Zimbabwe Information Guide & Facts

Area: 390,757 sq km (150,872 sq mi)
Population: 11.6 million (2002 census provided results)
Capital City: Harare (population: 1.1 million)
People: Shona (70%), Ndebele (20%), Others (10%)
Languages: English (official language), Shona, Ndebele
Religion(s): Christian (various); indigenous; small
Hindu/Muslim/Jewish communities
Currency: Zimbabwe dollar

GEOGRAPHY

Zimbabwe is three times the size of England. The country is completely land-locked, occupying the high plateau between the Zambezi River to the north and the Limpopo to the south, with a mountainous region in the east. Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana border Zimbabwe (clockwise from the north).

HISTORY

Recent History

The 1965 Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) by Ian Smith's Rhodesian Front Government led to international economic sanctions and years of guerrilla war. After the failure of the 1978 'internal settlement' nominally headed by Bishop Muzorewa, the British Government called a constitutional conference at Lancaster House in 1979. The conference resulted in an agreement to grant Rhodesia its independence. Christopher Soames arrived in Salisbury in December 1979 to establish an interim UK administration to supervise the ceasefire and parliamentary elections. Mr Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic Front) - or ZANU (PF) - won 57 of the 80 seats reserved for black candidates under the new constitution. This brought to an end the guerrilla war and 15 years of international isolation. In April 1980, Zimbabwe achieved independence, the last of Britain's African colonies to do so.

The Zimbabwe Government later changed the original 'Westminster-style' constitution that came into effect at independence. The most significant changes have been the abolition of the Senate to create a single chamber Assembly, and the replacement of the non-executive Head of State by an Executive President (to which position President Mugabe was first elected on 30 December 1987).

The early 1980s were marked by tension between the Government and supporters of Joshua Nkomo's PF-ZAPU party, based around the Ndebele people of Matabeleland. Thousands of Ndebele were killed in a Government crack-down, creating serious antagonisms which remain to this day. In 1986 moves began to effect a reconciliation between PF-ZAPU and President Mugabe's governing ZANU(PF) party. This culminated in unification of the two parties in 1987, but ZAPU was effectively absorbed by ZANU(PF).

ECONOMY

Basic economic facts

GDP: US$ 28,265,000,000
GDP per head: US$ 735
Annual Growth: -8% in 2001, forecast –12% in 2002, a 25% contraction since 2000
Inflation: 228% (March 2002)
Major Industries: agriculture, mining, some residual tourism
Major trading partners: South Africa, UK, EU
Exchange rate: £1 = Z$ 85 (official rate), £1 = Z$ 2200 (parallel rate)