008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 44.28 years
male: 45.08 years
female: 43.46 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.72 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

24.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.8 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

170,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups:

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%

Languages:

English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele,
sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 90.7%
male: 94.2%
female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years
male: 9 years
female: 9 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

4.6% of GDP (2000)

Government
Zimbabwe

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
conventional short form: Zimbabwe
former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Harare
geographic coordinates: 17 50 S, 31 03 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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

Independence:

18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution:

21 December 1979

Legal system:

mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31
December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999)
and Vice President Joyce MUJUR