e 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.

Zimbabwe Geography

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

Zimbabwe People

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.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: