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Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 390,580 sq km
land: 386,670 sq km
water: 3,910 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 3,066 km
border countries: 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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
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:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 23%
other: 57% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,930 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms
are rare
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
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked
Geography
Population of Republic of Zimbabwe, is 11 million. This country
is situated in the Southern Africa.The area compromising Zimbabwe
is 391,090 square kilometers or 150,961 square miles. The borders
with Republic of Zimbabwe are Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi,and South
Africa. Capital is Harare. Major Towns is Bulawayo, Gweru, and Mutare.
Physical of Zimbabwe : The Limpopo River to the south forms
the border with South Africa; in the north west the Zambezi River,
including the Victoria Falls, forms the border with Zambia. A range
of mountains and highlands with Mt Inyangani at 2,592 meters /
8504 feet forms the eastern border. There is a high central plateau
between the Limpopo and the Zambezi.
Climate
The seasons are the reverse of those in the northern hemisphere,
with midsummer at Christmas and winter lasting from May to August.
In winter the days are generally dry and sunny with cold frosty
nights in the highveld. In summer temperatures average 15 - 20 degrees
centigrade, October being the hottest month. In low-lying areas
it is much warmer all year than in Harare and other highveld centres.
Zimbabwe, formerly called Rhodesia, is a landlocked country in
southern Africa. Most of the country is a high plateau. Zimbabwe
lies in the tropics but has a pleasant climate because of the high
altitude.
Zimbabwe's beautiful scenery includes the famous Victoria Falls
on the Zambezi River along the country's northern border. Zimbabwe
is a leading mineral producer. Harare (formerly called Salisbury)
is the capital and largest city.
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.
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