Zimbabwe

The hunter-gatherer San people first inhabited the area that eventually became Zimbabwe. Farming communities migrated to the area around A.D. 500 during the Bantu expansion, and Shona-speaking societies began to develop in the Limpopo valley and Zimbabwean highlands around the 9th century. These societies traded with Arab merchants on the Indian Ocean coast and organized under the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in the 11th century. A series of powerful trade-oriented Shona states succeeded Mapungubwe, including the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (ca. 1220-1450), Kingdom of Mutapa (ca. 1450-1760), and the Rozwi Empire. The Rozwi Empire expelled Portuguese colonists from the Zimbabwean plateau, but the Ndebele clan of Zulu King MZILIKAZI eventually conquered the area in 1838 during the era of conflict and population displacement known as the Mfecane. In the 1880s, colonists arrived with the British South Africa Company (BSAC) and obtained a written concession for mining rights from Ndebele King LOBENGULA. The king later disavowed the concession and accused the BSAC agents of deceit. The BSAC annexed Mashonaland and then conquered Matabeleland during the First Matabele War of 1893-1894, establishing company rule over the territory. In 1923, the UK annexed BSAC holdings south of the Zambezi River, which became the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. The 1930 Land Apportionment Act restricted Black land ownership and established rules that would favor the White minority for decades. A new constitution in 1961 further cemented White minority rule.In 1965, the government under White Prime Minister Ian SMITH unilaterally declared its independence from the UK. London did not recognize Rhodesia’s independence and demanded more voting rights for the Black majority in the country. International diplomacy and an uprising by Black Zimbabweans led to biracial elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, who led the uprising and became the nation's first prime minister, was the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) from independence until 2017. In the mid-1980s, the government tortured and killed thousands of civilians in a crackdown on dissent known as the Gukurahundi campaign. Economic mismanagement and chaotic implementation of land redistribution policies periodically crippled the economy. General elections in 2002, 2008, and 2013 were severely flawed and widely condemned but allowed MUGABE to remain president. In 2017, Vice President Emmerson MNANGAGWA became president after a military intervention that forced MUGABE to resign, and MNANGAGWA cemented power by sidelining rival Grace MUGABE (Robert MUGABE’s wife). In 2018, MNANGAGWA won the presidential election, and he has maintained the government's longstanding practice of violently disrupting protests and politicizing institutions. Economic conditions remain dire under MNANGAGWA.

land

386,847 sq km

total

390,757 sq km

water

3,910 sq km

about four times the size of Indiana; slightly larger than Montana

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

0 km (landlocked)

highest point

Inyangani 2,592 m

lowest point

junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m

mean elevation

961 m

20 00 S, 30 00 E

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)

1,740 sq km (2012)

border countries

Botswana 834 km; Mozambique 1,402 km; South Africa 230 km; Zambia 763 km

total

3,229 km

agricultural land

42.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 31.3% (2018 est.)

forest

39.5% (2018 est.)

other

18% (2018 est.)

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

Africa

none (landlocked)

recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

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

Aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half as shown in this population distribution map

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

0-14 years

38.3% (male 3,315,075/female 3,254,643)

15-64 years

57.8% (male 4,758,120/female 5,152,773)

65 years and over

3.9% (2024 est.) (male 270,595/female 399,146)

beer

1.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

1.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

3.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

28.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

men married by age 18

1.9% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

5.4%

women married by age 18

33.7%

9.7% (2019)

66.8% (2015)

3.4% of GDP (2020)

61.6% (2023 est.)

6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Zimbabwe’s progress in reproductive, maternal, and child health has stagnated in recent years. According to a 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, contraceptive use, the number of births attended by skilled practitioners, and child mortality have either stalled or somewhat deteriorated since the mid-2000s. Zimbabwe’s total fertility rate has remained fairly stable at about 4 children per woman for the last two decades, although an uptick in the urban birth rate in recent years has caused a slight rise in the country’s overall fertility rate. Zimbabwe’s HIV prevalence rate dropped from approximately 29% to 15% since 1997 but remains among the world’s highest and continues to suppress the country’s life expectancy rate. The proliferation of HIV/AIDS information and prevention programs and personal experience with those suffering or dying from the disease have helped to change sexual behavior and reduce the epidemic. Historically, the vast majority of Zimbabwe’s migration has been internal – a rural-urban flow. In terms of international migration, over the last 40 years Zimbabwe has gradually shifted from being a destination country to one of emigration and, to a lesser degree, one of transit (for East African illegal migrants traveling to South Africa). As a British colony, Zimbabwe attracted significant numbers of permanent immigrants from the UK and other European countries, as well as temporary economic migrants from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Although Zimbabweans have migrated to South Africa since the beginning of the 20th century to work as miners, the first major exodus from the country occurred in the years before and after independence in 1980. The outward migration was politically and racially influenced; a large share of the white population of European origin chose to leave rather than live under a new black-majority government. In the 1990s and 2000s, economic mismanagement and hyperinflation sparked a second, more diverse wave of emigration. This massive outmigration – primarily to other southern African countries, the UK, and the US – has created a variety of challenges, including brain drain, illegal migration, and human smuggling and trafficking. Several factors have pushed highly skilled workers to go abroad, including unemployment, lower wages, a lack of resources, and few opportunities for career growth.

elderly dependency ratio

6

potential support ratio

16.6 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

79.4

youth dependency ratio

73.4

improved: rural

rural: 66.9% of population

improved: total

total: 76.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 33.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 23.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.1% of population

3.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

African 99.6% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group), other (includes Caucasian, Asiatic, mixed race) 0.4% (2022 est.)

1.71 (2024 est.)

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)

female

29.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

37 deaths/1,000 live births

total

33.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Shona (official, most widely spoken) 80.9%, Ndebele (official, second most widely spoken) 11.5%, English (official, traditionally used for official business) 0.3%, 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa) 7%, other 0.3% (2022 est.)

note

note: data represent population by mother tongue

female

68.8 years

male

65.6 years

total population

67.2 years (2024 est.)

definition

any person age 15 and above who completed at least grade 3 of primary education

female

90.9% (2021)

male

88.3%

total population

89.7%

1.578 million HARARE (capital) (2023)

357 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

22 years

male

20.3 years

total

21.2 years (2024 est.)

20.3 years (2015 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

adjective

Zimbabwean

noun

Zimbabwean(s)

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

15.5% (2016)

0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

female

8,806,562 (2024 est.)

male

8,343,790

total

17,150,352

Aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half as shown in this population distribution map

1.91% (2024 est.)

Apostolic Sect 40.3%, Pentecostal 17%, Protestant 13.8%, other Christian 7.8%, Roman Catholic 6.4%, African traditionalist 5%, other 1.5% (includes Muslim, Jewish, Hindu), none 8.3% (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 49% of population

improved: total

total: 64.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 96.1% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 51% of population

unimproved: total

total: 35.8% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.9% of population

female

11 years (2013)

male

12 years

total

11 years

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.68 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

1.5% (2020 est.)

male

21.8% (2020 est.)

total

11.7% (2020 est.)

3.47 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

32.5% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

named after a village of Harare at the site of the present capital; the village name derived from a Shona chieftain, NE-HARAWA, whose name meant "he who does not sleep"

geographic coordinates

17 49 S, 31 02 E

name

Harare

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Zimbabwe; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

amendments

proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; amendments to constitutional chapters on fundamental human rights and freedoms and on agricultural lands also require approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2017

history

previous 1965 (at Rhodesian independence), 1979 (Lancaster House Agreement), 1980 (at Zimbabwean independence); latest final draft completed January 2013, approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013, effective 22 May 2013

conventional long form

Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form

Zimbabwe

etymology

takes its name from the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (13th-15th century) and its capital of Great Zimbabwe, the largest stone structure in pre-colonial southern Africa

former

Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Elaine M. FRENCH (since August 2022)

email address and website

consularharare@state.govhttps://zw.usembassy.gov/

embassy

2 Lorraine Drive, Bluffhill, Harare

FAX

[263] 24-233-4320

mailing address

2180 Harare Place, Washington DC  20521-2180

telephone

[263] 867-701-1000

chancery

1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Tadeous Tafirenyika CHIFAMBA (since 7 July 2021)

email address and website

general@zimembassydc.orghttps://zimembassydc.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 483-9326

telephone

[1] (202) 332-7100

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to National Assembly

chief of state

President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 4 September 2023)

election results

2023: Emmerson MNANGAGWA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 52.6%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44%, Wilbert MUBAIWA (NPC) 1.2%, other 2.2%2018: Emmerson MNANGAGWA elected president in first round; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 50.7%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44.4%, Thokozani KHUPE (MDC-N) 0.9%, other 4%

elections/appointments

each presidential candidate nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least 1 candidate from each province) and directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 23 August 2023 (next to be held in 2028); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership

head of government

Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 11 September 2023)

seven equal horizontal bands of green (top), 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

presidential republic

18 April 1980 (from the UK)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, 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, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 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; Constitutional Court judge appointment NA; judges serve nonrenewable 15-year terms

subordinate courts

High Court; Labor Court; Administrative Court; regional magistrate courts; customary law courts; special courts

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

description

bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (80 seats; 60 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 6 seats in each of the 10 provinces - by proportional representation vote, 16 indirectly elected by the regional governing councils, 18 reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities; members serve 5-year terms)National Assembly (280 seats; 210 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 seats reserved for women directly elected by proportional representation vote and 10 additional seats reserved for candidates aged between 21 and 35 directly elected by proportional representation, members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 33, CCC- 27, Chiefs 18, people with disabilities 2; composition - men 36, women 35, percentage of women 49.3%National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 190, CCC-93; composition - men 192, women 75, percentage women 28.1%; total Parliament percentage women 32.5%

elections

Senate - last held for elected member on 23 August 2023 (next to be held in 2028)National Assembly - last held on 23 August 2023 (next to be held in 2028); note - a byelection was held on 11 November 2023 due to the death of a candidate during the August general election; a special byelection was held on 9 December 2023 after nine opposition lawmakers were removed from their seats and disqualified from running again; another byelection was held on 3 February 2024 for six open seats

lyrics/music

Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA

name

"Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe" [Northern Ndebele language] "Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe" [Shona] (Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe)

note

note: adopted 1994

selected World Heritage Site locales

Mana Pools National Park, Sapi, and Chewore Safari Areas (n); Great Zimbabwe National Monument (c); Khami Ruins National Monument (c); Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls (n); Matobo Hills (c)

total World Heritage Sites

5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Zimbabwe bird symbol, African fish eagle, flame lily; national colors: green, yellow, red, black, white

Citizens Coalition for Change Movement for Democratic Change or MDC-T National People's Congress or NPC Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU

18 years of age; universal

sugarcane, maize, beef, milk, cassava, wheat, bananas, vegetables, tobacco, cotton (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

expenditures

$23 million (2018 est.)

revenues

$17 million (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2018

-$1.38 billion (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

$920.472 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$1.096 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

low income Sub-Saharan economy; political instability and endemic corruption have prevented reforms and stalled debt restructuring; new Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency latest effort to combat ongoing hyperinflation; reliant on natural resource extraction, agriculture and remittances

Currency

Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

16.446 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

51.329 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

88.552 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

374.954 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

3,509.172 (2023 est.)

note

note: ongoing hyperinflation rendered Zimbabwean dollar essentially worthless; introduction of Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) as new currency effective April 2024

Exports 2020

$5.263 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$6.462 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$7.65 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

gold, nickel, tobacco, iron alloys, diamonds (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

UAE 57%, South Africa 17%, China 7%, Belgium 4%, Mozambique 2% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

28% (2022 est.)

government consumption

16.7% (2022 est.)

household consumption

77.7% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-37% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

11.3% (2022 est.)

investment in inventories

3.3% (2022 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

27% (2023 est.)

industry

46.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

18.5% (2023 est.)

$26.538 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

50.3 (2020 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

34.8% (2017 est.)

lowest 10%

2.5% (2017 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2020

$5.489 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$7.964 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$10.126 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, fertilizers, trucks, soybean oil, electricity (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

South Africa 39%, China 15%, Singapore 12%, UAE 6%, Mozambique 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

5.5% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

557.2% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

98.55% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

104.71% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

6.561 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

38.3% (2019 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt 2017

82.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$52.399 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$55.817 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$58.583 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

8.47% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

6.52% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.96% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$3,300 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$3,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$3,500 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

9.07% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

11.27% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

11.74% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$838.78 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$598.622 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$115.53 million (2023 est.)

7.21% (of GDP) (2018 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

9.54% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

10.09% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

8.76% (2023 est.)

female

15.6% (2023 est.)

male

13.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

14.3% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

9.7 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

4.171 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

13.871 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

4.479 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

434,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

2,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

production

3.877 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

502 million metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

8.884 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

438.591 million kWh (2022 est.)

imports

2.2 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.487 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.81 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - rural areas

33.7%

electrification - total population

50.1% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

89%

biomass and waste

1.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

32.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

65.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

11.726 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

29,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

800 bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2020 est.)

total

203,461 (2020 est.)

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; analog TV only, no digital service (2017)

.zw

percent of population

35% (2021 est.)

total

5.6 million (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is 2 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 89 per 100 (2021)

general assessment

Zimbabwe’s telcos continue to be affected by the country’s poor economy; this has been exacerbated by the significant economic difficulties related to the pandemic; revenue has also been under pressure from a number of recent regulatory measures and additional taxes imposed by the cash-strapped government; inflation has become so high that year-on-year revenue comparisons since 2019 have been difficult to assess meaningfully; the three MNOs continue to invest in network upgrades, partly supported by government efforts and cash released from the Universal Service Fund; as a result of these investments, LTE networks have expanded steadily, though services remain concentrated in urban areas; international bandwidth has improved since fiber links to several submarine cables were established via neighboring countries; the expansion of 3G and LTE-based mobile broadband services has meant that most of the population has access to the internet; the government has started a national broadband scheme aimed at delivering a 1Mb/s service nationally by 2030; investment in fixed broadband infrastructure has also resulted in a slow but steady growth in the number of DSL connections, and also fiber subscriptions; during 2021, most growth in the fixed broadband segment has been with fiber connections (2022)

international

country code - 263; fiber-optic connections to neighboring states provide access to international networks via undersea cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; 5 international digital gateway exchanges

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

291,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

88 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

14.301 million (2022 est.)

144 (2024)

Z

5 (2024)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

670,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

285,539 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

12

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

270 km refined products (2013)

narrow gauge

3,427 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified)

total

3,427 km (2014)

paved

18,481 km

total

97,267 km

unpaved

78,786 km (2023)

223 km (2022) some navigation possible on Lake Kariba (223 km)

the ZDF’s primary responsibilities are protecting the country’s sovereignty and territory and securing its borders; it also has a considerable role in domestic security and has continued to be active in the country’s politics since the 2017 military-assisted political transition; the ZDF is part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force and provided troops for the SADC military deployment to Mozambique, from 2021-2024; Zimbabwe has defense ties with China and Russiathe ZDF was formed after independence from the former Rhodesian Army and the two guerrilla forces that opposed it during the Rhodesian Civil War (aka "Bush War") of the 1970s, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA); the ZDF intervened in the Mozambique Civil War (1983-1992), the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Second Congo War (1998-2003), and the Angolan Civil War (1975-2002) during the late 1990s (2024)

Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ)Ministry of Home Affairs: Zimbabwe Republic Police (2024)

information varies; approximately 30,000 active-duty troops, including about 4,000 Air Force personnel (2023)

the ZDF inventory is comprised mostly of Russian/Soviet-era and Chinese armaments with smaller quantities of older or obsolescent material from countries such as Brazil, France, Italy, South Africa, the UK, and the US; since the early 2010s, Zimbabwe has been under an arms embargo from the EU, as well as targeted sanctions from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US (2024)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel); no conscription (2023)

transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, methaqualone, and methamphetamines en route to South Africa

refugees (country of origin)

9,931 (Mozambique) (2023); 12,293 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Zimbabwe was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/zimbabwe/

Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA; established in 2019 and officially launched in 2021; under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development) (2024)

has a nascent program with the goal of utilizing space technologies in economic development; particularly interested in remote sensing capabilities to assist with monitoring or managing agriculture and food security, climate change, disease outbreaks, environmental hazards and disasters, and natural resources, as well as weather forecasting; part of a joint project (BIRDS-5) with Japan, which seeks to promote the first steps towards creating an indigenous space program by designing, building, testing, launching, and operating the first satellites for participating countries (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

carbon dioxide emissions

10.98 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

12.1 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

13.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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

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

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

widespread lack of access

due to high food prices - based on a government assessment, an estimated 3.8 million people are expected to be in need of humanitarian assistance between January and March 2023; this number is higher than the level estimated in the first quarter of 2022; the downturn in food security conditions is largely on account of poor food access resulting from prevailing high food prices and reduced incomes owing to the effects of an economic downturn; a decline in cereal production in 2022 has also aggravated conditions (2023)

agricultural land

42.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 31.3% (2018 est.)

forest

39.5% (2018 est.)

other

18% (2018 est.)

Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

0.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

1.61% of GDP (2018 est.)

20 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

3.04 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

650 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

32.5% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,449,752 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

231,960 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

16% (2005 est.)