2003 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 39.7% (male 2,517,608; female 2,471,342) 15-64 years: 56.8% (male 3,600,832; female 3,542,497) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 224,631; female 219,832) (2003 est.)

Area

land

386,670 sq km

total

390,580 sq km

water

3,910 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Montana

Background

The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their brutal repression of regime opponents. Geography Zimbabwe

Birth rate

30.34 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Capital

Harare

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

21 December 1979

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form

Zimbabwe

former

Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Death rate

22.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN

embassy

172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare

mailing address

P. O. Box 3340, Harare

telephone

[263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO

Elevation extremes

highest point

Inyangani 2,592 m

lowest point

junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m

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

Ethnic groups

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

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly

chief of state

Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

elections

presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed by the president

head of government

Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

FAX

[1] (202) 483-9326

[263] (4) 796488

chancery

1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone

[1] (202) 332-7100

Flag description

seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native

Geographic coordinates

20 00 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

33.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

200,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2.3 million (2001 est.)

Independence

18 April 1980 (from UK)

Infant mortality rate

female

63.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

69.17 deaths/1,000 live births

total

66.47 deaths/1,000 live births

International organization participation

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

Irrigated land

1,170 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; High Court

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

3,066 km

Land use

arable land

8.4%

other

91.26% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.34%

Languages

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

Legal system

mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Legislative branch

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

election results

percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 48.6%, MDC 47.0%, other 4.4%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 62, MDC 57, ZANU-Ndonga 1

elections

last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female

37.89 years (2003 est.)

male

40.09 years

total population

39.01 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write English

female

87.2% (2003 est.) Government Zimbabwe

male

94.2%

total population

90.7%

Location

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

18.9 years (2002)

male

18.9 years

total

18.9 years

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Nationality

adjective

Zimbabwean

noun

Zimbabwean(s)

Natural hazards

recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population

note

there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2003 est.)

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Population

12,576,742

note

estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

0.83% (2003 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

3.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

430 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002)

total

17

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

413 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 197

under 914 m

212 (2002) Military Zimbabwe

Budget

expenditures

$2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

revenues

$2.5 billion

Currency

Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

Currency code

ZWD

Debt - external

$3.9 billion (2002 est.)

Disputes - international

dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge

Distribution of family income - Gini index

50.1 (1995)

Economic aid - recipient

$178 million (2000 est.)

Economy - overview

The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999, to 60% in 2000, to over 100% by yearend 2001, to 228% in early 2003. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has nearly destroyed the commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs.

Electricity - consumption

9.813 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

3.55 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

6.735 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

47%

hydro

53%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Exchange rates

Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 55 (2002), 55.05 (2001), 44.42 (2000), 38.3 (1999), 23.68 (1998)

Exports

$1.57 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

Exports - partners

China 6%, South Africa 5.7%, Germany 5.4%, UK 4.8%, Japan 4.7%, Netherlands 4.4%, US 4.1% (2002)

Fiscal year

1 January - 31 December Communications Zimbabwe

GDP

purchasing power parity - $26.07 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

18%

industry

24%

services

58% (2001)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-13% (2002 est.)

Highways

paved

8,692 km

total

18,338 km

unpaved

9,646 km (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

40.42% (1995)

lowest 10%

1.97%

Illicit drugs

transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$1.739 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners

South Africa 47.7%, Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5.7%, Mozambique 5.3% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

-3.1% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

134.5% (2002 est.)

Internet country code

.zw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

6 (2000)

Internet users

100,000 (2002) Transportation Zimbabwe

Labor force

5.8 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Military branches

Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$625.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.2% (FY02) Transnational Issues Zimbabwe

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

3,236,042 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

2,003,572 (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

refined products 261 km (2003)

Population below poverty line

70% (2002 est.)

Ports and harbors

Binga, Kariba

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

1.14 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified)

note

includes the 318 km Bulawayo-Beitbridge Railway Company line (2002)

total

3,077 km

Telephone system

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

general assessment

system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)

Telephones - main lines in use

212,000 (in addition, there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

111,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations

16 (1997)

Televisions

370,000 (1997)

Unemployment rate

70% (2002 est.)

Waterways

chrome ore is transported from Harare - by way of the Mazoe River - to the Zambezi River in Mozambique