Geography
Area: 390,580 sq. km. (150,760 sq. mi.), slightly larger than
Montana.
Cities: Capital--Harare (pronounced Ha-RAR-e), pop. 1.5
million. Other towns--Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, Mutare, Gweru,
Kwekwe, Masvingo, Marondera.
Terrain: Desert and savanna.
Climate: Mostly subtropical.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Zimbabwean (sing.),
Zimbabweans (pl.).
Population (2003 est.): 12.5 million.
Annual growth rate (2003 est.): 0.83%. (Note: the population growth
rate is depressed by an HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate estimated to
be nearly 25% and a high level of net emigration.)
Ethnic groups: Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other African 11%, white 1%,
mixed and Asian 1%.
Religions: Christianity 75%, offshoot Christian sects, animist, and
Muslim.
Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele.
Education: Attendance--mandatory for primary level.
Adult literacy--76% (2003 est.).
Health: Infant mortality rate--66/1,000 (2003 est.).
Life expectancy--men 40 (2003 est.), women 38 (2003 est.)
Work force (2003 est.): 1.33 million in formal sector.
Government
Type: Parliamentary.
Constitution: December 21, 1979.
Independence: April 18, 1980.
Branches: Executive--President (chief of state and head of
government), Cabinet. Legislative--In the 150-seat House of
Assembly, 120 seats are popularly elected and 30 are directly
appointed by the president or selected through a process strongly
influenced by him. Judicial--High Court, Court of Appeal,
local and customary courts.
Administrative subdivisions: Town Councils and District Councils.
Main political parties: Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic
Front (ZANU-PF); Movement for Democratic Change (MDC); National
Alliance for Good Governance (NAGG), Zimbabwe African People's Union
(ZAPU), Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga (ZANU-Ndonga).
Economy
GDP (2003 est.): U.S. $3.6 billion.
Growth rate (2004 est.): -5%.
Per capita GDP (2003 est.): U.S. $327.
Avg. inflation rate: 252% (year-to-year, Sept. 2004).
Natural resources: Deposits of more than 40 minerals including
ferrochrome, gold, silver, platinum, copper, asbestos; 19 million
hectares of forest (2000).
Agriculture (20% of GDP): Types of crops and livestock--corn,
cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, tea, sugarcane, peanuts, cattle,
sheep, goats, pigs.
Industry: Manufacturing (25% of GDP), public administration (9% of
GDP), commerce (9% of GDP), mining (8% of GDP), transport and
communication (6% of GDP).
Trade (2003): U.S. exports--U.S. $42 million. U.S.
imports--U.S. $67 million. Partners (2000 est.)--South
Africa 22%, U.K. 10%, Germany 9%, U.S. 8%. Total imports--U.S.
$1,886 million: most of these imports were construction and
agricultural machinery, transportation equipment, data processing
equipment and software, industrial machinery, pharmaceuticals,
fertilizers, and general manufactured products. Major suppliers--South
Africa 34%, U.K. 10.8%, Germany 7.3%, U.S. 6%.
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