimbabwe: Newspaper Silenced, February 7, 2004. New York Times. BBC News and CNN have also been banned from filming or reporting from Zimbabwe. They continue to report on happenings within Zimbabwe from neighbouring countries like South Africa. Why did Zimbabwe ban the BBC?, April 1, 2005. BBC News.
Flag of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces
The existence of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) is enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Chapter X, 96 (1), which states that,
| “ | For the purpose of defending Zimbabwe, there shall be Defence Forces consisting of an Army, an Air Force and such other branches, if any, of the Defence Forces as may be provided for by or under an Act of Parliament. Zimbabwe Ministry of Defence. Retrieved on 2007-11-17. | ” |
The ZDF was set up by the integration of three belligerent forces, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People\'s Revolutionary Army, (ZIPRA) on one side and the Rhodesian Security Forces (RSF) on the other at the end of the Liberation Struggle in 1980. The Integration period saw the formation of The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) as separate entities under the command of Rtd General Solomon Mujuru and the late Rtd Air Chief Marshal Josiah Tungamirai respectively. The integration commanders handed over the Zimbabwean flags to then Lieutenant General Vitalis Zvinavashe, who later became the first Commander Defence Forces (1993), and Air Marshal Perrance Shiri in 1992, and subsequently in the ZNA to then Lieutenant General Constantine Chiwenga in 1993.
The approval of the Defence Amendment Bill saw the setting up of a single command for the Defence Forces in 1993. Rtd General Vitalis Zvinavashe became the first commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, with the commanders of both the Army and the Air Force falling under his command. Following his retirement in December 2003, General Constantine Chiwenga, was promoted and appointed Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. Lieutenant General P. V. Sibanda replaced him as Commander of the Army. Zimbabwe Ministry of Defence. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
The ZNA currently has an active duty strength of 30,000. The air force has about 5,000 men assigned. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police) is also part of the defence force of Zimbabwe and numbers 25,000.MILITARISATION OF ZIMBABWE: Does the opposition stand a chance?. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.
In 1999, the Government of Zimbabwe sent a sizeable military force into the Democratic Republic of Congo to support the government of President Laurent Kabila during the Second Congo War. Those forces were largely withdrawn in 2002.
Flag of the Army of Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwe National Army or ZNA was created in 1980 from elements of the Rhodesian Army, integrated to a greater or lesser extent with combatants from the ZANLA and ZIPRA guerrilla movements (the armed wings of, respectively, ZANU and ZAPU).
Following majority rule in early 1980, British Army trainers oversaw the integration of guerrilla fighters into a battalion structure overlaid on the existing Rhodesian armed forces. For the first year a system was followed where the top-performing candidate became battalion commander. If he or she was from ZANLA, then his or her second-in-command was the top-performing ZIPRA candidate, and vice versa.Godwin, Peter (1996). Mukiwa A White Boy in Africa. This ensured a balance between the two movements in the command structure. From early 1981 this system was abandoned in favour of political appointments, and ZANLA/ZANU fighters consequently quickly formed the majority of battalion commanders in the ZNA.
The ZNA was originally formed into four brigades, composed of a total of 29 battalions. The brigade support units were composed almost entirely of specialists of the former Rhodesian Army, while unintegrated battalions of the Rhodesian African Rifles were assigned to the 1st, 3rd and 4th Brigades. The notorious Fifth Brigade was formed in 1981 and disbanded in 1984 after allegations of brutality and murder during the Brigade\'s occupation of Matabeleland. Ministry of Defence, Zimbabwe. Retrieved on 2007-11-11.
The government of Zimbabwe faces a variety of economic problems after having abandoned earlier efforts to develop a market-oriented economy. Problems include a shortage of foreign exchange, soaring inflation, and supply shortages. Zimbabwe\'s involvement from 1998 to 2002 in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy.Organised Violence and Torture in Zimbabwe in 1999, 1999. Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum.
Mineral exports, agriculture, and tourism are the main foreign currency earners of Zimbabwe.Country Profile – Zimbabwe. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. Retrieved on =2007-12-02. “Since the country is well endowed with natural resources such as minerals, arable land and wildlife, many opportunities lie in resource-based activities such as mining, agriculture and tourism, and their downstream industrial activities.” Zimbabwe is the biggest trading partner of South Africa on the continent. "Zimbabwe-South Africa economic relations since 2000", Africa News, 2007-10-31. Retrieved on 2007-12-03. "Zimbabwe remains South Africa\'s most important trading partner in Africa" The downward spiral of the economy has been attributed mainly to mismanagement and corruption of the Mugabe regime and the eviction of more than 4,000 white farmers in the controversial land redistribution of 2000."Zimbabwe President Mugabe labels white farmers \'enemies\'" — CNN — April 18, 2000Robinson, Simon. "A Tale of Two Countries" — Time Magazine — Monday, Feb. 18, 2002"Zimbabwe forbids white farmers to harvest" — USA Today — 06/24/2002"White farmers under siege in Zimbabwe" — BBC — Thursday, 15 August, 2002 Since this land redistribution began, agricultural exports, especially tobacco, have declined sharply. The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force released a report in June 2007, estimating 60% of Zimbabwe\'s wildlife has died since 2000. The report warns that the loss of life combined with widespread deforestation is potentially disastrous for the tourist industry.Nick Wadhams. "Zimbabwe\'s Wildlife Decimated by Economic Crisis", Nairobi: National Geographic News, 2007-08-01. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to an official estimated high of 100,580.2% in January 2008,[2] a state of hyperinflation. Local residents have largely resorted to buying essentials from neighbouring Botswana, South Africa and Zambia. IMF economists estimated inflation at about 150,000% in Dec 2007.
In 2005, the government, led by central bank governor Gideon Gono, started making overtures that white farmers could come back. There were 400 to 500 still left in the country, but much of the land that had been confiscated was no longer productive.Meldrum, Andrew. "As country heads for disaster, Zimbabwe calls for return of white farmers" — The Guardian — May 21, 2005 In January 2007, the government even let some white farmers sign long term leases.Timberg, Craig. "White Farmers Given Leases In Zimbabwe" — Washington Post — Saturday, January 6, 2007 But, the government reversed course again and started demanding that all remaining white farmers leave the country or face jail."Zimbabwe threatens white farmers" — AP — (c/o Washington Post — Monday, February 5, 2007Chinaka, Cris. "Zimbabwe threatens white farmers on evictions" — Reuters — August 8, 2007
In August 2006, a new revalued Zimbabwean dollar was introduced, equal to 1000 of the prior Zimbabwean. The exchange rate fell from 24 old Zimbabwean dollars per U.S. dollar (USD) in 1998 to 250,000 prior or 250 new Zimbabwean dollars per USD at the official rate,RBZ and an estimated 120,000,000 old or 120,000 revalued Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar on the parallel market,Zimbabwe Situation in June 2007.
On June 21, 2007, the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, Christopher Dell, told The Guardian newspaper that inflation could reach 1.5 million per cent (1,500,000%) by the end of the year. The current unofficial inflation rate is above 11,000% and the black-market exchange rate is Z$3,650,000 to the pound. NewZimbabwe. [/www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/markets19.17179.html Current Blackmarket Rate]. Retrieved on 2007-11-18. US predicts regime change in Zimbabwe as hyperinflation destroys the economy The Guardian The Guardian. On July 13, 2007, the Zimbabwe government said it had temporarily stopped publishing (official) inflation figures, a move that observers said was meant to draw attention away from runaway inflation which has come to symbolize the country\'s unprecedented economic meltdown.[3] The Zimbabwe Situation.
Mugabe points to foreign governments and alleged "sabotage" as the cause of the fall of the Zimbabwean economy, as well as the country\'s 80% formal unemployment rate.How to stay alive when it all runs out, July 12, 2007. The Economist. Critics of Mugabe\'s administration, including the majority of the international community, blame Mugabe\'s controversial programme which sought to seize land from white commercial farmers. Mugabe has repeatedly blamed sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the European Union and the United States for the state of the Zimbabwean economy. However, these sanctions only target government officials and not ordinary citizens.[4], U.S. Department of State, 2004 In a recent meeting of the Southern African Development Community, a call was issued for the sanctions to be removed.[5], The Jerusalem Post, 1 April 2007
According to the United Nations World Health Organization, the life expectancy for men is 37 years and the life expectancy for women is 34 years of age, the lowest in the world in 2006.The World Health Organization. "Annex Table 1 — Basic indicators for all Member States", The World Health Report 2006 (PDF). An association of doctors in Zimbabwe have made calls for President Mugabe to make moves to assist the ailing health service.Peta Thornycroft. "In Zimbabwe, life ends before 40", Harare: Sydney Morning Herald, 2006-04-10. Retrieved on 2006-04-10. Zimbabwe has a very high HIV infection rate. In 2006, the HIV rate was estimated to be 20.1% for people aged 15–49. Zimbabwe. UNAIDS. Retrieved on 2007-12-03. UNESCO reported a decline in HIV prevalence among pregnant women from 26% in 2002 to 21% in 2004. HIV Prevalence Rates Fall in Zimbabwe. UNESCO. Retrieved on 2007-12-03. Zimbabwe\'s total population is 12 million. {{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html
English is the official language of Zimbabwe, though less than 2.5%, mainly the white and Coloured (mixed race) minorities, consider it their native language. The rest of the population speak Shona (76%) and Ndebele (18%).Zimbabwe GAP Adventures Shona has a rich oral tradition, which was incorporated into the first Shona novel, Feso by Solomon Mutswairo, published in 1956.Mother Tongue: Interviews with Musaemura B. Zimunya and Solomon Mutswairo University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill English is spoken primarily in the cities, but less so in rural areas. Radio and television news is now broadcasted in English, Ndebele, and Shona.
Sixty two percent of Zimbabweans attend Christian churches. MSN Encarta. Retrieved on 2007-11-13. The largest Christian churches are Anglican, Roman Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist Zimbabwe. Retrieved on 2008-01-22. and Methodist. However like most former European colonies, Christianity is often mixed with enduring traditional beliefs. Besides Christianity, ancestral worship is the most practiced non-Christian religion which involves ancestor worship and spiritual intercession; the Mbira Dza Vadzimu, which means "Voice of the Ancestors", an instrument related to many lamellophones ubiquitous throughout Africa, is central to many ceremonial proceedings. Mwari simply means "God the Creator" (musika vanhu in Shona). Around 1% of the population is Muslim. Zimbabwe — International Religious Freedom Report 2005. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved on 2007-12-03. “An estimated 1 percent of the total population is Muslim.”
Black ethnic groups make up 98% of the population. The majority people, the Shona, comprise 80 to 84%. The Ndebele are the second most populous with 10 to 15% of the population. The People of Zimbabwe. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.Ethnicity/Race of Zimbabwe. Retrieved on 2008-01-06. The Ndebele are descended from Zulu migrations in the nineteenth century and the other tribes with which they intermarried. Support for the opposition is particularly strong both from the Ndebele and the Shona majority. Up to one million Ndebele may have left the country over the last five years, mainly for South Africa. Bantus of other ethnicities are the third largest with 2 to 5%.Ethnicity/Race of Zimbabwe. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.
Other less populous Zimbabwean ethnic groups include white Zimbabweans, mostly of British origin, but some are of Afrikaner, Portuguese and Dutch origin as well, who make up 2.0%. The white population dropped from a peak of around 275,000 in 1975 to possibly 120,000 in 1999. "Zimbabwe census sees flight of whites", Irish Examiner, 2005-04-24. Retrieved on 2007-12-04. Most emigration has been to the UK, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Australia and New Zealand. Mixed race citizens are 0.5% and various Asian ethnic groups, mostly of Indian and Chinese origin, are also 0.5%.Quarterly Digest of Statistics, 1998, Zimbabwe Printing and Stationary Office Asian immigrants are influential in the economic sector.
The economic meltdown and repressive political measures in Zimbabwe has led to a flood of refugees into neighbouring countries. An estimated 3.4 million Zimbabweans, a quarter of the population, had fled abroad by mid 2007.Refugees flood from Zimbabwe The Observer Some 3 million of these have gone to South Africa.Zimbabwean refugees suffer in Botswana and South Africa Sokwanele Civic Action Group
Apart from the people who fled into the neighbouring countries, an estimated 570,000 people are displaced within the borders of the country, many of whom remain in transit camps and have limited access to assistance. Most of the displaced have been victims of the Operation Murambatsvina in the year 2005 and continuing evictions and violent farm seizures. Their plight is virtually impossible to assess, as there has been no national survey of people displaced since 2005.Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), Internal displacement in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe\'s adult literacy rate is amongst the highest in Africa
Zimbabwe has an adult literacy rate of approximately 90% which is amongst the highest in Africa.Zimbabwe, CIA World FactbookBotswana Literacy Survey 2003, Central Statistics Office, BotswanaZimbabwe Country Assistance Evaluation
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