Zimbabwe

This Page was last updated on the 17th. September, 2008.

Country	Zimbabwe
Official Name	Republic of Zimbabwe
Former Name	Southern Rhodesia, Central African Federation, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia (stone-age implements and pebble tools found in several areas; ruins of stone buildings provide evidence of early civilization; ‘Great Zimbabwe’ ruins [near Masvingo] built by indigenous Africans between 9th and 13th centuries AD; Portuguese contact in 16th century; migrations of Bantu peoples from equatorial regions took over from original inhabitants; two major language groups, Mashona [majority, longest resident] and Matabele [offshoot of Zulus, arrived in last 150 years, controled Mashona until white occupation]; Cecil Rhodes obtained concessions from local chiefs and area that became Southern and Northern Rhodesia [Zambia] proclaimed a British sphere of influence in 1888; British South Africa Company was chartered in 1889; Salisbury (Harare) established in 1890; formally named Rhodesia [after Cecil Rhodes] under British South Africa Company's administration in 1895; at abrogation of company's charter Southern Rhodesia annexed by UK in 1923; internally self-governing colony until 1980; first of land apportionment acts that reserved areas for Europeans in 1934; over half of white Zimbabweans [mainily English origin] arrived Zimbabwe after World War II; Southern Rhodesia joined Central African Federation [with British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi) in September 1953; Constitution formulated that favored whites in power in 1961; Federation dissolved at the end of 1963; Prime Minister Winston Field replaced by Ian Smith in April 1964; UK prepared to grant independence to Rhodesia with eventual majority rule, white Rhodesians refused; Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from the United Kingdom issued on 11 November 1965; British government considered UDI unconstitutional and illegal as did UN on 12 November 1965; British imposed sanctions and requested other nations to do same; UN imposed mandatory economic sanctions on 16 December 1966, broadened by imposing almost total embargo on all trade 29 May 1968; international negotiations and antigovernment guerilla activity [since 1960s] in early 1970s; Smith administration signed ‘internal settlement’ agreement with Bishop Muzorewa, Rev. Sithole, and Chief Jeremiah Chirau on 3 March 1978; after elections [April 1979] Bishop Muzorewa became Prime Minister on 1 June 1979; Lancaster House in London deliberations began on 10 September 1979; British recognized independence of ‘Zimbabwe-Rhodesia’ and reverted de facto to colonial status on 10 December 1979; British authority reasserted over colony, transition to independence begun and UK lifted sanctions on 12 December 1979; agreement signed at Lancaster House, leading to independent Zimbabwe, on 21 December 1979; independence formally granted Zimbabwe on 18 April 1980.)
Capital	Harare
Main Towns	Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, Gweru, Harare (pop. 1.5 million), Kwe Kwe, Masvingo, Marondera, Mutare
Subdivisions	8 provinces: Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands. 2 cities with provincial status: Bulawayo, Harare.
Independence	18 April 1980 (from UK)
Constitution	21 December 1979
National Holiday	Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
UN Membership	25 August 1980
OAU Membership	1980 – now African Union (AU)
Commonwealth	18 April 1980 - withdrew 2003
Other Organisations	In alphabetical order according to abbreviation/acronym: Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), African Development Bank (AfDB or AFDB), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Group of 15 (G-15), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Criminal Court (ICCt), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), Southern African Development Community (SADC), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Confederation of Labour (WCL), World Customs Organization (WCO, former Customs Cooperation Council [CCC]), World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTrO).
Population	World Bank Figures: 12,403,930 (1999), 12,650,000 (2000), 12,849,788 (2001), 13,000,965 (2002), 13,101,754 (2003) Other Sources: 11,139,961 (July 1995), 11,365,366 (July 2001 est.) 12,576,742 (July 2003 est.) 12,746,990 (July 2005 est.)
Area	150,873 sq. mls. (390,759 sq. kms.)
Density	25 per sq.km. (1995)
Highest Point	Inyangani 8,504 ft. (2,592 m.)
Lowest Point	Sabi/Lundi Rivers 530 ft. (162 m.)
Neighbours	Botswana (SW), Mozambique (E), South Africa (S), Zambia (N)
Life Expectancy	57 years (1995), total population: 37.13 years, male: 38.51 years, female: 35.7 years (2001 est.) total population: 39.01 years, male: 40.09 years, female: 37.89 years (2003 est.) total population: 36.67 years male: 37.21 years female: 36.11 years (2005 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate	total: 66.47 deaths/1,000 live births, female: 63.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.), male: 69.17 deaths/1,000 live births total: 67.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 70.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 64.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS	adult prevalence rate: 3 24.6% (2001) people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.8 million (2001 est.) deaths: 200,000 (2001 est.) 170,000 (2003 est.) IRIN Plus News - HIV/AIDS Treatment Map: Zimbabwe - Updated: Sept 2004 Population: 11.6 million HIV Prevalence Rate (%) 2003 End: 24.6 No. Of People living with HIV/AIDS: 1.8 million No. Of People in need of ART: 342,000 No. Of People Currently On ART (Sep 04): -- No. Of People on ART Public Sector: -- No. Of People on ART in Non Govt Programmes: -- No. Of People Exptd to be on ART (2005 End): 171,000 Front Line Drug Regimen: Stavudine, Lamivudine , Niverapine HIV/AIDS Treatment Sites: 11 Global Fund 2 Year Approved Funding: US$10,300,000.00 Total Funds Disbursed By The Global Fund: Nil Total Funds Disbursed By The World Bank Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Programme (MAP): Nil Total Funds Disbursed By PEPFAR: Nil Source: WHO, UNAIDS, Ministry of Health
Adult Literacy Rate	total population: 85%, male: 90%, female: 80% (1995 est.) total population: 90.7%, male: 94.2%, female: 87.2% (2003 est.)
Ethnic Groups	African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%
Languages	English (official), Shona, Ndebele (Sindebele)
Religions	Syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian (mainly Anglican) 25%, Traditional Religion (Animist) 24%, Muslim and other 1%
Type of Government	Republic, parliamentary democracy
President	Robert Gabriel Mugabe (since 31 December 1987 [27/10/2005])
Prime Minister	Morgan Tsvangirai is prime minister-designate the power-sharing agreement of 15 September 2008.
Political Parties	Political parties: Movement for Democratic Change (MDC); National Alliance for Good Governance (NAGG); United Parties; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga (ZANU-Ndonga); Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF); Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU). Political pressure groups: National Constitutional Assembly (NCA); Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition.
Ruling Party	Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF)
Currency	Zimbabwe Dollar (Z$, ZWD)(100 cents) Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 4,303.28 (2004), 697.424 (2003), 55.036 (2002), 55.052 (2001), 44.418 (2000)
GDP	US$483 (1992) US$6,522m (1995) GDP: US$3.6 billion (2003 est.) GDP: US$8.3 bn (2004) purchasing power parity - US$24.37 billion (2004 est.) per capita purchasing power parity - US$2,400 (2002 est.) per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,900 (2004 est.)
GNP	US$550 (1992) US$540 (1995)
Per Capita Income	Per capita GDP: US$327 (2003 est.) GNP per capita: US$2,400
Population Below Poverty Line	70% (2002 est.)
Land Use	arable land: 8.32% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 91.34% (2001) Irrigated land: 1,170 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural Resources	coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Oil and Natural Gas	Oil production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) consumption: 23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) exports: NA (2001) imports: NA (2001) Pipelines: petroleum products 212 km
Military	Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005) Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,236,042 (2003 est.) males age 18-49: 2,840,053 (2005 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: US$625.1 million, 3.2% of GDP (FY02) US$217 million, 4.3% of GDP (2004)
Economic Aid Received	US$178 million, the EU and the US provide food aid on humanitarian grounds (2000 est.) Aid per Capita (World Bank): US$20 (1999), US$14 (2000), US$13 (2001), US$15 (2002), US$14 (2003)
Debt	Moderately indebted World Bank Figures: US$3,598,799,872 (2000), US$3,492,900,096 (2001), US$3,909,199,872 (2002), US$4,415,099,904 (2003) Other Sources: US$4,885m (1995) US$4.1bn (2000 est.) US$3.9 billion (2002 est.) US$4.086 billion (2004 est.)
Major Imports	machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels
Imports from	South Africa 43.7%, EU 11%, US 2% (2001 est.) South Africa 47.2%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.2%, China 4.4% (2004) US$1.599 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Major Exports	tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing
Exports to	EU 44%, South Africa 15%, Japan 7.3%, US 6% (2001) South Africa 11.9%, Zambia 6.3%, China 3.4% (2004) US$1.409 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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The White Fathers, Sutton Coldfield, 17 September, 2008

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