Statistics Zimbabwe 
Zimbabwe in the World
Zimbabwe - Introduction 2015
top of pageBackground:
The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the former British South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete 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. His chaotic land redistribution campaign which began in 1997 and intensified after 2000 caused an exodus of white farmers crippled the economy and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection.
In April 2005 the capital city of Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order ostensibly an urban rationalization program which resulted in the destruction of the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition. MUGABE in June 2007 instituted price controls on all basic commodities causing panic buying and leaving store shelves empty for months. General elections held in March 2008 contained irregularities but still amounted to a censure of the ZANU-PF-led government with the opposition winning a majority of seats in parliament. Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai opposition leader Morgan TSVANGIRAI won the most votes in the presidential poll but not enough to win outright. In the lead up to a run-off election in late June 2008 considerable violence against opposition party members led to the withdrawal of TSVANGIRAI from the ballot. Extensive evidence of violence and intimidation resulted in international condemnation of the process. Difficult negotiations over a power-sharing 'government of national unity' in which MUGABE remained president and TSVANGIRAI became prime minister were finally settled in February 2009 although the leaders failed to agree upon many key outstanding governmental issues. MUGABE was reelected president in June 2013 in balloting that was severely flawed and internationally condemned. As a prerequisite to holding the election Zimbabwe enacted a new constitution by referendum although many provisions in the new constitution have yet to be codified in law.
In April 2005 the capital city of Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order ostensibly an urban rationalization program which resulted in the destruction of the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition. MUGABE in June 2007 instituted price controls on all basic commodities causing panic buying and leaving store shelves empty for months. General elections held in March 2008 contained irregularities but still amounted to a censure of the ZANU-PF-led government with the opposition winning a majority of seats in parliament. Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai opposition leader Morgan TSVANGIRAI won the most votes in the presidential poll but not enough to win outright. In the lead up to a run-off election in late June 2008 considerable violence against opposition party members led to the withdrawal of TSVANGIRAI from the ballot. Extensive evidence of violence and intimidation resulted in international condemnation of the process. Difficult negotiations over a power-sharing 'government of national unity' in which MUGABE remained president and TSVANGIRAI became prime minister were finally settled in February 2009 although the leaders failed to agree upon many key outstanding governmental issues. MUGABE was reelected president in June 2013 in balloting that was severely flawed and internationally condemned. As a prerequisite to holding the election Zimbabwe enacted a new constitution by referendum although many provisions in the new constitution have yet to be codified in law.
Area
Total: 390,757 km²
Land: 386,847 km²
Water: 3,910 km²
Rank: 61
Comparative: slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries
Total: 3,229 km
Border countries: (4) Botswana 834 km; Mozambique 1402 km; South Africa 230 km; Zambia 763 km
Elevation
Extremes lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save 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 use
Agricultural land: 42.5%
arable land: 10.9%
permanent crops: 0.3%
permanent pasture: 31.3%
permanent crops: 0.3%
permanent pasture: 31.3%
Forest: 39.5%
Other: 18%
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 km³; 43 m³i)
Zimbabwe - People 2015
top of pagePopulation: 14,229,541
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy higher infant mortality higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Rank: 72
Growth rate: 2.21% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 39
Below poverty line: 72.3% (2012 est.)
Ethnic groups: African 99.4% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group) other 0.4% unspecified 0.2% (2012 est.)
Languages: Shona (official; most widely spoken) Ndebele (official second most widely spoken) English (official; traditionally used for official business) 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa Chibarwe Kalanga Koisan Nambya Ndau Shangani sign language Sotho Tonga Tswana Venda and Xhosa)
Religions: Protestant 75.9% (includes Apostolic 38% Pentecostal 21.1% other 16.8%) Roman Catholic 8.4% other Christian 8.4% other 1.2% (includes traditional Muslim) none 6.1% (2011 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 37.88%
15-24 years: 21.65%
25-54 years: 33.4%
55-64 years: 3.57%
65 years and over: 3.49% (2015 est.)
Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 80.4%
Youth dependency ratio: 75%
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.3%
Potential support ratio: 18.7%
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population
Note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities
Rank: 77
Urbanization
Urban population: 32.4% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change
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 Desertification Endangered Species Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male/female
25-54 years: 1.1 male/female
55-64 years: 0.57 male/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female
Infant mortality rate
Total: 26.11 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 28.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 23.76 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 69
Drinking water source:
urban: 97% of population
rural: 67.3% of population
total: 76.9% of population
urban: 3% of population
rural: 32.7% of population
total: 23.1% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 67.3% of population
total: 76.9% of population
urban: 3% of population
rural: 32.7% of population
total: 23.1% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 49.3% of population
rural: 30.8% of population
total: 36.8% of population
urban: 50.7% of population
rural: 69.2% of population
total: 63.2% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 30.8% of population
total: 36.8% of population
urban: 50.7% of population
rural: 69.2% of population
total: 63.2% of population (2015 est.)
Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 16.74% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 5
People living with hivaids: 1,550,300 (2014 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 4
Deaths: 38,600 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 6
Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Animal contact disease: rabies
Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
Total population: 86.5%
Male: 88.5%
Female: 84.6%
Zimbabwe - Government 2015
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
Conventional short form: Zimbabwe
Former: Southern Rhodesia Rhodesia
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
Constitution: previous 1979; latest approved by referendum 16 March 2013 approved by Parliament 9 May 2013 (2013)
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Executive branch
Chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE ; Vice Presidents Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA and Phelekezela MPHOKO (both since 12 December 2014); note - Vice President Joice MUJURU (since 6 December 2004) was dismissed 9 December 2014
Head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE ; note - following the 31 July 2013 presidential election the position of prime minister was abolished
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president responsible to House of Assembly
Electionsappointments: each presidential candidate nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters 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 31 July 2013 (next to be held in 2018); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership
Election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 61.1% Morgan TSVANGIRAI (MDC-T) 34.4% Welshman NCUBE (MDC-N) 2.7% other 1.8%; note - the election process was considered flawed and roundly criticized by election monitors and international bodies; both the African Union and the South African Development Community endorsed the results of the election with some concerns
Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate and the House of Assembly (270 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; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 31 July 2013
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 37 MDC-T 21 MDC-N 2 chiefs 18 people with disabilities 2; House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 197 MDC-T 70 MDC-N 2 independent 1
Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court
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
Subordinate courts: High Court regional magistrate courts and special courts
Political parties and leaders:
Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Dumiso DABENGWA]
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Dumiso DABENGWA]
International organization participation: ACP AfDB 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 UNMIL UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO
Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ammon MUTEMBWA
In the us chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] 332-7,100
In the us FAX: [1] 483-9,326
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador David Bruce WHARTON
From the us embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue Harare
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 3,340 Harare
From the us telephone: [263] 250-593 through 250-594
From the us FAX: [263] 796-488 or 722-618
Flag description: 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 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]
Lyrics and music: Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA
Note: adopted 1994
Zimbabwe - Economy 2015
top of pageEconomy overview: Zimbabwe's economy depends heavily on its mining and agriculture sectors. Following a decade of contraction from 1998 to 2008 the economy recorded real growth of more than 10% per year from 2010-13 before slowing to roughly 3% in 2014 due to poor harvests low diamond revenues and decreased investment. Infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies a poor investment climate a large public and external debt burden and extremely high government wage expenses impede the country’s economic performance. Until early 2009 the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) routinely printed money to fund the budget deficit causing hyperinflation. Dollarization in early 2009 - which allowed currencies such as the Botswana pula the South Africa rand and the US dollar to be used locally - ended hyperinflation and reduced inflation below 10% per year but exposed structural weaknesses that inhibit broad-based growth. The RBZ introduced bond coins denominated in 1 5 10 and 25 cent increments on a par with the US dollar in December 2014 more than five years after the Zimbabwe dollar was taken out of circulation. In January 2015 as part of the government’s effort to boost trade and attract foreign investment the RBZ announced that the Chinese renmimbi Indian rupee Australian dollar and Japanese yen would be accepted as legal tender in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s government entered a second Staff Monitored Program with the International Monetary Fund in 2014 and undertook other measures to reengage with international financial institutions. Foreign and domestic investment continues to be hindered by the lack of clarity regarding the government’s Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act.
Real gdp purchasing power parity:
$27.13 billion (2014 est.)
$26.3 billion (2013 est.)
$25.17 billion (2012 est.)
$26.3 billion (2013 est.)
$25.17 billion (2012 est.)
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 132
Real gdp per capita:
$2000 (2014 est.)
$2000 (2013 est.)
$1900 (2012 est.)
$2000 (2013 est.)
$1900 (2012 est.)
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 203
Gross national saving:
-9% of GDP (2014 est.)
-12.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
-11% of GDP (2012 est.)
-12.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
-11% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 179
Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 68.7%
Government consumption: 31.4%
Investment in fixed capital: 22.4%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 68.5%
Imports of goods and services: -90.9%: (2014 est.)
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
Labor force: 5.634 million (2014 est.)
Rank: 71
By occupation agriculture: 66%
By occupation industry: 10%
By occupation services: 24%
Unemployment rate:
95% (2009 est.)
80% (2005 est.)
80% (2005 est.)
Note: figures include unemployment and underemployment; true unemployment is unknown and under current economic conditions unknowable
Rank: 204
Stock of narrow money:
$43.43 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$23.04 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$23.04 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Note: Zimbabwe's central bank no longer publishes data on monetary aggregates except for bank deposits which amounted to $2.1 billion in November 2010; the Zimbabwe dollar stopped circulating in early 2009; since then the US dollar and South African rand have been the most frequently used currencies; there are no reliable estimates of the amount of foreign currency circulating in Zimbabwe
Rank: 54
Stock of broad money:
$47.64 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$101.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$101.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 69
Stock of domestic credit:
$14.07 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$9.844 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$9.844 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 94
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.073 billion (13 April 2015 est.)
$11.82 billion (31 December 2012)
$10.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$11.82 billion (31 December 2012)
$10.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 71
Exports:
$3.263 billion (2014 est.)
$3.144 billion (2013 est.)
$3.144 billion (2013 est.)
Rank: 129
Commodities: platinum cotton tobacco gold ferroalloys textiles/clothing
Partners: China 27.8% Democratic Republic of the Congo 12.3% Botswana 11% South Africa 6.8% Belgium 4.4% Zambia 4.1% (2014)
Imports:
$5.135 billion (2014 est.)
$4.571 billion (2013 est.)
$4.571 billion (2013 est.)
Rank: 129
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment other manufactures chemicals fuels food products
Partners: South Africa 49.7% China 8.8% Zambia 5.5% India 4.3% (2014)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$448 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$475 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$475 million (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 152
Exchange rates:
Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar -
NA (2013)
234.25 (2010)
234.25 (2009)
9,687 (2007)
NA (2013)
234.25 (2010)
234.25 (2009)
9,687 (2007)
Note: the dollar was adopted as a legal currency in 2009; since then the Zimbabwean dollar has experienced hyperinflation and is essentially worthless
Zimbabwe - Energy 2015
top of pageElectricity
Production: 7.297 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 106
Consumption: 8.49 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 94
Exports: 1.085 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 57
Imports: 2.616 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 55
Installed generating capacity: 1.966 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 107
Generation sources fossil fuels: 62.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 129
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 211
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 37.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 61
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 146
Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 120 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 113
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 210
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 82
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 212
Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 212
Products consumption: 19,010 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 134
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 147
Products imports: 13,290 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 123
Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 213
Consumption: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 213
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 212
Imports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 84
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 212
Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 10.12 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 102
Zimbabwe - Communication 2015
top of pageTelephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 330,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2
Fixed lines rank: 113
Mobile cellular total: 11.8 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 86
Mobile cellular rank: 77
Telephone system
General assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa but now suffers from poor maintenance
Domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links open-wire lines radiotelephone communication stations fixed wireless local loop installations and a substantial mobile-cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones
International: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; 2 international digital gateway exchanges (2010)
Broadcast media: government owns all local radio and TV stations; foreign shortwave broadcasts and satellite TV are available to those who can afford antennas and receivers; in rural areas access to TV broadcasts is extremely limited (2007)
Zimbabwe - Military 2015
top of pageMilitary expenditures:
2.79% of GDP (2014)
2.64% of GDP (2013)
2.94% of GDP (2012)
2.05% of GDP (2011)
2.94% of GDP (2010)
2.64% of GDP (2013)
2.94% of GDP (2012)
2.05% of GDP (2011)
2.94% of GDP (2010)
Rank: 22
Military service age and obligation: 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women are eligible to serve (2012)
Zimbabwe - Transportation 2015
top of pageAirports: 196 (2013)
Rank: 29
With paved runways total: 17
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With unpaved runways total: 179
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 104
With unpaved runways: 72 (2013)
Zimbabwe - Transnational issues 2015
top of pageDisputes international: Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River thereby de facto recognizing a short but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho Zimbabwe and Mozambique to control smuggling poaching and illegal migration
Illicit drugs: transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin mandrax and methamphetamines en route to South Africa
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