Zimbabwe

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 (2007)

.zw

30,615 (2012) country comparison to the world: 108

1.423 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 84

general assessment: 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, 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 international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; 2 international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru) (2010)

301,600 (2012) country comparison to the world: 117

12.614 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 69

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

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA (2013 est.)

NA% of GDP

7.17% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 975% (31 December 2007)

28% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 30% (31 December 2012 est.)

-$576 million (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 -$416.5 million (2012 est.)

$8.445 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $8.765 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

50.1 (2006) country comparison to the world: 21 50.1 (1995)

Zimbabwe's economy is growing despite continuing political uncertainty. Following a decade of contraction from 1998 to 2008, Zimbabwe's economy recorded real growth of roughly 10% per year in 2010-11, before slowing in 2012-13 due poor harvests and low diamond revenues. The government of Zimbabwe faces a number of difficult economic problems, including infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies, ongoing indigenization pressure, policy uncertainty, a large external debt burden, and insufficient formal employment. Until early 2009, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe routinely printed money to fund the budget deficit, causing hyperinflation. Dollarization in early 2009 - which allowed currencies such as the Botswana pula, the South Africa rand, and the US dollar to be used locally - ended hyperinflation and reduced inflation below 10% per year, but exposed structural weaknesses that continue to inhibit broad-based growth.

Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar - 234.25 (2010) 234.25 (2009) 9,686.8 (2007) note: the dollar was adopted as a legal currency in 2009; since then the Zimbabwean dollar has experienced hyperinflation and is essentially worthless

$3.144 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $3.314 billion (2012 est.)

platinum, cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

China 21.1%, South Africa 15.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 12.1%, Botswana 10.8%, Italy 4.6% (2012)

calendar year

$10.48 billion (2013 est.)

$7.496 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 $7.265 billion (2012 est.) $6.957 billion (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars

household consumption: 68.5% government consumption: 30.4% investment in fixed capital: 22.2% exports of goods and services: 68.4% imports of goods and services: -89.4% (2013 est.)

agriculture: 20.1% industry: 25.4% services: 54.5% (2013 est.)

$600 (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 227 $600 (2012 est.) $500 (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars

3.2% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 4.4% (2012 est.) 10.6% (2011 est.)

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 40.4% (1995)

$4.571 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $4.569 billion (2012 est.)

machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels, food products

South Africa 51.9%, China 10% (2012)

3.7% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

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

8.5% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 199 8.2% (2012 est.)

3.939 million (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

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

$NA (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $10.9 billion (31 December 2011) $11.48 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

68% (2004)

202.4% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 244.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

$437 million (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 $575.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)

$22.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $47.61 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$NA

$NA

$14.06 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $9.844 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$23.03 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $12.27 billion (31 December 2012 est.) note: Zimbabwe's central bank no longer publishes data on monetary aggregates, except for bank deposits, which amounted to $2.1 billion in November 2010; the Zimbabwe dollar stopped circulating in early 2009; since then, the US dollar and South African rand have been the most frequently used currencies; there are no reliable estimates of the amount of foreign currency circulating in Zimbabwe

NA% of GDP

95% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 203 80% (2005 est.) note: figures include unemployment and underemployment; true unemployment is unknown and, under current economic conditions, unknowable

8.875 million Mt (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

120 bbl/day (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

12.57 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

56 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

66.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

33.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

5.338 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

2.035 million kW (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

7.808 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

19,030 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

13,290 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

total: 390,757 sq km country comparison to the world: 61 land: 386,847 sq km water: 3,910 sq km

slightly larger than Montana

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

0 km (landlocked)

lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

total: 4.21 cu km/yr (14%/7%/79%) per capita: 333.5 cu m/yr (2002)

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)

1,735 sq km (2003)

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

arable land: 10.49% permanent crops: 0.31% other: 89.2% (2011)

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

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

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

20 cu km (2011)

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

name: Harare geographic coordinates: 17 49 S, 31 02 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

previous 1979; latest approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013 (2013)

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

chief of mission: Ambassador David Bruce WHARTON (since 15 November 2012) embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 through 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796-488, or 722-618

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Richard CHIBUWE (since April 2014) chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joice MUJURU (since 6 December 2004) head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987) note - according to the new constitution, following the 31 July 2013 presidential elections the position of Prime Minister was abolished cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) 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 for a five-year term (no term limits); elections last held on 31 July 2013 (next to be held in 2018); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 61.1%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 34.4%, Welshman NCUBE 2.7% other 1.8%; note - the election process was considered flawed and roundly criticised by election monitors and international bodies; both the AU and the SADC endoresed the results of the election with some concerns

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 represents agriculture, yellow mineral wealth, red the blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people

parliamentary democracy

18 April 1980 (from the UK)

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

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

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 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 subordinate courts: High Court, regional magistrate courts, and special courts

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

bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (80 seats - 60 members elected by popular vote for a five-year term, 18 traditional chiefs elected by the Council of Chiefs and 2 seats reserved for people with disabilities) and a House of Assembly (270 seats - members elected by popular vote for five-year terms and 60 seats reserved for women who are identified by their parties and nominated by proportional representation) elections: last held on 31 July 2013 (next to be held in 2018) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 37 MD-T 21, MDC-N 2, chiefs 18, people with disabilities 2; House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 197, MDC-T 70, MDC-N 2, independent 1

name: "Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe" [Northern Ndebele language] "Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe" [Shona] (Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe) lyrics/music: Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA note: adopted 1994

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Zimbabwe bird symbol, African fish eagle, flame lily

African National Party or ANP [Egypt DZINEMUNHENZVA] Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai or MDC-T [Morgan TSVANGIRAI] Movement for Democratic Change - Ncube or MDC-N [Welshman NCUBE] Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA] United People's Party or UPP [Daniel SHUMBA] 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 [Dumiso DABENGWA] Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU] Women of Zimbabwe Arise or WOZA [Jenni WILLIAMS] Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Wellington CHIBEBE]

18 years of age; universal

The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] 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, which began in 1997 and intensified after 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. In April 2005, the capital city of Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition. President MUGABE in June 2007 instituted price controls on all basic commodities causing panic buying and leaving store shelves empty for months; a period of increasing hyperinflation ensued. General elections held in March 2008 contained irregularities but still amounted to a censure of the ZANU-PF-led government with the opposition winning a majority of seats in parliament. MDC-T opposition leader Morgan TSVANGIRAI won the most votes in the presidential polls, but not enough to win outright. In the lead up to a run-off election in late June 2008, considerable violence enacted against opposition party members led to the withdrawal of TSVANGIRAI from the ballot. Extensive evidence of violence and intimidation resulted in international condemnation of the process. Difficult negotiations over a power-sharing "government of national unity," in which MUGABE remained president and TSVANGIRAI became prime minister, were finally settled in February 2009, although the leaders failed to agree upon many key outstanding governmental issues. MUGABE was reelected president in June 2013 in balloting that was severely flawed and internationally condemned. As a prerequisite to holding the elections, Zimbabwe enacted a new constitution by referendum, although many provisions in the new constitution have yet to be codified in law.

males age 16-49: 2,616,051 females age 16-49: 2,868,376 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49: 1,528,166 females age 16-49: 1,646,041 (2010 est.)

male: 154,870 female: 152,550 (2010 est.)

Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) (2012)

2.94% of GDP (2012) country comparison to the world: 21 2.05% of GDP (2011) 2.94% of GDP (2010)

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women are eligible to serve (2012)

0-14 years: 38.4% (male 2,670,642/female 2,615,440) 15-24 years: 22.1% (male 1,527,964/female 1,520,255) 25-54 years: 32.3% (male 2,298,355/female 2,153,659) 55-64 years: 3.6% (male 180,554/female 318,410) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 193,385/female 293,057) (2014 est.)

32.47 births/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

10.1% (2011) country comparison to the world: 69

58.5% (2010/11)

10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

total dependency ratio: 74.8 % youth dependency ratio: 68.1 % elderly dependency ratio: 6.7 % potential support ratio: 14.9 (2014 est.)

improved: urban: 97.3% of population rural: 68.7% of population total: 79.9% of population unimproved: urban: 2.7% of population rural: 31.3% of population total: 20.1% of population (2012 est.)

2.5% of GDP (2010) country comparison to the world: 155

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

14.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

39,500 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

1,368,100 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)

total: 26.55 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 70 male: 28.88 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)

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

total population: 55.68 years country comparison to the world: 204 male: 55.4 years female: 55.97 years (2014 est.)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 83.6% male: 87.8% female: 80.1% (2011 est.)

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

HARARE (capital) 1.542 million (2011)

570 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 15

total: 20.2 years male: 19.9 years female: 20.4 years (2014 est.)

20.5 note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2010-11 est.)

noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean

21.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 3 note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2014 est.)

7% (2008) country comparison to the world: 143

0.06 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

13,771,721 country comparison to the world: 72 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2014 est.)

4.36% (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

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

improved: urban: 51.6% of population rural: 32.4% of population total: 39.9% of population unimproved: urban: 48.4% of population rural: 67.6% of population total: 60.1% of population (2012 est.)

total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2003)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

3.56 children born/woman (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

total: 7.6% country comparison to the world: 125 male: 7.6% female: 7.6% (2004)

urban population: 38.6% of total population (2011) rate of urbanization: 3.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

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

IDPs: (political violence, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2013)

current situation: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Zimbabwean women and girls from towns bordering South Africa, Mozambique, and Zambia are subjected to prostitution, sometimes being sold by their parents; Zimbabwean men, women, and children are subjected to forced labor in agriculture and domestic service in rural areas, as well as domestic servitude and sex trafficking in cities and towns; Zimbabwean women and men are lured into exploitative labor situations in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Nigeria, and South Africa with false job offers, while women and girls are lured to China, Egypt, the UK, and Canada and forced into prostitution; adults and children from Bangladesh, Somalia, India, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia are trafficked through Zimbabwe en route to South Africa tier rating: Tier 3 - Zimbabwe does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; tangible efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking offenses, including those allegedly involving government officials, and to protect victims remain minimal; the government continues to rely on an international organization to provide law enforcement training and on NGOs to identify and assist victims without government support for such work; a national trafficking awareness campaign was launched in November 2012 (2013)

196 (2013) country comparison to the world: 29

total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2013)

total: 179 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 104 under 914 m: 72 (2013)

refined products 270 km (2013)

river port(s): Binga, Kariba (Zambezi)

total: 3,427 km country comparison to the world: 51 narrow gauge: 3,427 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2008)

total: 97,267 km country comparison to the world: 47 paved: 18,481 km unpaved: 78,786 km (2002)

(some navigation possible on Lake Kariba) (2011)