Results for Zimbabwe
On this page:
 
Dictionary:

Zimbabwe2

  (zĭm-bäb'wē, -wā) pronunciation
Zimbabwe<sup>2</sup>
(Click to enlarge)
Zimbabwe2
(Mapping Specialists, Ltd.)

A country of southern Africa. Various Bantu peoples migrated into the area during the first millennium, displacing the earlier San inhabitants. European colonization began in 1889 under the British South Africa Company founded by Cecil Rhodes, and in 1923 it became the self-governing British colony of Southern Rhodesia (often just Rhodesia), which formed part of the colonial federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1953 to 1963. Rhodesia declared itself independent in 1965, although independence was not formally granted by Great Britain until 1980. Harare is the capital and the largest city. Population: 12,300,000.

Zimbabwean Zim·bab'we·an adj. & n.

 

 
 
Investment Dictionary: ZWD

In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the Zibabwe Dollar.

Investopedia Says:
The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion.


 
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Zimbabwe

Landlocked country, southern Africa. Area: 150,872 sq mi (390,757 sq km). Population (2005 est.): 12,161,000. Capital: Harare. The Shona make up about two-thirds of the population; most of the rest are Ndebele, Chewa, and people of European ancestry. Languages: English (official); Bantu languages of the Shona and Ndebele are much more widely spoken. Religions: Christianity (other [mostly independent] Christians, Protestant, Roman Catholic), traditional beliefs. Currency: Zimbabwe dollar. A broad ridge running southwest-northeast, reaching elevations of 4,000 – 5,000 ft (1,200 – 1,500 m), dominates Zimbabwe's landscape. The Zambezi River forms the country's northwestern boundary and contains Victoria Falls as well as the Kariba Dam (completed 1959); Lake Kariba, created by the dam, covers some 2,000 sq mi (5,200 sq km). The Limpopo and Save river basins are in the southeast. Agricultural products, livestock, and mineral reserves, including gold, are all economically important. Zimbabwe is a republic with one legislative house; its head of state and government is the president. Remains of Stone Age cultures dating to 500,000 years ago have been found in the area. The first Bantu-speaking peoples reached it during the 5th – 10th centuries AD, driving the San inhabitants into the desert. A second migration of Bantu speakers began c. 1830. During that period the British and Afrikaners moved up from the south, and the area came under the administration of the British South Africa Company (1889 – 1923). Called Southern Rhodesia (1911 – 64), it became a self-governing British colony in 1923. The colony united in 1953 with Nyasaland (Malawi) and Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) to form the Central African Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The federation dissolved in 1963, and Southern Rhodesia reverted to its former colonial status. In 1965 it issued a unilateral declaration of independence considered illegal by the British government, which led to economic sanctions against it. The country, which proclaimed itself a republic in 1970, called itself Rhodesia from 1964 to 1979. In 1979 it instituted limited majority rule and changed its name to Zimbabwe Rhodesia. It was granted independence by Britain in 1980 and became Zimbabwe. A multiparty system was established in 1990. Since 2000 tension has increased between European farmers and government leaders as the government has pursued a program of confiscating farms.

For more information on Zimbabwe, visit Britannica.com.

 
Columbia Encyclopedia: Zimbabwe
(zim'bäbwā) , formerly Rhodesia, officially Republic of Zimbabwe, republic (2005 est. pop. 12,747,000), 150,803 sq mi (390,580 sq km), S central Africa. It is bordered on the north by Zambia, on the northeast and east by Mozambique, on the south by South Africa, and on the southwest and west by Botswana. Harare (formerly Salisbury) is the capital and largest city.

Land and People

The terrain is mainly a plateau of four regions. The high veld, above 4,000 ft (1,219 m), crosses the country from southwest to northeast. On each side of it lies the middle veld, 3,000 to 4,000 ft (914–1,219 m) high, and beyond it the low veld, at elevations below 3,000 ft (914 m). The fourth region, the Eastern Highlands, is a narrow, mountainous belt along the Mozambique border, where the highest point in Zimbabwe, Mt. Inyangani (8,503 ft/2,592 m), stands. Zimbabwe has an extensive national park system, including Hwange and Victoria Falls, both in the west. Rainfall varies from about 70 in. (178 cm) in the Highlands to less than 25 in. (64 cm) in the south. In addition to Harare, other cities include Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, Gweru, and Mutare.

Some 82% of the population belong to the Shona ethnic group, while 14% are Ndebele. There are small minorities of mixed and Asian descent. Since independence in 1980, the European population of Zimbabwe has fallen to under 100,000. Zimbabwe's official language is English, with Shona and Ndebele being the predominant African languages. About half the population practices a blend of Christian and indigenous religions; the balance of the people are split nearly evenly between the two.

Economy

Zimbabwe's economy is basically agricultural. The formerly strong commercial farming sector was thrown into disarray with the expropriation of white-owned farms that began in 2000, and the replacement of large efficient farms with smaller ones worked by inexperienced farmers. Formerly an exporter of foodstuffs, Zimbabwe now must import grains. Corn is the chief food source, and cotton and tobacco the principal cash crops. Other products include wheat, coffee, sugarcane, and peanuts. There are also tea plantations in the country; dairying is important in the high veld. Sheep, goats and pigs are raised.

Forests in SE Zimbabwe yield valuable hardwoods, including teak and mahogany. The country is endowed with a wide variety of mineral resources, and there is extensive mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, chromium ore, and iron ore). Among Zimbabwe's industrial products are steel, wood products, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, and beverages. Most of Zimbabwe's power is generated by a hydroelectric station at Kariba Dam on the Zambezi River.

The country has good road and rail networks and domestic and international air service. The main exports are cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles, and clothing. Imports include machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, and fuels. South Africa is by far the largest trading partner, followed by China, Japan, and Zambia.

Government

Zimbabwe is governed under the 1979 constitution as amended. The president, who is both head of state and head of government, is popularly elected for a six-year term; there are no term limits. There is a bicameral Parliament. The 66-seat Senate, which was reestablished in 2005, has 50 elected members, six members appointed by the president, and 10 members elected by tribal chiefs. The 150-seat House of Assembly includes 120 members who are elected, 12 members appointed by the president, 10 traditional chiefs, and eight provincial governors (who are also appointed by the president). Administratively, Zimbabwe is divided into eight provinces and two cities (Bulawayo and Harare) with provincial status.

History

Early History to British Control

There are a number of Iron Age sites in Zimbabwe, with artifacts dating from c.A.D. 180. These early cultures were supplanted by Bantu-speaking peoples, who migrated into the area after the 5th cent. The ruins at Zimbabwe date from the 12th to the 15th cent. In the early 16th cent., the Portuguese made contact with Shona-dominated states and developed a trade in gold and other items. During the 1830s, the Shona-speaking people were subjected to Ndebele invaders, who forced them to pay tribute. British and Boer traders and hunters moved into the area, and the London Missionary Society established a mission to the Ndebele in 1861.

In 1889 the British South Africa Company, organized by Cecil Rhodes, obtained a charter to promote commerce and colonization in the region. Leander Starr Jameson, an associate of Rhodes, led a column of South African and British pioneers deep into the interior, where they founded (1890) Fort Salisbury. Fighting in 1893 resulted in the defeat of the Ndebele and the takeover of their territory by Rhodes's company. Both the Ndebele and the Shona staged unsuccessful revolts against the British in 1896–97. The settlers pressed the company for political rights, and in 1914 the British government renewed the company's charter on the condition that self-government be granted to the settlers by 1924.

Rhodesia, Independence, and White Supremacy

In late 1922, settlers voted in a referendum to reject proposals for incorporation into the Union of South Africa, electing instead to make Rhodesia a self-governing colony under the British Crown—a status that became effective on Sept. 12, 1923. In 1953, Southern Rhodesia became a member of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (see Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of), despite African objections to a European-dominated federal structure.

In the early 1960s, a new constitution was adopted that provided for limited African political participation; however, the Africans remained unappeased. In 1963 the federation broke up as African majority governments assumed control in Northern Rhodesia and in Nyasaland (renamed Zambia and Malawi respectively). After the federation's demise, conservative trends hardened in Southern Rhodesia (which now became known simply as Rhodesia).

The government of staunch conservative Ian Smith, who had become Rhodesian prime minister in 1964, proclaimed a unilateral declaration of independence on Nov. 11, 1965. Britain called the proclamation an act of rebellion but refused to reestablish control by force. When negotiations in 1966 failed to produce an agreement, Britain requested UN economic sanctions against Rhodesia. In 1969, Rhodesia voted to become a republic as of Mar. 2, 1970. In 1971, Britain and Rhodesia reached an accord that provided for gradually increased African political participation, but without any guarantee of eventual black majority rule. However, after a British commission's hearings revealed widespread African opposition to the terms, Britain refused to recognize Rhodesian independence on the basis of the accord.

Nationalist Struggles

Two nationalist organizations, the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) led by Robert Mugabe and the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) led by Joshua Nkomo, operating from bases in Mozambique and Zambia, respectively, carried out guerrilla warfare campaigns against the white government throughout the 1970s. Smith appealed to right-wing politicians in the United States and Britain in a failed attempt to gain recognition for his government. In 1978, an “internal settlement” negotiated among Smith and three black leaders led to an interim coalition government. In 1979, a white-only referendum approved a new constitution and renamed the country Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. Bishop Abel T. Muzorewa's coalition, the United African National Council, won the parliamentary elections. However, Muzorewa soon lost credibility as he sought aid from South Africa.

Self-Rule in Zimbabwe

Later in 1979, under pressure from Britain, an agreement was reached to provide for a legally independent, democratically governed Zimbabwe. A new constitution was established, and a cease-fire was implemented; Britain agreed to finance a voluntary land-redistribution program. The country reverted to British colonial rule until the transition to self-rule was complete. In the elections of Apr., 1980, Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF (Patriotic Front) party won by a comfortable margin, and he became prime minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe when independence was achieved on Apr. 18, 1980. Over 25,000 people had been killed in the struggle for independence.

In 1982, Mugabe ousted Nkomo from his cabinet and launched a campaign against supposed dissidents in the Matabeleland region, which was a stronghold of ZAPU support. Political repression, human-rights abuses, mass murders, and property burnings followed during a five-year campaign. A peace accord was finally negotiated in 1987, resulting in ZAPU's merger (1988) into the ZANU-PF and Nkomo's return to the government.

Mugabe was elected president in 1987 and reelected in 1990 and 1996. Once committed to Marxist principles, the ZANU-PF officially abandoned Marxism and with it controversial plans for a one-party state in 1991. A 1992 Land Acquisition Act intended to facilitate the redistribution of farmland from whites, who owned 70% of the land, to black farmers provoked strong protest from the white-dominated Commercial Farmers Union; implementation was also impeded by lack of government funds. In the multiparty parliamentary elections of 1995, which were boycotted by some parties, ZANU-PF won nearly all the seats against a weak and fragmented opposition.

In the 1990s, Mugabe's government was faced with high rates of inflation and unemployment, which continued into the next century. In addition, by 1997 one quarter of the population of Zimbabwe had been infected by HIV, the AIDS virus. The government's dispatch of troops in support of the Kabila regime in the Congo (Kinshasa) placed an added burden on national finances beginning in 1998. By the end of the 1990s, some two thirds to three quarters of the population was living in poverty. In the June, 2000, parliamentary elections, a new opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), won 57 of the 120 elected seats with strong support from urban voters; ZANU-PF won 62 seats. The electoral setback ended the governing party's ability to unilaterally amend the constitution.

Land redistribution reemerged as a issue beginning in 1999. In 1998, Britain and other Western nations had agreed to help finance further land redistribution, but donors balked when Zimbabwe unilaterally announced an expansion of the land-reform program. A draft constitution that would have increased Mugabe's powers and permitted uncompensated seizure of white-owned farms was rejected in a Feb., 2000, referendum, but the government pressed forward with its land-redistribution agenda. The issue became increasingly divisive, as Mugabe exploited it for political gain and black squatters attacked white farmers. The constitution was amended to permit uncompensated seizure of farms, but the supreme court twice declared the government's land reform program illegal in part, rulings that Mugabe ignored. Mugabe supporters subsequently sought to intimidate the judiciary and succeeded in forcing the chief justice from office in Mar., 2001.

The government also pursued a policy of intimidating and harassing Mugabe's political opponents and the free press. The presidential election of Mar., 2002, in which Mugabe was reelected with 56% of the vote, was marred by violence and restrictions on the opposition and was widely criticized, although the Organization of African Unity termed the vote “free and fair.” Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was accused, prior to the election, of the plotting to kill Mugabe, and following the election he was tried but ultimately (Oct., 2004) acquitted. The Commonwealth of Nations suspended Zimbabwe for a year after the 2002 election.

Food shortages due to drought and the agricultural disruption caused by the seizure of white-owned farms led Mugabe to proclaim a state of disaster in April. In August the government ordered 2,900 white farmers to leave their farms, but more than half did not comply, and the police began arresting those who did not. By 2002 some 600 white farmers remained (out of a pre-redistribution total of 4,500; only 200 commercial farmers remained in 2005), mainly on smaller holdings. Political conditions remained unsettled in 2003, as opposition leaders called strikes in protest against Mugabe's rule and the government and its allies responded with arrests and small-scale violence. The economic situation was also bleak, with the country experiencing ongoing contraction and inflation that reached 600% in 2003.

In Jan., 2004, a banking scandal that involved corruption charges against a senior ZANU-PF official precipitated a run on several banks, and the following month Mugabe announced the establishment of an anticorruption ministry. A rift emerged in the ruling party in Jan., 2005, when a number of younger ZANU-PF officials were suspended after they opposed Mugabe's choice for second vice president. The dissension over the post, which is seen as a stepping-stone to the presidency, was regarded as a power struggle over who might succeed the president in 2008.

In the Mar., 2005, parliamentary elections ZANU-PF secured 78 seats, enough (with the 30 appointed by the president) to give it a two-thirds majority and the ability to unilaterally amend the constitution. The opposition MDC denounced the results as fraudulent, and accused the government of ballot stuffing based on large discrepancies between initial and final counts in rural districts. Most international observers also regarded the elections as unfair, although the Southern African Development Community endorsed the results. The country's economic situation remained difficult, and in May, 2005, the currency was devalved by 45%; Zimbabwe subsequently suffered from pronounced fuel shortages. In 2006, a government survey revealed that Zimbabwean living standards had dropped 150% from 1996 to 2005.

In May–July, 2005, the government began demolished illegal shantytowns and markets in Harare and other areas, displacing hundreds of thousands and further disrupting the economy. The move appeared intended to disperse Zimbabwe's urban poor, a group that has strongly supported Mugabe's opponents, The action was widely denounced as a violation of human rights and even provoked defections from the governing party.

In Sept., 2005, Mugabe signed constitutional amendments that reinstituted a national senate (abolished in 1987) and that nationalized all land, converting any ownership rights into leases. The amendments also ended the right of landowners to challenge government expropriation of land in the courts. Elections for the senate in November resulted in a victory for the government, but the MDC, which split over whether to field candidates, partially boycotted the vote, and the turnout was very low. The split in the MDC hardened into factions, each of which claimed control of the party. The early months of 2006 were marked by food shortages, which led to hyperinflation throughout the year; in Aug., 2006, the inflation forced the government to replace its existing currency with a revalued one. In Dec., 2006, ZANU-PF proposed the “harmonization” of the parliamentary and presidential election schedules in 2010; the move was seen by the opposition as an excuse to extend Mugabe's term as president until 2010.

Continuing economic problems led to a series of strikes in Zimbabwe in early 2007, but a nationwide general strike in April had a low level of participation. In March a number of opposition leaders, including MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, were severely beaten and arrested by the police. These acts provoked widespread international condemnation, but neighboring African leaders, meeting in Tanzania, did not publicly criticize Mugabe and called for removing international sanctions on Zimbabwe. At the same time, Mugabe's party chose him as its candidate for the 2008 presidential election.

Exploding hyperinflation—independently estimated at 9,000%—in June, 2007, led to government-ordered price cuts on basic goods, which had the effect of making those goods scarce. In September, Mugabe banned price and pay increases in a further unsuccessful attempt to control hyperinflation. The government also enacted a law requiring majority indigenous Zimbabwean ownership of all businesses, and moved to force the last white farmers off their land.

Bibliography

See L. H. Gann, A History of Southern Rhodesia: Early Days to 1934 (1969); G. Kay, Rhodesia: A Human Geography (1970); D. Martin and P. Johnson, The Struggle for Zimbabwe (1981); M. G. Schatzberg, ed., The Political Economy of Zimbabwe (1984); C. Stoneman and L. Cliffer, Zimbabwe (1988); J. Herbst, State Politics in Zimbabwe (1990).

 
Geography: Zimbabwe
(zim-bahb-way)

Landlocked republic in south-central Africa, bordered by Botswana to the west, Zambia to the north, Mozambique to the east, and South Africa to the south. Formerly called Rhodesia. Harare (formerly called Salisbury) is the capital and largest city.

  • A British colony from the end of the nineteenth century to 1965 and then (1965-1980) a renegade state ruled by a white minority, Zimbabwe became independent in 1980.

 
Dialing Code: Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe

The international dialing code for Zimbabwe is:   263


 
Local Time: Zimbabwe

Local Time: Jul 20, 2:31 PM

 
Currency: Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Dollar


 
Statistics: Zimbabwe
Click to enlarge

Introduction

Background: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 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. Opposition and labor strikes in 2003 were unsuccessful in pressuring MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their brutal repression of regime opponents. The ruling ZANU-PF party used fraud and intimidation to win a two-thirds majority in the March 2005 parliamentary election, allowing it to amend the constitution at will and recreate the Senate, which had been abolished in the late 1980s. In April 2005, 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, according to UN estimates. ZANU-PF announced in December 2006 that they would seek to extend MUGABE's term in office until 2010 when presidential and parliamentary elections would be "harmonized."

Geography

Location:Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Geographic coordinates:20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 390,580 sq km
land: 386,670 sq km
water: 3,910 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries:total: 3,066 km
border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain:mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Natural resources:coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use:arable land: 8.24%
permanent crops: 0.33%
other: 91.43% (2005)
Irrigated land:1,740 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Environment - current issues: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
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: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

People

Population:12,311,143
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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 37.2% (male 2,308,731/female 2,266,027)
15-64 years: 59.3% (male 3,663,108/female 3,641,519)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 198,867/female 232,891) (2007 est.)
Median age:total: 20.1 years
male: 19.9 years
female: 20.2 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:0.595% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:27.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:21.76 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.006 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.854 male(s)/female
total population: 1.005 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 51.12 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 53.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 39.5 years
male: 40.62 years
female: 38.35 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:24.6% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1.8 million (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:170,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)
Nationality:noun: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups:African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%
Religions:syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
Languages:English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 90.7%
male: 94.2%
female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

Government

Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
conventional short form: Zimbabwe
former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Harare
geographic coordinates: 17 50 S, 31 03 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
Independence:18 April 1980 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution:21 December 1979
Legal system:mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly
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 six-year term (no term limits); election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed by the president
election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (66 seats - 50 elected by popular vote for a five-year term, 6 nominated by the president, 10 nominated by the Council of Chiefs) and a House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president)
elections: Senate last held 26 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010; House of Assembly last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 73.7%, MDC 20.3%, other 4.4%, independents 1.6%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 43, MDC 7; House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, independents 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; High Court
Political parties and leaders:African National Party or ANP; Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI, anti-Senate faction; Arthur MUTAMBARA, pro-Senate faction]; Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People's Party [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 [Agrippa MADLELA]; Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA
Political pressure groups and leaders:Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Arnold TSUNGA]; National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Wellington CHIBEBE]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Machivenyika T. MAPURANGA
chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100
FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. DELL
embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare
telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594
FAX: [263] (4) 796-488
Flag description: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 symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people

Economy

Economy - overview:The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs, turning Zimbabwe into a net importer of food products. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the government's arrears on past loans, which it began repaying in 2005. The official annual inflation rate rose from 32% in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, and approached 1000% in 2006, although private sector estimates put the figure much higher. Meanwhile, the official exchange rate fell from approximately 1 (revalued) Zimbabwean dollar per US dollar in 2003 to 160 per US dollar in 2006.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$25.58 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$3.156 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-4.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 16.7%
industry: 21.6%
services: 61.6% (2006 est.)
Labor force:3.99 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 66%
industry: 10%
services: 24% (1996)
Unemployment rate:80% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:68% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 40.4% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:56.8 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1,033.5% official data; private sector estimates are much higher (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):17.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.156 billion
expenditures: $2.789 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:96.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs
Industries:mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:-1.8% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:9.95 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:12.27 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:3.013 billion kWh (2005)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:22,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports:13,370 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2006)
Current account balance:$-366 million (2006 est.)
Exports:$1.649 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing
Exports - partners:Sudan 24.9%, Republic of the Congo 17.7%, Burkina Faso 15.8%, US 10.5% (2006)
Imports:$2.04 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners:South Africa 40.8%, Zambia 29.6%, US 4.9% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$140 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$4.576 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$367.7 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on humanitarian grounds (2005 est.)
Currency (code):Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)
Exchange rates:Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 162.07 (2006), 77.965 (2005), 5.729 (2004), 0.824 (2003), 0.055 (2002)
note: these are official exchange rates; non-official rates vary significantly
Fiscal year:calendar year

Transportation

Airports:341 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 19
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 10 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 322
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 152
under 914 m: 166 (2007)
Pipelines:refined products 261 km (2006)
Railways:total: 3,077 km
narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:total: 97,440 km
paved: 18,514 km
unpaved: 78,926 km (2002)
Waterways:on Lake Kariba (2005)
Ports and terminals:Binga, Kariba

Military

Military branches:Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005)
Military service age and obligation:18-24 years of age for compulsory military service; women are eligible to serve (2007)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,778,404
females age 18-49: 2,681,531 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,304,424
females age 18-49: 1,115,096 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.8% (2006)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:Botswana built electric fences and South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution; 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
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 6,536 (Democratic Republic of Congo)
IDPs: 569,685 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2006)
Illicit drugs:transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines en route to South Africa

 
Local Cuisine: Zimbabwe

Recipes

Mapopo (Papaya) Candy
Roasted Butternut Squash
Sadza
Dovi (Peanut Butter Stew)
Cornmeal Cake
Zimbabwe Greens
Rock Shandy

Geographic Setting and Environment

A landlocked country of south-central Africa, Zimbabwe (formerly known as Rhodesia) lies between the Zambezi River on the north and the Limpopo River on the south. It has an area of 390,580 square kilometers (150,804 square miles), slightly larger than the state of Montana. Most of Zimbabwe is rolling plateau, called veld. The highveld (or high plateau) stretches from southwest to northeast, ending in the Inyanga mountains. On either side of the highveld is the middleveld. The lowveld is made up of wide, grassy plains in the basins of the Zambezi and the Limpopo rivers. Among the most serious of Zimbabwe's environmental problems is erosion of its agricultural lands and expansion of the desert. Air and water pollution result from the combined effects of transportation vehicles, mining, fertilizers, and the cement industry.

History and Food

Zimbabwe (zihm-BAHB-way) literally means "House of Stone." This name comes from the 800-year-old stone ruins left by the Shona people. The descendents of the Shona people make up 77 percent of the Zimbabwean population in the twenty-first century; the other 18 percent are Ndebele (eng-duh-BEH-leh).

By 1300, gold was discovered in the Zimbabwe area and the value of the land for farming was discovered. The Shona and Ndebele peoples alternately held power over the area until the Europeans arrived in the 1850s. The British gained control of the Zimbabwe area (then called Rhodesia) until 1923. As a result, food unadorned with spices, commonly associated with British cooking, infiltrated Zimbabwean cuisine with sugar, bread, and tea.

The Lipopo and Zambesi rivers outline the border of Zimbabwe and supply the soil with moisture and nutrients needed to grow crops. These crops, such as squash, corn, yams, pumpkins, peanuts, and mapopo (papaya), flourish during the summer and autumn months, but can be destroyed in the dry winter months. To preserve food for consumption during the winter months, Zimbabweans dry various produce and meats after the rainy season. Tiny dried fish called kapenta are a common snack. Another dried specialty is biltong, which is sun-dried, salted meat cut into strips similar to beef jerky. Beef or game, such as kudo and springbok (both members of the antelope family), may be used.

See Mapopo (Papaya) Candy recipe.

See Roasted Butternut Squash recipe.

Foods of the Zimbabweans

The cornmeal-based dietary staple of Zimbabwe is also the national dish, called sadza. Sadza to the Zimbabweans is like rice to the Chinese, or pasta to Italians. In fact, sadza re masikati, or "sadza of the afternoon" simply means lunch. Sadza re manheru, or "sadza of the evening" means dinner.Sadza is made from cornmeal or maize, and eaten with relish. Relish can be any kind of vegetable stew, but nyama, (meat), such as beef or chicken, is common among families who can afford it. Sadza is cooked slowly until thick, like porridge.

Other traditional foods are peanuts, beans, butternut squash, gem squash, green maize (or corn on the cob), and cucumbers. Avocados are plentiful and cheap. Bowara, or pumpkin leaves, can be eaten fresh and are commonly mixed into stews, like dovi (peanut butter stew).

Meat and game such as beef, springbok (African gazelle), kudu (large antelope), and goat are eaten, the larger game reserved for special occasions. At more expensive restaurants, crocodile tail, shoulder of impala (a type of antelope), and warthog may be on the menu.

During the summer, open-air markets sell dried mopane worms (spiny caterpillars) and flying ants by the pound. Both can be eaten fried and are said to taste chewy and salty. Flying ants fly in dense clouds around any source of light during the summer, and can be eaten live. The wings are torn off, then the bodies are eaten. The taste is considered slightly buttery.

See Sadza recipe.

See Dovi (Peanut Butter Stew) recipe.

See Cornmeal Cake recipe.

Food for Religious and Holiday Celebrations

Meat or game is generally eaten on special occasions. The kind of meat provided by the host signifies the importance of the celebration. The bigger the occasion, the bigger the roast that is served. Christmas is an example of such an occasion.

Seventy-five percent of Zimbabweans are Christians, so Christmas is widely celebrated. Because Zimbabwe is in the southern hemisphere, Christmas overlaps with the festivities associated with the summer harvest, so many fresh vegetables such as leafy greens and young corn are eaten as well as the sadza staple. Starting weeks in advance, everyone begins to gather loaves of bread, jam, tea, and sugar for the Christmas dinner. Fresh fruit is also plentiful and accompanies the roast, which may be ox, goat, ostrich, kudu, or even warthog. The roast is sometimes prepared whole on a spit over an open fire when the feast is a village affair.

See Zimbabwe Greens recipe.

Mealtime Customs

Before eating a meal, a dish of water is placed on the dining table for diners to clean their hands. Rudyi is the Shona word for right hand, which means the "one used for eating." Even if a person is left-handed, it is considered impolite to eat with the left hand. Zimbabweans typically sit in a circle on the floor and eat food from one dish or bowl. The practice of sharing is the communal way of eating, so diners have to pace themselves accordingly while eating with others. Older children, learn to pace themselves at the same rate as their younger siblings so that they will not eat too much or too fast and everyone will have a fair share. Guests, however, are served instead of helping themselves. It is considered polite to leave a small amount of food on your plate to show that you have been more than sufficiently provided for.

In general, wooden plates and spoons are used along with Western utensils. In some rural areas, Zimbabweans eat with their fingers. When eating sadza, Zimbabweans clean their hands, then using their right hand, pinch off a chunk from the bowl and roll it into a ball in their palm. They dip the ball into relish and bite off a piece, then roll it again and continue the process.

Three meals are typically eaten a day. Breakfast is simple and may consist of sadza, porridge made from cornmeal or oatmeal, cereal or bread, and tea. Sometimes leftovers from the dinner before are eaten.

Lunch and dinner are simple as well. Sadza with relish is common, served with vegetables and meat, if available. Sour milk and sugar sometimes replace meat or vegetables with sadza. Rock shandy, a refreshing beverage, is a mix of lemonade, soda water, and bitters (made from herbs and other plant extracts and used to flavor drinks). Foreign food such as macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes are now part of Zimbabwean staples.

Certain taboos are associated with Zimbabwean food. For instance, the Ndebele people discourage eating corn out of season. Many ethnic groups do not eat an animal, plant, or other forms of food that bears their family name. For example, if a family name is Nkomo (cattle: cow or oxen), they should not eat beef.

See Rock Shandy recipe.

Politics, Economics, and Nutrition

About 39 percent of the population of Zimbabwe are classified as undernourished by the World Bank. This means they do not receive adequate nutrition in their diet. Of children under the age of five, about 16 percent are underweight, and more than one-fifth are stunted (short for their age).

In the early 1990s, drought severely affected the output of almost every crop, including wheat, cotton, oilseed, coffee, and sugar. In years with adequate rainfall, Zimbabwe is one of Africa's largest corn exporters; however, corn production only produced 1,418,000 tons in 1998, down from 2,609,000 tons in 1996. Despite the drop in production, Zimbabwe continues to grow a wide variety of crops to help feed its people. Nearly three-quarters of the population have access to safe drinking water, but only about half have adequate sanitation.

Further Study

Books

Hafner, Dorinda. A Taste of Africa. Hong Kong: Simon & Schuster, 1993.

Hultman, Tami. The Africa News Cookbook. New York: Hamilton Printing Company, 1986.

Isaacson, Rupert. Zimbabwe, Botswana &Namibia. London: Cadogan Books, PLC, 1998.

Pinchuck, Tony. The Rough Guide to Zimbabwe and Botswana. London: Viking Penguin, 1996.

Web Sites

The Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA). [Online]. Available http://www.cnfa.com/AVP/africa/zimess.htm#contacts (accessed March 19, 2001).

Diane's Gourmet Corner. [Online]. Available http://belgourmet.com/cooking/links/zimb.html (accessed March 19, 2001).

Just Think. [Online] Available http://www.justthink.org/ZEEP/perpectives.html (accessed March 19, 2001)

Lonely Planet. [Online] Available http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/zimbabwe/culture.htm (accessed March 19, 2001).

New Africa. [Online] Available http://www.newafrica.com/travel/Zimbabwe/ (accessed March 19, 2001)

Plan International. [Online]. Available http://www.plan-international.org/international/about/where/articles.html?pk=493&pu=474 (accessed March 19, 2001).


 
National Anthem: National Anthem of: Zimbabwe

Simudzai mureza wedu weZimbabwe

Simudzai mureza wedu weZimbabwe
Yakazvarwa nomoto wechimurenga;
Neropa zhinji ramagamba
Tiidzivirire kumhandu dzose;
Ngaikomborerwe nyika yeZimbabwe.

Tarisai Zimbabwe nyika yakashongedzwa
Namakomo, nehova, zvinoyevedza
Mvura ngainaye, minda ipe mbesa
Vashandi vatuswe, ruzhinji rugutswe;
Ngaikomborerwe nyika yeZimbabwe.

Mwari ropafadzai nyika yeZimbabwe
Nyika yamadzitateguru edu tose;
Kubva Zambezi kusvika Limpopo,
Navatungamiri vave nenduramo;
Ngaikomborerwe nyika yeZimbabwe.

English Version

Blessed be the Land of Zimbabwe

O lift high the banner, the flag of Zimbabwe
The symbol of freedom proclaiming victory;
We praise our heros' sacrifice,
And vow to keep our land from foes;
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.

O lovely Zimbabwe, so wondrously adorned With mountians, and rivers cascading, flowing free;
May rain abound, and fertile fields;
May we be fed, our labour blessed;
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.

O God, we beseech Thee to bless our native land;
The land of our fathers bestowed upon us all;
From Zambezi to Limpopo
May leaders be exemplary;
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.

 
Wikipedia: Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Republic of Zimbabwe
Flag of Zimbabwe Coat of arms of Zimbabwe
Flag Coat of arms
Motto
"Unity, Freedom, Work"
Anthem
Simudzai Mureza wedu WeZimbabwe  (Shona)
Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe  (Ndebele)
"Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe"
Location of Zimbabwe
Capital
(and largest city)		 Harare
17°50′S, 31°3′E
Official languages English
Demonym Zimbabwean
Government Dictatorship
 -  President Robert Mugabe
Independence from the United Kingdom 
 -  Rhodesia November 11, 1965 
 -  Zimbabwe April 18, 1980 
Area
 -  Total  km² (60th)
 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 1
Population
 -  July 2005 estimate 13,010,0001 (68th)
 -  Density 33/km² (170th)
 /sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate
 -  Total $30.581 billion (94th)
 -  Per capita $2,607 (129th)
Gini? (2003) 56.8 (high) 
FSI (2007) 110.1 Green_Arrow_Up_Darker.svg 1.2 (Alert) (4th)
HDI (2005) Red_Arrow_Down.svg 0.491 (low) (151st)
Currency Dollar ($) (ZWD)
Time zone CAT (UTC+2)
 -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+2)
Internet TLD .zw
Calling code [[+263]]
1 Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS.

Zimbabwe (IPA: [zɪmˈbɑbwe]), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, and formerly Southern Rhodesia, the Republic of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe Rhodesia, is a landlocked country in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It borders South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique to the east. The name Zimbabwe derives from "Zimba Remabwe" meaning "big house of stone" in the Shona language.[1] Its use as the country's name is a tribute to Great Zimbabwe, site of the capital of the Empire of Great Zimbabwe. The official language of Zimbabwe is English, however the majority of the population speaks Shona, one of the native languages of Zimbabwe.

From circa 1450–1629 the area that is known as Zimbabwe today was ruled under the Mutapa Empire, also known as Mwene Mutapa, Monomotapa or the Empire of Great Zimbabwe, which was renowned for its gold trade routes with Arabs. However, Portuguese settlers destroyed the trade and began a series of wars which left the empire near collapse in the early 17th century. In 1834, the Matabele people arrived while fleeing from the Zulu leader Shaka, making the area their new empire, Matabeleland. In the 1880s the British arrived with Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company. In 1898 the name Southern Rhodesia was adopted.

In 1965, the then Prime Minister of Rhodesia, Ian Douglas Smith declared Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom, making Rhodesia a republic. In 1979 an agreement was made with Ian Douglas Smith and Abel Muzorewa and this formed Zimbabwe Rhodesia but just a few months later this had to be changed and the Lancaster House Agreement was drawn up. On the 18 April 1980 Zimbabwe won independence and along with it a new name, flag and government, Robert Mugabe's ZANU. The first president was Canaan Banana with Robert Mugabe as Prime Minister but in 1987, the Constitution was amended to provide for an Executive President and the office of Prime Minister was abolished. The constitutional changes came into effect on 1 January 1988 with Robert Mugabe as President.

Under the leadership of current president Robert Mugabe the economy of Zimbabwe declined from one of the strongest in Africa to one of the weakest and political tension has never been higher. In 1999 the Movement for Democratic Change was established and have campaigned for an end to "Mugabe's Reign of Terror". 80% of Zimbabweans are unemployed and inflation has soared to well over 15,000%.[2]

History

Main article: History of Zimbabwe

Precolonial era

There is wide-spread evidence of the presence of Stone Age hunters in Zimbabwe from about 5000 years ago or even earlier. These people were related to today's Khoisan people and were displaced by Bantu people. They painted scenes of life in hundreds of caves across Zimbabwe, the so-called Bushman paintings.[3] Iron Age Bantu-speaking peoples began migrating into the area about 2,000 years ago, including the ancestors of the Shona, who account for roughly four-fifths of the country's population today. By the Middle Ages, there was a Bantu civilization in the region, as evidenced by ruins at Great Zimbabwe, a Shona-speaking state. Around the early 10th century, trade developed with Muslim merchants on the Indian Ocean coast, helping to develop Great Zimbabwe in the 11th century. The state traded gold, ivory, and copper for cloth and glass. It ceased to be the leading Shona state in the mid-15th century.In 1836 the Shona were conquered in southern Zimbabwe by the Ndebele, who forced them to pay tribute and concentrate in northern Zimbabwe.[4]

Colonization (1888-1965)

In 1888 British entrepreneur Cecil Rhodes extracted mining rights from King Lobengula of the Ndebele.[5] He used this concession to persuade the British government to grant a royal charter to his British South Africa Company (BSAC) over Matabeleland and its subject states such as Mashonaland, and to negotiate similar concessions covering all territory between the Limpopo River and Lake Tanganyika, referred to as 'Zambesia'. Through such concessions and treaties, many of which were deceitful,[6] he promoted the colonization of the region's land, labor, and precious metal and mineral resources.[7] In 1895 the BSAC adopted the name 'Rhodesia' for Zambesia, after Cecil Rhodes, and in 1898 'Southern Rhodesia' was officially adopted for the part south of the Zambezi,[8] which later became Zimbabwe, while the part to the north was administered separately by the BSAC and was later named Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia.

Natives staged unsuccessful revolts against the encroachment on their lands in 1896 and 1897.[9] Both the Ndebele and Shona became subject to the Rhodes administration. This was the beginning of a larger settlement of white settlers that led to land distribution favouring whites, displacing both the Shona and Ndebele and other black people. The land issue in Zimbabwe remains a controversial issue to this day.[citation needed]

Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British colony in 1922. In 1953, in the face of African opposition,[10] Britain joined the two parts of Rhodesia with Nyasaland (now Malawi) in the ill-fated Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland which was dominated by Southern Rhodesian settlers. Growing African nationalism and unrest particularly in Nyasaland forced Britain to dissolve it in 1963, and each of the three countries went their separate ways. On November 11, 1965, Ian Smith unilaterally declared independence from Britain[11] and Southern Rhodesia dropped the designation 'Southern', becoming the Republic of Rhodesia in 1970.[12]

Settler rule and civil war (1965-1979)

The British government requested United Nations economic sanctions against Rhodesia as negotiations with the Smith administration in 1966 and 1968 ended in stalemate. The Smith administration declared itself a republic in 1970, recognized only by the apartheid government of South Africa.[13][14]

Guerrilla fighting against the government intensified, and the Smith government opened negotiations with the leaders of the Patriotic Fronts Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), led by Robert Mugabe, and the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), led by Joshua Nkomo.

In March 1978, with his regime near the brink of collapse, Smith signed an accord with three black leaders, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa, who offered safeguards for white civilians. As the result of an Internal Settlement elections were held in April 1979. The United African National Council (UANC) party won a majority in this election. On June 1 1979, UANC's leader, Abel Muzorewa, became the country's prime minister. The country's name was changed to Zimbabwe Rhodesia. The internal settlement left control of the country's police, security forces, civil service, and judiciary in white hands. It assured whites of about one third of the seats in parliament. It was essentially a power-sharing arrangement which did not amount to majority rule.[15] However, on June 12, the United States Senate voted to end economic sanctions against Zimbabwe Rhodesia.

On December 1, 1979 delegations from the British and Rhodesian governments and the Patriotic Front met in London and signed the Lancaster House Agreement, ending the