8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands.
Population:
11,365,366
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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
Currency:
Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)
Languages:
English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects
Elevation:
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
Natural hazards:
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Climate:
tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier moves to develop a market-oriented economy. Its involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, has already drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF suffers delays in part because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999 and 60% in 2000. The economy is being steadily weakened by excessive government deficits and AIDS; Zimbabwe has the highest rate of infection in the world. Per capita GDP, which is twice the average of the poorer sub-Saharan nations, will increase little if any in the near-term, and Zimbabwe will suffer continued frustrations in developing its agricultural and mineral resources.
African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%
Yellow fever:
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers coming from infected areas.
Malaria:
Malaria risk—predominantly due to P. falciparum—exists from November through June in areas below 1200 m and throughout the year in the Zambezi valley. In Harare and Bulawayo, the risk is negligible. Resistance to chloroquine reported.
