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Zimbabwe
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: 11.39 million.
Annual population growth rate (2005-2010 UN est.): 0.3%.
(Note: the population growth rate is depressed by an HIV/AIDS
adult prevalence rate estimated to be 15.3% and a high level
of emigration.)
Religions: Christianity 75%, offshoot Christian sects, animist,
and Muslim.
Languages: English (official), Shona, Ndebele.
Education: Attendance--mandatory for primary level. Adult
literacy--91%
Health: Infant mortality rate--62/1,000.
Life expectancy--44 years
Government
Type: Parliamentary.
Constitution: December 21, 1979.
Independence: April 18, 1980.
Main political parties: Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic
Front (ZANU-PF); Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai
(MDC-T); Movement for Democratic Change - Mutambara (MDC-M);
Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU).
Economy
GDP (2009 IMF est.): U.S. $4.4 billion.
Real GDP growth rate (2009 IMF est.): 4.01%.
GDP per capita (2009 IMF est., U.S. dollars, current prices):
$375.
Avg. inflation rate (2009 IMF estimate): 8.9%.
Natural resources: Deposits of more than 40 minerals including
diamonds, ferrochrome, gold, silver, platinum, copper, asbestos,
nickel, graphite, coal, lithium, palladium, vermiculite; 19
million hectares of forest (2000).
Agriculture (19% of GDP): Types of crops and livestock--corn,
cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, tea, sugarcane, peanuts, cattle,
sheep, goats, pigs.
Industry (24% of GDP): Manufacturing, public administration,
commerce, mining, transport and communication.
Trade (2009): U.S. exports--U.S. $85.5 million. U.S. imports--U.S.
$22.1 million. Partners (2008 est.)--South Africa 32%, Democratic
Republic of the Congo 10%, Botswana 9%, China 6%, Zambia 5%,
U.S. 4%. Total imports (2009)--U.S. $2.03 billion: most of
these imports were food, machinery, fertilizers, and general
manufactured products. Major suppliers--South Africa 60%,
China 4%, Botswana 4%.
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