Statistical information Zimbabwe 1996

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 pageLocation: Southern Africa, northeast of Botswana
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 390,580 km²
Land: 386,670 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries: Total 3,066 km, 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: junction of the Lundi and Savi rivers 162 m
Extremes highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Natural resources:
Coal
Chromium ore
Asbestos
Gold
Nickel
Copper
Iron ore
Vanadium
Lithium
Tin
Platinum group metals
Land useArable land: 7.25%
Permanent crops: 0.25% (coffee is a permanent crop)
Permanent pastures: 12.5%
Forests and woodland: 49%
Other: 31%
Irrigated land: 2,250 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation:
11,271,314 (July 1996 est.)
11,139,961 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate:1.41% (1996 est.)
1.78% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: Zimbabwean(s)
Adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups:
African 98% (Shona 71%
Ndebele 16%
Other 11%)
White 1%
Mixed and Asian 1%
Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele
Religions:
Syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%
Christian 25%
Indigenous beliefs 24%
Muslim and other 1%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years:44% (male 2,513,606; female 2,481,478) (July 1996 est.)
47% (male 2,617,485; female 2,588,193) (July 1995 est.)
15-64 years:53% (male 2,935,188; female 3,030,270) (July 1996 est.)
51% (male 2,723,511; female 2,915,697) (July 1995 est.)
65 years and over:3% (male 152,244; female 158,528) (July 1996 est.)
2% (male 143,440; female 151,635) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate:
1.41% (1996 est.)
1.78% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
32.34 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
36.35 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
18.2 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
18.54 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
Note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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
Current issues Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified_Desertification
International agreements note: Landlocked
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
All ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateInfant Mortality Rate:72.8 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
72.7 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 41.85 years (1996 est.), 41.35 years (1995 est.)
Male: 41.91 years (1996 est.), 39.73 years (195 est.)
Female: 41.78 years (1996 est.), 43.01 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.09 children born/woman (1996 est.)
4.93 children born/woman (1995 est.)
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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 85%
Male: 90%
Female: 80%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
Conventional short form: Zimbabwe
Former: Southern Rhodesia
Government type: Parliamentary democracy
Capital: Harare (Former:Salisbury)
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo (Victoria), Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
Dependent areasIndependence: 18 April 1980 (from U.K.)
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: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state and head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987) was nominated by the House of Assembly (if more than one nomination, electoral college of members of the House of Assembly elect the president); election last held 26-27 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); results_Robert MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%; Co-Vice President Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice President Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990) was appointed by the president
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president; responsible to Parliament
Legislative branch: Unicameral Parliament:Elections last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held NA March 2000; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(150 total, 120 elected) ZANU-PF 118, ZANU-Ndonga 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationFlag 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 70% of the labor force of this landlocked nation and supplies almost 40% of exports. Mining accounts for only 5% of both GDP and employment, but minerals and metals account for about 40% of exports. Severe drought caused GDP to drop 8% in 1992, with growth rebounding to 2% in 1993 and 4.5% in 1994, only to drop by 2.4% in 1995. The government is continuing to push its IMF/World Bank structural adjustment program aimed at encouraging exports and foreign investment. Officials face the difficult task of restraining expenditures in their effort to keep inflation within bounds.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate:
-2.4% (1995)
3.5% (1994 est.)
Real gdp per capita:
purchasing power parity_ $1,620 (1995 est.)
$1,580 (1994 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: Accounts for 20% of GDP; 40% of land area divided into 4,500 large commercial farms and 42% in communal lands; crops_corn (food staple), cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; livestock_cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; self-sufficient in food
Industries:
Mining
Steel
Clothing and footwear
Chemicals
Foodstuffs
Fertilizer
Beverage
Transportation equipment
Wood products
Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 10% (1994), 2.3% (1992; accounts for 35% of GDP
Labor force: 4.228 million (1993 est.)
By occupation Agriculture: 70%
By occupation Transport and services: 22%
By occupation Industry: 8% (1994)
Unemployment rate: At least 45% (1994 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $1.7 billion
Expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $253 million (FY92/93)
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:
total value. $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodities:Agricultural 35% (tobacco 30%, Other 5%)
Manufactures 25%
Gold 12%
Ferrochrome 10%
Textiles 8% (1992)
Partners:U.K. 14%
Germany 11%
South Africa 10%
Japan 7%
U.S. 5% (1991)
ImportsTotal value:$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
Commodities:Machinery and transportation equipment 41%
Other manufactures 23%
Chemicals 16%
Fuels 12% (1991)
Partners:South Africa 25%
U.K. 15%
Germany 9%
U.S. 6%
Japan 5% (1991)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external:
$4.4 billion (1994)
$3.5 billion (December 1992 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Zimbabwean dollars (Z$) per US$1_9.3633 (January 1996), 8.6580 (1995), 8.1500 (1994), 6.4725 (1993), 5.0942 (1992), 3.4282 (1991), 2.4480 (1990)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 2,040,000 kW
Production: 9 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 913 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone system: 301,000 telephones (1990 est.); system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance
Local: NA
Intercity: consists of microwave links, open-wire lines, and radio communications stations
International: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $236 million, 3.4% of GDP (FY95/96), $175 million, 3.1% of GDP (FY94/95)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 403
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 198 (1995 est.)
With paved runways under 914 m: 185
HeliportsPipelines: Petroleum products 212 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: Lake Kariba is a potential line of communication
Merchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs