Official Name: Republic of Zimbabwe

Alternate Names: Zimbabwe

Former Names: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Capital City: Harare


This flag can be purchased
at AfricaImports.comFlag: 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

Date of Independence: April 18, 1980 (from UK)

National Anthem: Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe (Blessed be the Land of Zimbabwe)

Population: 12,576,742

Size/Area: 390,580 sq km slightly larger than Montana

Land Locked: Yes

Bordering Countries: Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia

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

Major Cities: Harare, Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, and Mutare

Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Religions: Syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Major Holidays: Africa Day, May 25. Anniversary of the formation of the Organization of African Unity in 1963.
Independence Day, April 18. Independent since April 18, 1980.
New Year's Day, Easter, Workers' Day (May 1), Heroes' Days (Aug 11-12), Christmas.

Currency: Zimbabwean Dollar

Currency Code: ZWD

Highest Point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Lowest Point: Junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m

Bordering Bodies of Water: Lake Kariba, Zambezi River, Limpopo River

Bodies of Water: Mazoe River, Runda River, Save River

Climate: Winters (July - October) are often dry and cool. The summer rainy season (November - April) is quite hot with the heaviest rains falling in the eastern mountain forests. The far south is arid with very little rainfall.

Major Industries: Mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Major Agricultural Products: Corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs

Natural Resources: Coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Native Animals: elephants, buffaloes, rhinoceroses, 400 bird species, and many other animal species.

Native Plants: The vegetation in Zimbabwe consists mainly of grassland and some forest, where acacias, lianas, figs, and numerous other plants grow abundantly.


Tribes of Africa eBook


This eBook is the most complete listing of African tribes available on the internet. The first section of this book is the tribes sorted alphabetically by country. The second section is the tribes sorted alphabetically by tribe name.