Does Zimbabwe belong to another country or has it gained independence?

Answer 1

Zimbabwe was once the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. In 1964 the white-controlled government issued a unilateral Declaration of Independence and called its country simply Rhodesia. Following the resulting civil war, a settlement with the Black forces in 1979 produced an independent government with both white and black participation, and a country called Zimbabwe Rhodesia.

In 1980 a transition to full majority rule and ceremonial independence from the UK was accompanied by a name change to Zimbabwe.

So Zimbabwe has been fully independent since 1980, at the least.