Zimbabwe

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Republic of Zimbabwe

Current government officials

Languages: English (official), Shona, Ndebele (Sindebele), numerous minor tribal dialects

Ethnicity/race: African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%

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

Literacy rate: 91% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2011 est.): $6.474 billion; per capita $500 (2011 est.). Real growth rate: 9.4%. Inflation: 5.4% (2011 est.). Unemployment: 95%. Arable land: 8%. Agriculture: corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs. Labor force: 3.856 million (2011); agriculture 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996). Industries: mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages. Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals. Exports: $2.932 billion (2011 est.): cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing. Imports: $4.37 billion (2011 est.): machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels. Major trading partners: South Africa, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Italy Botswana (2011).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 356,000 (2011); mobile cellular: 9.2 million (2011). Radio broadcast stations: 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). Radios: 1.14 million (1997). Television broadcast stations: 16 (1997). Televisions: 370,000 (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 30,615 (2012). Internet users: 1.423 million (2009).

Transportation: Railways: total: 3,427 km (2008). Highways: total: 97,267 km ; paved: 18,481 km ; unpaved: 78,786 km (2002 est.). Waterways: Some navigation possible on Lake Kariba (2011). Ports and harbors: Binga, Kariba. Airports: 202 (2012).

International disputes: Botswana built electric fences and South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution; 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.

Major sources and definitions