Map of Zimbabwe | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 390,757 km²
Land: 386,847 km²
Water: 3,910 km²
Comparative: about four times the size of Indiana; slightly larger than Montana
Country comparison total: 3,229 km
Country comparison border countries: (4) Botswana 834 km; Mozambique 1,402 km; South Africa 230 km; Zambia 763 km

Land boundaries
Total: 3,229 km
Border countries: (4) Botswana 834 km; Mozambique 1,402 km; South Africa 230 km; Zambia 763 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
Highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m
Mean elevation: 961 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 42.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 10.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 31.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 39.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 18% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,740 km² (2012)

Major rivers
By length in km: Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km
By length in km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds area km²: Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 km²); Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 650 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 3.04 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 20 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

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; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 m³i)


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Population
Distribution: Aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half as shown in this population distribution map
Total: 17,150,352
Male: 8,343,790
Female: 8,806,562 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.91% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 38.3% (2019 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Zimbabwean(s)
Adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups: African 99.6% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group), other (includes Caucasian, Asiatic, mixed race) 0.4% (2022 est.)

Languages: Shona (official, most widely spoken) 80.9%, Ndebele (official, second most widely spoken) 11.5%, English (official, traditionally used for official business) 0.3%, 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa) 7%, other 0.3% (2022 est.)
Note: data represent population by mother tongue

Religions: Apostolic Sect 40.3%, Pentecostal 17%, Protestant 13.8%, other Christian 7.8%, Roman Catholic 6.4%, African traditionalist 5%, other 1.5% (includes Muslim, Jewish, Hindu), none 8.3% (2022 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.3% (male 3,315,075/female 3,254,643)
15-64 years: 57.8% (male 4,758,120/female 5,152,773)
65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 270,595/female 399,146)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 79.4
Youth dependency ratio: 73.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 6
Potential support ratio: 16.6 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 21.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 20.3 years
Female: 22 years

Population growth rate: 1.91% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 28.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: Aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.578 million HARARE (capital) (2023)

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 13.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 10.98 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 12.1 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.3 years (2015 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Maternal mortality ratio: 357 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 33.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 37 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 67.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 65.6 years
Female: 68.8 years

Total fertility rate: 3.47 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 66.8% (2015)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 97.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 33.1% of population
Unimproved total: 23.1% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 2.1% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 96.1% of population
Improved rural: 49% of population
Improved total: 64.2% of population
Unimproved urban: 3.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 51% of population
Unimproved total: 35.8% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 15.5% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 3.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 1.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 1.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 11.7% (2020 est.)
Male: 21.8% (2020 est.)
Female: 1.5% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 9.7% (2019)

Education expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

Literacy
Definition: any person age 15 and above who completed at least grade 3 of primary education
Total population: 89.7%
Male: 88.3%
Female: 90.9% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 11 years (2013)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 14.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 13.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 15.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
Conventional short form: Zimbabwe
Former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia
Etymology: takes its name from the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (13th-15th century) and its capital of Great Zimbabwe, the largest stone structure in pre-colonial southern Africa

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Harare
Geographic coordinates: 17 49 S, 31 02 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: named after a village of Harare at the site of the present capital; the village name derived from a Shona chieftain, NE-HARAWA, whose name meant 'he who does not sleep'

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 18 April 1980 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution
History: previous 1965 (at Rhodesian independence), 1979 (Lancaster House Agreement), 1980 (at Zimbabwean independence); latest final draft completed January 2013, approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013, effective 22 May 2013
Amendments: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; amendments to constitutional chapters on fundamental human rights and freedoms and on agricultural lands also require approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2017

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law, and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Zimbabwe; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 4 September 2023)
Head of government: Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 11 September 2023)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to National Assembly
Elections/appointments: each presidential candidate nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least 1 candidate from each province) and directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 23 August 2023 (next to be held in 2,028); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership
Election results: 2023: Emmerson MNANGAGWA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 52.6%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44%, Wilbert MUBAIWA (NPC) 1.2%, other 2.2%; 2018: Emmerson MNANGAGWA elected president in first round; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 50.7%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44.4%, Thokozani KHUPE (MDC-N) 0.9%, other 4%

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (80 seats; 60 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 6 seats in each of the 10 provinces - by proportional representation vote, 16 indirectly elected by the regional governing councils, 18 reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities; members serve 5-year terms), National Assembly (280 seats; 210 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 seats reserved for women directly elected by proportional representation vote and 10 additional seats reserved for candidates aged between 21 and 35 directly elected by proportional representation, members serve 5-year terms)
Note: a byelection was held on 11 November 2023 due to the death of a candidate during the August general election; a special byelection was held on 9 December 2023 after nine opposition lawmakers were removed from their seats and disqualified from running again; another byelection was held on 3 February 2024 for six open seats

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body consisting of the chief justice, Public Service Commission chairman, attorney general, and 2-3 members appointed by the president; judges normally serve until age 65 but can elect to serve until age 70; Constitutional Court judge appointment NA; judges serve nonrenewable 15-year terms
Subordinate courts: High Court; Labor Court; Administrative Court; regional magistrate courts; customary law courts; special courts

Political parties and leaders: Citizens Coalition for Change , Movement for Democratic Change or MDC-T , National People's Congress or NPC , Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF , Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU, Agency, About CIA, Leadership, Organization, Mission and Vision, CIA Museum, Careers, Career Opportunities, Hiring Process, Student Programs, Accommodations, MyLINK, Resources, News & Stories, Center for the Study of Intelligence (CSI), The World Factbook, World Leaders, The Langley Files, Spy Kids, Helpful Links, Partner with CIA, Prepublication Review, Diversity & Inclusion, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Frequently Asked Questions, Privacy Policy, Report Information, Contact CIA, Connect with CIA, Search CIA.gov, Site Policies, Privacy, No FEAR Act, ECA Notice, Inspector General, USA.gov, Sitemap

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Tadeous Tafirenyika CHIFAMBA (since 7 July 2021)
In the us chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-7,100
In the us fax: [1] (202) 483-9,326
In the us email address and website: general@zimembassydc.org; [link]
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Elaine M. FRENCH (since August 2022)
From the us embassy: 2 Lorraine Drive, Bluffhill, Harare
From the us mailing address: 2,180 Harare Place, Washington DC 20,521-2,180
From the us telephone: [263] 867-701-1000
From the us fax: [263] 24-233-4,320
From the us email address and website: consularharare@state.gov; [link]

Flag description: seven equal horizontal bands of green (top), 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 represents agriculture, yellow mineral wealth, red the blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people

National symbols: Zimbabwe bird symbol, African fish eagle, flame lily; national colors: green, yellow, red, black, white

National anthem
Name: 'Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe' [Northern Ndebele language] 'Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe' [Shona] (Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe)
Lyrics/music: Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA
Note: adopted 1994

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: low income Sub-Saharan economy; political instability and endemic corruption have prevented reforms and stalled debt restructuring; new Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency latest effort to combat ongoing hyperinflation; reliant on natural resource extraction, agriculture and remittances

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $58.583 billion (2023 est.); $55.817 billion (2022 est.); $52.399 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 4.96% (2023 est.); 6.52% (2022 est.); 8.47% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $3,500 (2023 est.); $3,400 (2022 est.); $3,300 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 77.7% (2022 est.)
Government consumption: 16.7% (2022 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 11.3% (2022 est.)
Investment in inventories: 3.3% (2022 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 28% (2022 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -37% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 27% (2023 est.)
Industry: 46.9% (2023 est.)
Services: 18.5% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: sugarcane, maize, beef, milk, cassava, wheat, bananas, vegetables, tobacco, cotton (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 5.5% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local

Labor force: 6.561 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 8.76% (2023 est.); 10.09% (2022 est.); 9.54% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 14.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 13.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 15.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 38.3% (2019 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $17 million (2018 est.)
Expenditures: $23 million (2018 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 7.21% (of GDP) (2018 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 82.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources: 1.61% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 104.71% (2022 est.); 98.55% (2021 est.); 557.2% (2020 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $1.096 billion (2020 est.); $920.472 million (2019 est.); -$1.38 billion (2018 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current

Exports: $7.65 billion (2022 est.); $6.462 billion (2021 est.); $5.263 billion (2020 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: UAE 57%, South Africa 17%, China 7%, Belgium 4%, Mozambique 2% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: gold, nickel, tobacco, iron alloys, diamonds (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $10.126 billion (2022 est.); $7.964 billion (2021 est.); $5.489 billion (2020 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: South Africa 39%, China 15%, Singapore 12%, UAE 6%, Mozambique 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, fertilizers, trucks, soybean oil, electricity (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $115.53 million (2023 est.); $598.622 million (2022 est.); $838.78 million (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:
Note: ongoing hyperinflation rendered Zimbabwean dollar essentially worthless; introduction of Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) as new currency effective April 2024


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 50.1% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 89%
Access electrification rural areas: 33.7%
Installed generating capacity: 2.487 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 8.884 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 438.591 million kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 2.2 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.81 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 32.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 65.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 3.877 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 4.479 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 434,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 502 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 800 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 13.871 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 9.7 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 4.171 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 11.726 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 291,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 14.301 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 88 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.5% of GDP (2020 est.); 2.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ); Ministry of Home Affairs: Zimbabwe Republic Police (2024)

Military service age and obligation: 18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel); no conscription (2023)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 285,539 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 670,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: Agency

Airports: 144 (2024)

Heliports: 5 (2024)

Pipelines: 270 km refined products (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 97,267 km
Paved: 18,481 km
Unpaved: 78,786 km (2023)

Waterways: 223 km (2022) some navigation possible on Lake Kariba (223 km)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 9,931 (Mozambique) (2023); 12,293 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)

Illicit drugs: transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, methaqualone, and methamphetamines en route to South Africa