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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $236 million, 3.4% of GDP (FY95/96)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 2,629,880 males fit for military service: 1,632,391 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 8, FM 18, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

890,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, and radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

301,000 (1990 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

8 (1986 est.)

Televisions [time series]

280,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.7 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $253 million (FY92/93)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Zimbabwean dollar (Z$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $362 million (1993)

Economic overview [time series]

Agriculture employs 70% of the labor force of this landlocked nation and supplies almost 40% of exports. Mining accounts for only 5% of both GDP and employment, but minerals and metals account for about 40% of exports. Severe drought caused GDP to drop 8% in 1992, with growth rebounding to 2% in 1993 and 4.5% in 1994, only to drop by 2.4% in 1995. The government is continuing to push its IMF/World Bank structural adjustment program aimed at encouraging exports and foreign investment. Officials face the difficult task of restraining expenditures in their effort to keep inflation within bounds.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 2,040,000 kW production: 9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 913 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Zimbabwean dollars (Z$) per US$1 -9.3633 (January 1996), 8.6580 (1995), 8.1500 (1994), 6.4725 (1993), 5.0942 (1992), 3.4282 (1991)

Exports [time series]

$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: agricultural 35% (tobacco 30%, other 5%), manufactures 25%, gold 12%, ferrochrome 10%, textiles 8% (1992) partners: UK 14%, Germany 11%, South Africa 10%, Japan 7%, US 5% (1991)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$4.4 billion (1994)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $18.1 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 18.3% industry: 35.3% services: 46.4% (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$1,620 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

-2.4% (1995)

Imports [time series]

$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 41%, other manufactures 23%, chemicals 16%, fuels 12% (1991) partners: South Africa 25%, UK 15%, Germany 9%, US 6%, Japan 5% (1991)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

10% (1994)

Industries [time series]

mining, steel, clothing and footwear, chemicals, foodstuffs, fertilizer, beverage, transportation equipment, wood products

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

25.8% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

4.228 million (1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture 70%, transport and services 22%, industry 8%

Unemployment rate [time series]

at least 45% (1994 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 390,580 sq km land area: 386,670 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Montana

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic coordinates [time series]

20 00 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

landlocked

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia is in disagreement

Irrigated land [time series]

2,250 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 7% permanent crops: NEGL (coffee) meadows and pastures: 13% forest and woodland: 49% other: 31%

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, northeast of Botswana

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east lowest point: junction of the Lundi and Savi rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Harare

Constitution [time series]

21 December 1979

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Amos Bernard Muvengwa MIDZI chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987) was nominated by the House of Assembly (if more than one nomination, electoral college of members of the House of Assembly elect the president); election last held 26-27 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); results - Robert MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%; Co-Vice President Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice President Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990) was appointed by the president cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president; responsible to Parliament

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 483-9326

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[263] (4) 796488

Flag [time series]

seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle edged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle

Independence [time series]

18 April 1980 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Legislative branch (Parliament) [time series]

elections last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held NA March 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (150 total, 120 elected) ZANU-PF 118, ZANU-Ndonga 2

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), Robert MUGABE; Zimbabwe African National Union-NDONGA (ZANU-NDONGA), Ndabaningi SITHOLE; Zimbabwe Unity Movement (ZUM), Edgar TEKERE; Democratic Party (DP), Emmanuel MAGOCHE; Forum Party of Zimbabwe, Enock DUMBUTSHENA; United Parties, Abel MUZOREWA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 794521

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 44% (male 2,513,606; female 2,481,478) 15-64 years: 53% (male 2,935,188; female 3,030,270) 65 years and over: 3% (male 152,244; female 158,528) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

32.34 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

18.2 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

72.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 41.85 years male: 41.91 years female: 41.78 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write in English (1995 est.) total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean

Net migration rate [time series]

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment

Population [time series]

11,271,314 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.41% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.09 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 403 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 3 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 6 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 8 with paved runways under 914 m: 185 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 198 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 91,078 km paved: 14,572 km unpaved: 76,506 km (1992 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

petroleum products 212 km

Ports [time series]

Binga, Kariba

Railways [time series]

total: 2,759 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,759 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double track) (1995 est.)

Waterways [time series]

Lake Kariba is a potential line of communication