An Introduction to Zimbabwe
The Republic of Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Modern Zimbabwe's history began in the late 19th Century with the arrival of the British and Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company. Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British Colony in 1923. In 1965 the ruling Rhodesian Front, led by Ian Smith, issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence, effectively refusing to be associated with the British plan that the country should become a multi-racial democracy. See full country profile.Latest Research News from Africa
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GOVERNMENT: Semi-presidential/semi-parliamentary democracy
AREA: 390,757 sq km
POPULATION: 12,084,304 (July 2011 est.)
MAJOR LANGUAGE: English, Shona, Ndebele
Some business and general info
The Market Research Industry
Trade and Industry in Zimbabwe
Legend has it that the water stains red when he swims past. However the river god has been in hiding since white men arrived in the country.
He is thought to live under a large rock close to the present day Kariba dam wall. The few tribesmen who ventured near him in the past were sucked down with their canoes in the whirlpools and never seen again. They called the rock Kariwa, the 'trap' and hence the name of the lake: Kariba.
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The Republic of Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Modern Zimbabwe's history began in the late 19th Century with the arrival of the British and Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company. Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British Colony in 1923. In 1965 the ruling Rhodesian Front, led by Ian Smith, issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence, effectively refusing to be associated with the British plan that the country should become a multi-racial democracy.
The Smith government was immediately at war with Joshua Nkomo's ZAPU and Robert Mugabe's ZANU. In March 1978 Smith capitulated, and elections were held in April 1979. The United African National Council (UANC) party won a majority in this election and the country became Zimbabwe Rhodesia, but the following year Mugabe and his ZANU won a landslide victory. He has been in power ever since, becoming a de facto dictator, although since a power sharing deal in 2008 erstwhile opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is now Prime Minister. Mugabe retains control of the nation's army.
Although the country has a terrible record on human rights and AIDS is rampant, the IMF describes the Zimbabwean economy as completing its second year of buoyant economic growth.
GDP: $4.273 billion '2010 est.) - $400 per capita
Religions Syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
Currency: None - The currency is suspended due to hyperinflation. US Dollars, SA Rands, Botswana Pulas, Pounds Sterling and Euros are now used instead.
Telephone Code: +263
Mineral exports, agriculture, and tourism are the main foreign currency earners. The mining sector remains very lucrative, with some of the world's largest platinum reserves. The Marange diamond fields, discovered in 2006, are considered the biggest diamond find in over a century. They have the potential to improve the fiscal situation of the country considerably, however almost all revenues from the field have disappeared in to the pockets of army officers and ZANU-PF politicians.
Zimbabwe maintained positive economic growth throughout the 1980s, but from 2000 on the economy slumped. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998, to an official estimated high of 11,200,000% in August 2008 according to the country's Central Statistical Office. This represented a state of hyperinflation, and the central bank introduced a new 100 billion dollar note. As of November 2008, unofficial figures put Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate at 516 quintillion per cent, with prices doubling every 1.3 days.
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