Statistical information Zimbabwe 1989

Zimbabwe in the World
top of pageBackground: The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated to keep whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded 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.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries: 3,066 km total; Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
Coastline: none - 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
ElevationNatural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin
Land use: 7% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 12% meadows and pastures; 62% forest and woodland; 19% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: landlocked geoad0.gif" border="0" geoad1
top of pagePopulation: 10,119,037 (July 1989), growth rate 3.4% (1989)
Nationality: noun - Zimbabwean(s; adjective - Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups: 98% African (71% Shona, 16% Ndebele, 11% other; 1% white, 1% mixed and Asian
Languages: English (official; Shona and Ndebele
Religions: 50% syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs), 25% Christian, 24% indigenous beliefs, a few Muslim
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 47 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare; deforestation; soil erosion; air and water pollution; desertification
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 67 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 59 years male, 63 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 45-55%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
Government type: presidential system with bicameral legislature
Capital: Harare
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands, Victoria (commonly called Masvingo)
Dependent areasIndependence: 18 April 1980 (from UK; formerly Southern Rhodesia)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution: 21 December 1979
Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal over age 18
Executive branchLegislative branch: Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Police Support Unit, People's Militia
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITO, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Counselor (Political Affairs), Head of Chancery, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Jonathan WUTAWUNASHE; Chancery at 2,852 McGill Terrace NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 332-7,100; US - Ambassador James Wilson RAWLINGS; Embassy at 172 Rhodes Avenue, Harare (mailing address is P. O. Box 3,340, Harare; telephone Õ263å (14) 794-521
Flag description
: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle edged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Agriculture employs about 75% of the labor force and supplies almost 40% of exports. The manufacturing sector produces a variety of goods and contributes about 25% to GDP. Mining accounts for about 5% of both GDP and employment, but supplies minerals and metals for about 40% of exports.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: tobacco, corn, tea, sugar, cotton; livestock
Industries: mining, steel, clothing and footwear, chemicals, foodstuffs, fertilizer, beverage, transportation equipment, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (1986 est.)
Labor force: 3,100,000; 74% agriculture, 16% transport and services, 10% mining, manufacturing, construction (1987)
Unemployment rate: 20% (1986 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $260 million (FY88 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: agricultural 34% (tobacco 21%, other 13%), manufactures 19%, gold 11%, ferrochrome 11%, cotton 6%
Partners: Europe 55% (EC 41%, Netherlands 6%, other 8%), Africa 22% (South Africa 12%, other 10%), US 6%
Imports: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 37%, other manufactures 22%, chemicals 16%, fuels 15%
Partners: EC 31%, Africa 29% (South Africa 21%, other 8%), US 8%, Japan 4%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $2.5 billion (December 1988)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Zimbabwean dollars (Z$) per US$1 - 1.9650 (March 1988), 1.8018 (1988), 1.6611 (1987), 1.6650 (1986), 1.6119 (1985)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 2,036,000 kW capacity; 5,457 million kWh produced, 560 kWh per capita (1988)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $446.7 million, 12.7% of central government budget (FY89)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 517 total, 437 usable; 23 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 38 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelines: 8 km, refined products
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: Lake Kariba is a potential line of communication
Merchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia is in disagreement
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs