Republic of Zimbabwe Flag Coat of arms Motto: "Unity Freedom Work" Anthem: Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe  (Shona) Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe  (Sindebele) "Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe" Location of Zimbabwe within the African Union Capital (and largest city) Harare 1750S 313E / 17.833S 31.05E / -17.833; 31.05 Official language(s) English Shona Ndebele Demonym Zimbabwean Government Semi presidential parliamentary consociationalist republic  -  President Robert Mugabe  -  Vice President Joice Mujuru John Nkomo  -  Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai  -  Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khuphe Arthur Mutambara Independence from the United Kingdom   -  Established 1901   -  Proclaimed 11 November 1965   -  Recognized 18 April 1980  Area  -  Total 390757 km2 (60th) 150871 sq mi   -  Water (%) 1 Population  -  2009 estimate 125210001 (68th)  -  Density 26/km2 (170th) 57/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2010 estimate  -  Total $4.644 billion2 (153rd)  -  Per capita $3952 (181st) GDP (nominal) 2010 estimate  -  Total $5.574 billion2 (141st)  -  Per capita $4752 (169th) Gini (2009) 50.13 (high)  HDI (2010) 0.1404 (low) (169th) Currency none a Time zone Central Africa Time (UTC+2)  -  Summer (DST) Not observed (UTC+2) Drives on the left ISO 3166 code ZW Internet TLD .zw Calling code +263 a The Zimbabwean dollar is no longer in active use after it was officially suspended by the government due to hyperinflation. The United States dollar South African rand Botswanan pula Pound sterling and Euro are now used instead. The US dollar has been adopted as the official currency for all government transactions with the new power-sharing regime.

Zimbabwe ( /zmbbwe/ zim-bahb-we; officially the Republic of Zimbabwe and formerly Southern Rhodesia Rhodesia the Republic of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe Rhodesia) is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south Botswana to the southwest Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three official languages: English Shona and Ndebele.

Zimbabwe began as the British crown colony of Southern Rhodesia created from land held by the British South Africa Company. President Robert Mugabe is the head of State and Commander in Chief of the armed forces. Morgan Tsvangirai is the Prime Minister. Mugabe has been in power since the country's internationally-recognized independence in 1980. Contents 1 Etymology 2 Geography and environment 2.1 Environmental issues 3 History 3.1 Pre-Colonial era (10001887) 3.2 Colonial era (18881965) 3.3 UDI and civil war (19651979) 3.4 Post-Independence (19801999) 3.5 Economic difficulty and Hyperfinflation (19992008) 3.6 2008present 4 Administrative divisions 5 Government and politics 5.1 Human rights 6 Armed forces 6.1 Zimbabwe National Army 7 Economy 7.1 Hyperinflation 20032009 7.1.1 Economic recovery 7.2 Government view and international sanctions 8 Demographics 8.1 Language 8.2 Refugee crisis 9 Health 10 Education 11 Media 12 Culture and recreation 12.1 Arts 12.2 Cuisine 12.3 Sports 12.4 Music 12.5 Scouting 13 Tourism 14 National symbols insignia and anthems 14.1 Zimbabwe Bird 14.2 Balancing Rocks 14.3 National anthem 15 See also 16 References 17 Further reading 18 External links Etymology

There are two theories on the origin of the word "Zimbabwe": Various sources hold that the word is derived from dzimba-dza-mabwe translated from the Karanga dialect of Shona as "large houses of stone" (dzimba plural of imba "house"; mabwe plural of bwe "stone").567 The Karanga-speaking Shona people are found around Great Zimbabwe in the modern-day province of Masvingo. Archaeologist Peter Garlake claims that "Zimbabwe" is a contracted form of dzimba-hwe which means "venerated houses" in the Zezuru dialect of Shona and is usually applied to chiefs' houses or graves.8 Geography and environment Main article: Geography of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa lying between latitudes 15 and 23S and longitudes 25 and 34E. Most of the country is elevated in the central plateau (high veld) stretching from the southwest to the northwest at altitudes between 1200 and 1600m. The country's east is mountainous with Mt. Nyangani as the highest point at 2592 m. About 20% of the country consists of the low veld under 900m. Victoria Falls one of the world's biggest and most spectacular waterfalls is located in the country's northwest as part of the Zambezi river. The country has a tropical climate with a rainy season usually from November to March. The climate is moderated by the altitude. Environmental issues

Large parts of Zimbabwe were once covered by forest the African bush with an abundant wildlife. Poverty population growth and lack of fuel have led to extensive deforestation which along with poaching has reduced the wildlife considerably. Deforestation and woodland degradation are a major concern9 and have led to erosion and land degradation which diminish the amount of fertile soil. History Main article: History of Zimbabwe

By the Middle Ages there was a civilisation that occupied the region evidenced by ruins at Great Zimbabwe near Masvingo and other smaller sites. The main archaeological site is a unique dry stone architecture. Around the early 10th century trade developed with Muslim merchants on the Indian Ocean coast helping to develop the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in the 11th century. This was the precursor to the more impressive Shona civilizations that would dominate the region. Pre-Colonial era (10001887) Towers of Great Zimbabwe.

Proto-Shona speaking societies first emerged in the middle Limpopo valley in the 9th century before moving on to the Zimbabwean highlands. The Zimbabwean plateau eventually became the center of subsequent Shona states. The Kingdom of Mapungubwe was the first in a series of sophisticated trade states developed in Zimbabwe by the time of the first European explorers from Portugal. They traded in gold ivory and copper for cloth and glass.10

From about 1300 until 1600 Mapungubwe was eclipsed by the Kingdom of Zimbabwe. This Shona state further refined and expanded upon Mapungubwe's stone architecture which survives to this day at the ruins of the kingdom's capital of Great Zimbabwe. From circa 14501760 Zimbabwe gave way to the Kingdom of Mutapa. This Shona state ruled much of the area that is known as Zimbabwe today and parts of central Mozambique. It is known by many names including the Mutapa Empire also known as Mwene Mutapa or Monomotapa as well as "Munhumutapa" and was renowned for its gold trade routes with Arabs and the Portuguese. However Portuguese settlers destroyed the trade and began a series of wars which left the empire in near collapse in the early 17th century.10

As a direct response to Portuguese aggression in the interior a new Shona state emerged called the Rozvi Empire. Relying on centuries of military political and religious development the Rozvi (which means "destroyers") removed the Portuguese from the Zimbabwe plateau by force of arms. The Rozvi continued the stone building traditions of the Zimbabwe and Mapungubwe kingdoms while adding guns to its arsenal and developing a professional army to protect its trade routes and conquests. Around 1821 the Zulu general Mzilikazi (meaning The Great Road) of the Khumalo clan successfully rebelled from King Shaka and set up his own tribe the Ndebele. The tribe fought its way northwards into the Transvaal leaving a trail of destruction in its wake and beginning an era of widespread killings and devastation known as the Mfecane. When the Boer settlers (descendants of Dutch and other Europeans) arrived in the Transvaal in 1836 during the Great Trek they attacked the Ndebele and drove the tribe even further northward. In 183738 the Rozvi Empire along with other Shona states were conquered by the Ndebele and forced to pay tribute and concentrate in the northeast of present-day Zimbabwe. After losing the Transvaal in 1840 Mzilikazi and his tribe settled the southwest of present-day Zimbabwe in what became known as Matabeleland and established Bulawayo as their capital. Mzilikazi then organized his followers into a military system with regimental kraals similar to those of Shaka which became strong enough to repel the Boer attacks of 18471851 and persuade the government of the South African Republic to sign a peace treaty with him in 1852. Mzilikazi died in 1868 and after a brief violent power struggle was succeed by his son Lobengula. Colonial era (18881965) Main articles: Southern Rhodesia and Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Matabeleland in the 1800s. In the 1880s the British arrived with Cecil Rhodes's British South Africa Company.11 In 1888 British colonialist Cecil Rhodes obtained a concession for mining rights from King Lobengula of the Ndebele peoples.12 Cecil Rhodes presented this concession to persuade the government of the United Kingdom to grant a royal charter to his British South Africa Company (BSAC) over Matabeleland and its subject states such as Mashonaland.13 Rhodes used this document in 1890 to justify sending the Pioneer Column a group of white settlers protected by well-armed British South Africa Police (BSAP) through Matabeleland and into Shona territory to establish Fort Salisbury (now Harare). In 1893 and 1894 with the help of their new maxim guns the BSAP would go on to defeat the Ndebele in the First Matabele War a war which also resulted in the death of King Lobengula. Rhodes sought permission to negotiate similar concessions covering all territory between the Limpopo River and Lake Tanganyika then known as "Zambesia".13 In accordance with the terms of aforementioned concessions and treaties13 Cecil Rhodes promoted the colonisation of the region's land with British control over labour as well as precious metals and other mineral resources.14 In 1895 the BSAC adopted the name "Rhodesia" for the territory of Zambesia in honour of Cecil Rhodes. In 1898 "Southern Rhodesia" became the official denotation for the region south of the Zambezi15 which later became Zimbabwe. The region to the north was administered separately by the BSAC and later named Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). Shortly after the disastrous Jameson Raid on the South African Republic the Ndebele were led by their spiritual leader Mlimo against the white colonials and thus began the Second Matabele War (189697). The Shona also staged unsuccessful revolts (known as Chimurenga) against encroachment upon their lands by clients of BSAC and Cecil Rhodes in 1896 and 1897.16 Following the failed insurrections of 189697 the Ndebele and Shona groups became subject to Rhodes's administration thus precipitating European settlement en masse which led to land distribution disproportionately favouring Europeans displacing the Shona Ndebele and other indigenous peoples. Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British colony in October 1923 subsequent to a 1922 referendum. Rhodesians served on behalf of the United Kingdom during World War II mainly in the East African Campaign against Axis forces in Italian East Africa. Proportional to (European-descended) population Southern Rhodesia contributed more to both the First and Second World Wars than any other part of the Empire including Britain itself.17 In 1953 in the face of African opposition18 Britain consolidated the two colonies of Rhodesia with Nyasaland in the ill-fated Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland which was dominated by Southern Rhodesia. Growing African nationalism and general dissent particularly in Nyasaland persuaded Britain to dissolve the Union in 1963 forming three colonies. As colonial rule was ending throughout the continent and as African-majority governments assumed control in neighboring Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and in Nyasaland (Malawi) the white-minority Rhodesian government led by Ian Smith's Rhodesian Front (RF) dropped the designation "Southern" in 1964 and issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (commonly abbreviated to "UDI") from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965 effectively repudiating the British plan that the country should become a multi-racial democracy. It was the first declaration of independence by a British colony since the American declaration of 1776 which was indeed claimed by the Rhodesian government to provide a precedent.17 UDI and civil war (19651979) Main articles: Rhodesia Rhodesian Bush War Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Lancaster House Agreement Ian Smith signing the Unilateral Declaration of Independence on 11 November 1965 with his cabinet watching. After UDI the British government requested United Nations economic sanctions against Rhodesia as negotiations with the Smith administration in 1966 and 1968 ended in stalemate. The United Kingdom deemed the Rhodesian declaration an act of rebellion but did not re-establish control by force. A civil war ensued with Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) and Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) using assistance from the governments of Zambia and Mozambique (the latter following its independence from Portugal in 1975). Smith's declaration of a republic in 1970 was recognized only by South Africa1920 then governed by its apartheid administration.2122 Over the years the fighting against Ian Smith's UDI government intensified. As a result the Smith government opened negotiations with the leaders of ZAPU and ZANU. Bishop Abel Muzorewa signs the Lancaster House Agreement seated next to British Foreign Minister Lord Carrington. In March 1978 with his regime near the brink of collapse Smith signed an accord with three African leaders led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa who offered safeguards for white civilians. As a result of the Internal Settlement elections were held in April 1979. The United African National Council (UANC) party won a majority in this election. On 1 June 1979 the leader of UANC Abel Muzorewa became the country's prime minister and the country's name was changed to Zimbabwe Rhodesia. The internal settlement left control of the country's police security forces civil service and judiciary in white hands. It assured whites of about one-third of the seats in parliament.23 However on June 12 the United States Senate voted to end economic sanctions against Zimbabwe Rhodesia. Following the fifth Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Lusaka Zambia from August 1 to August 7 in 1979 the British government invited Muzorewa and the leaders of the Patriotic Front to participate in a constitutional conference at Lancaster House. The purpose of the conference was to discuss and reach an agreement on the terms of an independence constitution and that elections should be supervised under British authority to enable Rhodesia to proceed to legal independence and the parties to settle their differences by political means.24 Lord Carrington Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom chaired the conference.24 The conference took place from September 10 to December 15 in 1979 with 47 plenary sessions. On December 1 1979 delegations from the British and Rhodesian governments and the Patriotic Front signed the Lancaster House Agreement ending the civil war.25 Post-Independence (19801999) Main article: Gukurahundi See also: History of Zimbabwe Britain's Lord Soames was appointed governor to oversee the disarming of revolutionary fighters the holding of elections and the granting of independence to an uneasy coalition government with Joshua Nkomo head of ZAPU. In the elections of February 1980 Mugabe and his ZANU won a landslide victory.26 There was however opposition to a Shona win in Matabeleland. In November 1980 Enos Nkala made remarks at a rally in Bulawayo in which he warned ZAPU that ZANU would deliver a few blows against them. This started the first Entumbane uprising in which ZIPRA and ZANLA fought for two days.27 In February 1981 there was a second uprising which spread to Glenville and also to Connemara in the Midlands. ZIPRA troops in other parts of Matabeleland headed for Bulawayo to join the battle and ex-Rhodesian units had to come in to stop the fighting. Over 300 people were killed. These uprisings led to what has become known as Gukurahundi (Shona: "the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains"28) or the Matabeleland Massacres which ran from 1982 until 1985. Mugabe used his North Korean trained Fifth Brigade to crush any resistance in Matabeleland. It has been estimated that at least 20.000 Matabele were murdered and tens of thousands of others were tortured in camps such as the Valagwe camp where 2-3000 people could be detained for torture and interrogation at any one time.29 The violence ended after ZANU and ZAPU reached a unity agreement in 1988 that merged the two parties creating ZANU-PF.3031 Elections in March 1990 resulted in another victory for Mugabe and his party which won 117 of the 120 election seats. Election observers estimated voter turnout at only 54% and found the campaign neither free nor fair.3233 During the 1990s students trade unionists and workers often demonstrated to express their discontent with the government. Students protested in 1990 against proposals for an increase in government control of universities and again in 1991 and 1992 when they clashed with police. Trade unionists and workers also criticised the government during this time. In 1992 police prevented trade unionists from holding anti-government demonstrations. In 1994 widespread industrial unrest weakened the economy. In 1996 civil servants nurses and junior doctors went on strike over salary issues.3435 The general health of the civilian population also began to significantly flounder. By 1997 an estimated 25% of the population of Zimbabwe had been infected by HIV the AIDS virus.36 Economic difficulty and Hyperfinflation (19992008) Land issues which the liberation movement had promised to solve re-emerged as the main issue for the ruling party around 1997. Despite majority rule and the existence of a "willing-buyer-willing-seller" land reform programme since the 1980s whites made up less than 1% of the population but held about 70% of the most arable land.37 Mugabe began to redistribute land to blacks in 2000 with a compulsory land redistribution. Eventually a wide range of sanctions383940 were imposed by the US government and European Union against the person of Mugabe individuals private companies parastatals and the government of Zimbabwe. The legality and constitutionality of the process has regularly been challenged in the Zimbabwean High and Supreme Courts. The confiscation of the farmland was affected by continuous droughts and lack of inputs and finance led to a sharp decline in agricultural exports which was traditionally the country's leading export producing sector.41 Mining and tourism have surpassed agriculture. As a result Zimbabwe experienced a severe hard-currency shortage that led to hyperinflation and chronic shortages in imported fuel and consumer goods. In 2002 Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations on charges of human rights abuses during the land redistribution and of election tampering.42 In 2003 the Zimbabwe government withdrew its Commonwealth membership. Following elections in 2005 the government initiated "Operation Murambatsvina" an effort to crack down on illegal markets and homes that had seen slums emerge in towns and cities. This action has been widely condemned by opposition and international figures who charge that it has left a substantial section of urban poor homeless.43 The Zimbabwe government has described the operation as an attempt to provide decent housing to the population although they have yet to deliver any new housing for the forcibly removed people.44 A map showing the food insecurity in Zimbabwe in June 2008. Zimbabwe's current economic and food crisis described by some observers as the country's worst humanitarian crisis since independence has been attributed in varying degrees to the government's price controls and land confiscations the HIV/AIDS epidemic and a drought affecting the entire region.45 Life expectancy at birth for males in Zimbabwe has dramatically declined since 1990 from 60 to 42 years among the lowest in the world. The amount of time a Zimbabwean citizen is expected to live healthily from birth is 39 years.46 Concurrently the infant mortality rate has climbed from 53 to 81 deaths per 1000 live births in the same period. As of 2009update 1.2 million Zimbabweans live with HIV.47 On March 29 2008 Zimbabwe held a presidential election along with a parliamentary election. The three major candidates were Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change Tsvangirai (MDC-T) and Simba Makoni an independent. The results of this election were withheld for two weeks following which it was generally acknowledged that the MDC had achieved a majority of one seat in lower house of parliament. However Mugabe retained control because after the "recount" which was done behind close doors without independent monitors Tsvangirai no longer had the margin required by Zimbabwean lawcitation needed. Hence the doctored election results that would otherwise put Mugabe out of power failed the opposition. In late 2008 problems in Zimbabwe reached crisis proportions in the areas of living standards public health (with a major cholera outbreak in December) and various public considerations.48 Mining of diamonds at Marange in Chiadzwa became the subject of international attention as the World Diamond Council called for a clampdown on smuggling49 and supposed illegal miners killings by the military.50 2008present In September 2008 a power-sharing agreement was reached between Mugabe and Tsvangirai in which Mugabe remained president and Tsvangirai became prime minister. However due to ministerial differences between their respective political parties the agreement was not fully implemented until February 13 2009 two days after the swearing in of Tsvangirai as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. In November 2010 the IMF described the Zimbabwean economy as "completing its second year of buoyant economic growth after a decade of economic decline" mentioning "strengthening policies" and "favorable shocks" as main reasons for the economic growth.51 In December 2010 President Mugabe threatened to further expropriate privately-owned companies unless "western sanctions" were lifted. He said: "Why should we continue having companies and organizations that are supported by Britain and America without hitting back Time has come for us to take revenge. We can read the riot act and say this is 51 percent we are taking and if the sanctions persist we are taking over 100 percent."52 Administrative divisions Administrative divisions of Zimbabwe Main articles: Provinces of Zimbabwe Districts of Zimbabwe and Municipalities of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has a centralised government and is divided into eight provinces and two cities with provincial status for administrative purposes. Each province has a provincial capital from where official business is usually carried out.53 Province Capital Bulawayo Bulawayo Harare Harare Manicaland Mutare Mashonaland Central Bindura Mashonaland East Marondera Mashonaland West Chinhoyi Masvingo Masvingo city Matabeleland North Lupane District Matabeleland South Gwanda Midlands Gweru The names of most of the provinces were generated from the Mashonaland and Matabeleland divide at the time of colonisation: Mashonaland was the territory occupied first by the British South Africa Company Pioneer Column and Matabeleland the territory conquered during the First Matabele War. This corresponds roughly to the precolonial territory of the Shona people and the Matabele people although there are significant ethnic minorities in most provinces. Each province is headed by a Provincial Governor appointed by the President.54 The provincial government is run by a Provincial Administrator appointed by the Public Service Commission. Other government functions at provincial level are carried out by provincial offices of national government departments.55 The provinces are subdivided into 59 districts and 1200 wards (sometimes referred to as municipalities). Each district is headed by a District Administrator appointed by the Public Service Commission. There is also a Rural District Council which appoints a Chief Executive Officer. The Rural District Council is composed of elected ward councillors the District Administrator and one representative of the chiefs (traditional leaders appointed under customary law) in the district. Other government functions at district level are carried out by district offices of national government departments.56 At the ward level there is a Ward Development Committee comprising the elected ward councillor the kraalheads (traditional leaders subordinate to chiefs) and representatives of Village Development Committees. Wards are subdivided into villages each of which has an elected Village Development Committee and a Headman (traditional leader subordinate to the kraalhead).57 Government and politics Main articles: Politics of Zimbabwe and Elections in Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe heading to the opening of Parliament. Zimbabwe is a semi-presidential republic which has a parliamentary system of government. Under the constitutional changes in 2005 an upper chamber the Senate was reinstated.58 The House of Assembly is the lower chamber of Parliament. President Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (commonly abbreviated ZANU-PF) has been the dominant political party in Zimbabwe since independence.59 In 1987 then-prime minister Mugabe revised the constitution abolishing the ceremonial presidency and the prime ministerial posts to form an executive president a Presidential system. His ZANU party has won every election since independence in 1990 election the second-placed party Edgar Tekere's Zimbabwe Unity Movement winning only 20% of the vote.60 During the 1995 parliamentary elections most opposition parties including the ZUM boycotted the voting resulting in a near-sweep by the ruling party.61 When the opposition returned to the polls in 2000 however they won 57 seats only five fewer than ZANU.61 Presidential elections were again held in 2002 amid allegations of vote-rigging intimidation and fraud.62 The 2005 Zimbabwe parliamentary elections were held on March 31 and multiple claims of vote rigging election fraud and intimidation were made by the MDC and Jonathan Moyo calling for investigations into 32 of the 120 constituencies.63 Jonathan Moyo participated in the elections despite the allegations and won a seat as an independent member of Parliament. General elections were again held in Zimbabwe on March 30 2008.64 The official results required a runoff between Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai the opposition leader however the MDC challenged these resultscitation needed claiming widespread election fraud by the Mugabe government. The runoff was scheduled for June 27 2008. On June 22 however citing the continuing unfairness of the process and refusing to participate in a "violent illegitimate sham of an election process" Tsvangirai pulled out of the presidential run-off the ZEC held the run-off and President Mugabe received a landslide majority.65 The MDC-T led by Morgan Tsvangirai is now the majority in the Lower chamber of Parliament. The MDC split into two factions. One faction (MDC-M) now led by Arthur Mutambara contested the elections to the Senate while the other led by Morgan Tsvangirai opposed to contesting the elections stating that participation in a rigged election is tantamount to endorsing Mugabe's claim that past elections were free and fair. However the opposition parties have resumed participation in national and local elections as recently as 2006. The two MDC camps had their congresses in 2006 with Morgan Tsvangirai being elected to lead MDC-T which has become more popular than the other group.66 Mutambara a robotics professor and former NASA robotics specialist has replaced Welshman Ncube who was the interim leader of MDC-M after the split. Morgan Tsvangirai did not participate in the Senate elections while the Mutambara faction participated and won five seats in the senate. The Mutambara formation has however been weakened by defections from MPs and individuals who are disillusioned by their manifesto. As of 2008 the Movement for Democratic Change has become the most popular with crowds as large as 20000 attending their rallies as compared to between 5005000 for the other formation.66 On April 28 2008 Tsvangirai and Mutambara announced at a joint news conference in Johannesburg that the two MDC formations were cooperating enabling the MDC to have a clear parliamentary majority.6768 Tsvangirai said that Mugabe could not remain President without a parliamentary majority.68 On the same day Silaigwana announced that the recounts for the final five constituencies had been completed that the results were being collated and that they would be published on 29 April.69 In mid-September 2008 after protracted negotiations overseen by the leaders of South Africa and Mozambique Mugabe and Tsvangirai signed a power-sharing deal which would see Mugabe retain control over the army. Donor nations have adopted a 'wait-and-see' attitude wanting to see real change being brought about by this merger before committing themselves to funding rebuilding efforts which are estimated to take at least five years. On February 11 2009 Tsvangirai was sworn in as Prime Minister by President Mugabe. In November 2008 the government of Zimbabwe spent $7.3 million donated by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria. A representative of the organization declined to speculate on how the money was spent except that it was not for the intended purpose and the government has failed to honor requests to return the money.70 Human rights Main article: Human rights in Zimbabwe Protesters against the Mugabe regime abroad; protests are "discouraged" by Zimbabwean police in Zimbabwe.71 There are widespread reports of systematic and escalating violations of human rights in Zimbabwe under the Mugabe administration and his party the ZANU-PF. According to human rights organisations such as Amnesty International72 and Human Rights Watch73 the government of Zimbabwe violates the rights to shelter food freedom of movement and residence freedom of assembly and the protection of the law. There have been alleged assaults on the media the political opposition civil society activists and human rights defenders. Opposition gatherings are frequently the subject of brutal attacks by the police force such as the crackdown on a March 11 2007 Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) rally and several others during the 2008 election campaign.74 In the attacks of 2007 party leader Morgan Tsvangirai and 49 other opposition activists were arrested and severely beaten by the police. After his release Morgan Tsvangirai told the BBC that he suffered head injuries and blows to the arms knees and back and that he lost a significant amount of blood.75 The ZBC is the public broadcaster Police action was strongly condemned by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon the European Union and the United States.75 While noting that the activists had suffered injuries but not mentioning the cause of them76 the Zimbabwean government-controlled daily newspaper The Herald claimed the police had intervened after demonstrators "ran amok looting shops destroying property mugging civilians and assaulting police officers and innocent members of the public". The newspaper also argued that the opposition had been "willfully violating the ban on political rallies".76 There are also abuses of media rights and access. The Zimbabwean government suppresses freedom of the press and freedom of speech.72 It has also been repeatedly accused of using the public broadcaster the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation as a propaganda tool.77 Newspapers critical of the government such as the Daily News closed after bombs exploded at their offices and the government refused to renew their license.7879 BBC News Sky News and CNN were banned from filming or reporting from Zimbabwe. In 2009 reporting restrictions on the BBC and CNN were lifted.80 Sky News continue to report on happenings within Zimbabwe from neighbouring countries like South Africa.8182 Armed forces Main article: Military of Zimbabwe Flag of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. The existence of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) is enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe Chapter X 96 (1) which states that For the purpose of defending Zimbabwe there shall be defence forces consisting of an army an air force and such other branches if any of the defence forces as may be provided for by or under an act of parliament.83 The ZDF was set up by the integration of three belligerent forces the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) on one side and the Rhodesian Security Forces (RSF) on the other at the end of the Rhodesian Bush War in 1980. The integration period saw the formation of The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) as separate entities under the command of Rtd General Solomon Mujuru and Air Marshal Norman Walsh who retired in 1982 and was replaced by Air Marshal Azim Daudpota who handed over command to the late Rtd Air Chief Marshal Josiah Tungamirai in 1985. Although integration took place in the ZNA there was no integration in the Air Force of Zimbabwe. Ex ZIPRA and ex ZANLA members who joined the Air Force particularly between 1980 and early 1982 did so as individuals. Consequently many did not make the so-called "grade" and were dismissed from the Force unlike their colleagues in the ZNA who were protected by the integration directive. Before Norman Walsh left the Air Force military aircraft were destroyed through sabotage at Thornhill Air Base in Gweru. Arrests were made and this led to an exodus of white commissioned officers from the AFZ. The Government responded by transferring Major General Josiah Tungamirai from the ZNA to the AFZ becoming an Air Vice Marshal who later deputized Air Marshal Daudpota seconded from the Pakistan Air Force. The integration commanders handed over the Zimbabwean flags to then Lieutenant General Vitalis Zvinavashe who later became the first Commander Defence Forces (1993) and Air Marshal Perrance Shiri in 1992 and subsequently in the ZNA to then Lieutenant General Constantine Chiwenga in 1993. The approval of the Defence Amendment Bill saw the setting up of a single command for the Defence Forces in 1995. The late General Vitalis Zvinavashe became the first commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces with the commanders of both the Army and the Air Force falling under his command. Following his retirement in December 2003 General Constantine Chiwenga was promoted and appointed Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. Lieutenant General P. V. Sibanda replaced him as Commander of the Army.83 The ZNA currently has an active duty strength of 30000. The Air Force has about 5139 men assigned.84 The Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit Paramilitary Police) is also part of the defence force of Zimbabwe and numbers 25000.85 In 1999 the Government of Zimbabwe sent a sizable military force into the Democratic Republic of Congo to support the government of President Laurent Kabila during the Second Congo War. Those forces were largely withdrawn in 2002. Zimbabwe National Army Main article: Zimbabwe National Army Flag of the Army of Zimbabwe The Zimbabwe National Army or ZNA was created in 1980 from elements of the Rhodesian Army integrated to a greater or lesser extent with combatants from the ZANLA and ZIPRA guerrilla movements (the armed wings of respectively ZANU and ZAPU). Following majority rule in early 1980 British Army trainers oversaw the integration of guerrilla fighters into a battalion structure overlaid on the existing Rhodesian armed forces. For the first year a system was followed where the top-performing candidate became battalion commander. If he or she was from ZANLA then his or her second-in-command was the top-performing ZIPRA candidate and vice versa.86 This ensured a balance between the two movements in the command structure. From early 1981 this system was abandoned in favour of political appointments and ZANLA/ZANU fighters consequently quickly formed the majority of battalion commanders in the ZNA. The ZNA was originally formed into four brigades composed of a total of 28 battalions. The brigade support units were composed almost entirely of specialists of the former Rhodesian Army while unintegrated battalions of the Rhodesian African Rifles were assigned to the 1st 3rd and 4th Brigades. The notorious Fifth Brigade was formed in 1981 and disbanded in 1988 after allegations of brutality and murder during the Brigade's occupation of Matabeleland in what has become known as Gukurahundi (Shona: "the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains").2887 However the Brigade had been reformed by 2006 with its commander Brigadier-General John Mupande praising its "rich history".88 Economy This article's factual accuracy may be compromised because of out-of-date information. Please help improve the article by updating it. There may be additional information on the talk page. (January 2010) Main article: Economy of Zimbabwe Zimbabwean exports in 2006 Crop production in Zimbabwe has considerably fallen in recent years Mineral exports agriculture and tourism are the main foreign currency earners of Zimbabwe.89 The mining sector remains very lucrative with some of the world's largest platinum reserves being mined by Anglo-American and Impala Platinum.90 The Marange diamond fields discovered in 2006 are considered the biggest diamond find in over a century.91 They have the potential to improve the fiscal situation of the country considerably however almost all revenues from the field have disappeared in to the pockets of army officers and ZANU-PF politicians.92 Zimbabwe is the biggest trading partner of South Africa on the continent.93 Zimbabwe maintained positive economic growth throughout the 1980s (5.0% GDP growth per year) and 1990s (4.3% GDP growth per year). However the economy declined from 2000: 5% decline in 2000 8% in 2001 12% in 2002 and 18% in 2003.94 The government of Zimbabwe faces a variety of economic problems after having abandoned earlier efforts to develop a market-oriented economy. Problems include a shortage of foreign exchange soaring inflation and supply shortages. Zimbabwe's involvement from 1998 to 2002 in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy.95 The downward spiral of the economy has been attributed mainly to mismanagement and corruption of the Mugabe regime and the eviction of more than 4000 white farmers in the controversial land redistribution of 2000.96979899 Zimbabwe was previously an exporter of maize but has become a net importer.90 Tobacco exports and other exports of crops have also declined sharply. Tourism was an important industry for the country but has been failing in recent years. The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force released a report in June 2007 estimating 60% of Zimbabwe's wildlife has died since 2000 due to poaching and deforestation. The report warns that the loss of life combined with widespread deforestation is potentially disastrous for the tourist industry.100 On November 2010 the IMF described the Zimbabwean economy as "completing its second year of buoyant economic growth".101102 Hyperinflation 20032009 Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to an official estimated high of 11200000% in August 2008 according to the country's Central Statistical Office.103 This represented a state of hyperinflation and the central bank introduced a new 100 billion dollar note.104 As of November 2008 unofficial figures put Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate at 516 quintillion per cent with prices doubling every 1.3 days. Zimbabwe's inflation crisis was in 2009 the second worst inflation spike in history behind the hyperinflationary crisis of Hungary in 1946 in which prices doubled every 15.6 hours.105 By 2005 the purchasing power of the average Zimbabwean had dropped to the same levels in real terms as 1953.106 Local residents have largely resorted to buying essentials from neighbouring Botswana South Africa and Zambia. In 2005 the government led by central bank governor Gideon Gono started making overtures that white farmers could come back. There were 400 to 500 still left in the country but much of the land that had been confiscated was no longer productive.107 In January 2007 the government even let some white farmers sign long term leases.108 But the government reversed course again and started demanding that all remaining white farmers leave the country or face jail.109110 In August 2006 a revalued Zimbabwean dollar was introduced equal to 1000 of the prior Zimbabwean dollars. The exchange rate fell from 24 old Zimbabwean dollars per U.S. dollar (USD) in 1998 to 250000 prior or 250 new Zimbabwean dollars per USD at the official rate111 and an estimated 120000000 old or 120000 revalued Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar on the parallel market112 in June 2007. In January 2009 Zimbabwe introduced a new Z$100 trillion banknote.113 On January 29 in an effort to counteract his country's runaway inflation acting Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa announced that Zimbabweans will be permitted to use other more stable currencies (e.g. Sterling Euro South African Rand and the United States Dollar) to do business alongside the Zimbabwe dollar.114 On February 2 2009 the RBZ announced that a further 12 zeros were to be taken off the currency with 1000000000000 (third) Zimbabwe dollars being exchanged for 1 new (fourth) dollar. New banknotes are to be introduced with a face value of Z$1 Z$5 Z$10 Z$20 Z$50 Z$100 and Z$500.The banknotes of the fourth dollar were to circulate alongside the third dollar which remained legal tender until 30 June 2009.115 Economic recovery Since the formation of the Unity Government in 2009 The Zimbabwean economy has been on the rebound. GDP grew by more than 5% in the year 2009 and 2010. Growth is forcasted to reach 8% in 2010 buoyed by high mineral prices and the improving agriculture sector. Zimbabwe produced 119 million kg of tobacco in the 2009/10 season double the previous years output.116 Zimplats the nations largest platinum company has proceeded with US$500 million in expansions and is also continuing a separate US$2 billion project despite threats by Mugabe to nationalize the company.117 The pan-African investment bank IMARA released a favorable report in February 2011 on investment prospects in Zimbabwe citing an improved revenue base and higher tax receipts.118 Government view and international sanctions Mugabe points to foreign governments and alleged "sabotage" as the cause of the fall of the Zimbabwean economy as well as the country's 80% formal unemployment rate.119 Critics of Mugabe's administration including the majority of the international community blame Mugabe's controversial programme which sought to seize land from white commercial farmers.citation needed Mugabe has repeatedly blamed sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the European Union and the United States for the state of the Zimbabwean economy. According to the United States however these sanctions target only seven specific businesses owned or controlled by government officials and not ordinary citizens.120 During a meeting of the Southern African Development Community in 2007 a call was issued for the sanctions to be removed.121 Taxes and tariffs are high for private enterprises while state enterprises are strongly subsidized. State regulation is costly to companies; starting or closing a business is slow and costly.122 Government spending was predicted to reach 67% of GDP in 2007.123 It used to be partly financed by printing money which led to hyperinflation. The labor market is highly regulated; hiring a worker is cumbersome firing a worker is difficult and unemployment has risen to 80% (2005).122 In an effort to combat inflation and foster economic growth the Zimbabwean Dollar was suspended indefinitely on 12 April 2009.124 Zimbabwe now allows trade in the United States Dollar and various other currencies such as the South African Rand Euro Sterling and Botswana Pula. Demographics Main article: Demographics of Zimbabwe A n'anga (or faith healer) of the majority (8084%) Shona people Zimbabwe's total population is 12 million.125 According to the United Nations World Health Organisation the life expectancy for men was 37 years and the life expectancy for women was 34 years of age the lowest in the world in 2006.126 An association of doctors in Zimbabwe has made calls for President Mugabe to make moves to assist the ailing health service.127 The HIV infection rate in Zimbabwe was estimated to be 14% for people aged 1549 in 2009.128 UNESCO reported a decline in HIV prevalence among pregnant women from 26% in 2002 to 21% in 2004.129 Some 85% of Zimbabweans are Christian; 62% percent of the population attends religious services regularly.130 The largest Christian churches are Anglican Roman Catholic Seventh-day Adventist131 and Methodist. As in other African countries Christianity may be mixed with enduring traditional beliefs. Besides Christianity ancestral worship is the most practiced non-Christian religion involving spiritual intercession; the Mbira Dza Vadzimu which means "Voice of the Ancestors" an instrument related to many lamellophones ubiquitous throughout Africa is central to many ceremonial proceedings. Mwari simply means "God the Creator" (musika vanhu in Shona). Around 1% of the population is Muslim.132 Black ethnic groups make up 98% of the population. The majority people the Shona comprise 80 to 84%. The Ndebele are the second most populous with 10 to 15% of the population.133134 The Ndebele descended from Zulu migrations in the 19th century and the other tribes with which they intermarried. Up to one million Ndebele may have left the country over the last five years mainly for South Africa. Other Bantu ethnic groups make up the third largest with 2 to 5%. These are Venda Tonga Shangaan Kalanga Sotho Ndau and Nambya.134 White Zimbabweans make up less than 1% of the population. Minority ethnic groups include white Zimbabweans who make up less than 1% of the total population. White Zimbabweans are mostly of British origin but there are also Afrikaner Greek Portuguese French and Dutch communities. The white population dropped from a peak of around 296000 in 1975 to possibly 120000 in 1999 and was estimated to be no more than 50000 in 2002 and possibly much less.135 Most emigration has been to the United Kingdom (Between 200000 and 500000 Britons are of Zimbabwean origin) South Africa Botswana Zambia Canada Australia and New Zealand. Mixed-race citizens form 0.5% of the population and various Asian ethnic groups mostly of Indian and Chinese origin are also 0.5%.136 Asian immigrants are influential in the economic sector. Language Main article: Languages of Zimbabwe Shona Ndebele and English are the principal languages of Zimbabwe. Despite English being the official language less than 2.5% mainly the white and Coloured (mixed race) minorities consider it their native language. The rest of the population speak Bantu languages such as Shona (76%) Ndebele (18%) and the other minority languages of Venda Tsonga Shangaan Kalanga Sotho Ndau and Nambya.137 Shona has a rich oral tradition which was incorporated into the first Shona novel Feso by Solomon Mutswairo published in 1956.138 English is spoken primarily in the cities but less so in rural areas. Radio and television news is now broadcast in Shona Ndebele and English. Refugee crisis The economic meltdown and repressive political measures in Zimbabwe have led to a flood of refugees into neighbouring countries. An estimated 3.4 million Zimbabweans a quarter of the population had fled abroad by mid 2007.139 Some 3 million of these have gone to South Africa and Botswana.140 Apart from the people who fled into the neighbouring countries there are up to one million internally displaced persons (IDPs). There is no current comprehensive survey141 although the following figures are available: Survey Number Date Source national survey 880960000 2007 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee142 former farm workers 1000000 2008 UNDP141 victims of Operation Murambatsvina 570000 2005 UN143 people displaced by political violence 36000 2008 UN141 The above surveys do not include people displaced by Operation Chikorokoza Chapera or beneficiaries of the fast-track land reform programme but who have since been evicted.141 Health A map showing the spread of cholera in and around Zimbabwe put together from several sources. See also: HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe and 2008 Zimbabwean cholera outbreak At independence the policies of racial inequality were reflected in the disease patterns of the black majority. The first five years after independence saw rapid gains in areas such as immunization coverage access to health care and contraceptive prevalence rate.144 Zimbabwe was thus considered internationally to have an achieved a good record of health development.145 However the country suffered occasional outbreaks of acute diseases (such as plague in 1994). The gains on the national health were eroded by structural adjustment in the 1990s146 the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic90 and the economic crisis since the year 2000. Zimbabwe now has one of the lowest life expectancies on Earth 44 for men and 43 for women147 down from 60 in 1990. The rapid drop has been ascribed mainly to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Infant mortality has risen from 5.9% in the late 1990s to 12.3% by 2004.90 The health system has more or less collapsed: By the end of November 2008 three of Zimbabwe's four major hospitals had shut down along with the Zimbabwe Medical School and the fourth major hospital had two wards and no operating theatres working.148 Due to hyperinflation those hospitals still open are not able to obtain basic drugs and medicines.149 The ongoing political and economic crisis also contributed to the emigration of the doctors and people with medical knowledge.150 In August 2008 large areas of Zimbabwe were struck by the ongoing cholera epidemic. By December 2008 more than 10000 people had been infected in all but one of Zimbabwe's provinces and the outbreak had spread to Botswana Mozambique South Africa and Zambia.151152 On December 4 2008 the Zimbabwe government declared the outbreak to be a national emergency and has asked for international aid.153154 By March 9 2009 The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 4011 people had succumbed to the waterborne disease since the outbreak began in August 2008 and the total number of cases recorded had reached 89018.155 In Harare the city council offered free graves to cholera victims.156 There have been signs that the disease is abating with cholera infections down by about 50 percent to around 4000 cases a week.155 Education Main article: Education in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe's adult literacy rate is amongst the highest in Africa. Zimbabwe had an adult literacy rate of approximately 90% which used to be amongst the highest in Africa.157158159 However since 1995 the adult literacy rate of Zimbabwe had steadily decreased a trend shared by other African countries.160 In 2010 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) found that Zimbabwe's literacy rate had climbed to a high of 92% and had once again become the highest in Africa.161162 The education department has stated that 20000 teachers have left Zimbabwe since 2007 and that half of Zimbabwe's children have not progressed beyond primary school.163 The wealthier portion of the population usually send their children to independent schools as opposed to the government-run schools which are attended by the majority as these are subsidised by the government. School education was made free in 1980 but since 1988 the government has steadily increased the charges attached to school enrollment until they now greatly exceed the real value of fees in 1980. The Ministry of Education of Zimbabwe maintains and operates the government schools but the fees charged by independent schools are regulated by the cabinet of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's education system consists of 9 years of primary and 6 years of secondary schooling before students can enter university in the country or abroad. The academic year in Zimbabwe runs from January to December with three month terms broken up by one month holidays with a total of 40 weeks of school per year. National examinations are written during the third term in November with "O" level and "A" level subjects also offered in June.164 There are seven public universities as well as four church-related universities in Zimbabwe that are fully internationally accredited.164 The University of Zimbabwe the first and largest was built in 1952 and is located in the Harare suburb of Mount Pleasant. Notable alumni from Zimbabwean universities include Welshman Ncube; Peter Moyo (of Amabhubesi); Tendai Biti Secretary-General for the MDC; Chenjerai Hove Zimbabwean poet novelist and essayist; and Arthur Mutambara President of one faction of the MDC. Many of the current politicians in the government of Zimbabwe have obtained degrees from universities in USA or other universities abroad. The highest professional board for accountants is the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe (ICAZ) with direct relationships with similar bodies in South Africa Canada the UK and Australia. A qualified Chartered Accountant from Zimbabwe is also a member of similar bodies in these countries after writing a conversion paper. In addition Zimbabwean-trained doctors only require one year of residence to be fully licensed doctors in the United States. The Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers (ZIE) is the highest professional board for engineers. However education in Zimbabwe became under threat since the economic changes in 2000 with teachers going on strike because of low pay students unable to concentrate because of hunger and the price of uniforms soaring making this standard a luxury. Teachers were also one of the main targets of Mugabe's attacks because he thought they were not strong supporters.165 Media Main article: Media of Zimbabwe The media of Zimbabwe once initially diverse have come under tight restriction in recent years by the government particularly during the growing economic and political crisis in the country. The Zimbabwean constitution promises freedom of the media and expression; however the media is currently hampered by political interference and the implementation of strict media laws. In its 2008 report Reporters Without Borders ranked the Zimbabwean media as 151st out of 173.166 The government also bans many foreign broadcasting stations from Zimbabwe including the BBC (since 2001) CNN CBC Sky News Channel 4 American Broadcasting Company Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Fox News. News agencies and newspapers from other Western countries and South Africa have also been banned from the country. In July 2009 the BBC and CNN were able to resume operations and report legally and openly from Zimbabwe. CNN welcomed the move. The Zimbabwe Ministry of Media Information and Publicity stated that "the Zimbabwe government never banned the BBC from carrying out lawful activities inside Zimbabwe".80 The BBC also welcomed the move saying "we're pleased at being able to operate openly in Zimbabwe once again".167 Private press used to be common however since the 2002 Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) was passed a number have been shut down by the government including The Daily News whose managing director Wilf Mbanga went on to form the influential The Zimbabwean.166168 As a result many press organisations have been set up in both neighbouring and Western countries by exiled Zimbabweans. However because the internet is currently unrestricted many Zimbabweans are allowed to access online news sites set up by exiled journalists.169 Reporters Without Borders claims the media environment in Zimbabwe involves "surveillance threats imprisonment censorship blackmail abuse of power and denial of justice are all brought to bear to keep firm control over the news."166 However the main published newspapers are The Herald (Zimbabwe) and The Chronicle (Zimbabwe) which are printed in Harare and Bulawayo respectively. In 2010 the Zimbabwe Media Commission was established by the inclusive power-sharing government. In May 2010 the Commission licensed three new privately-owned newspapers including the previously banned Daily News for publication.170 Reporters Without Borders described the decisions as a "major advance".171 In June 2010 NewsDay became the first independent daily newspaper to be published in Zimbabwe in seven years.172 Culture and recreation A Zimbabwe market place and bus terminus. Zimbabwe has many different cultures which may include beliefs and ceremonies one of them being Shona. Zimbabwe's largest ethnic group is Shona. The Shona people have many sculptures and carvings of gods (idols) which are made with the finest materials available. Zimbabwe first celebrated its independence on 18 April 1980.173 Celebrations are held at either the National Sports Stadium or Rufaro Stadium in Harare. The first independence celebrations were held in 1980 at the Zimbabwe Grounds. At these celebrations doves are released to symbolise peace and fighter jets fly over and the national anthem is sung. The flame of independence is lit by the president after parades by the presidential family and members of the armed forces of Zimbabwe. The president also gives a speech to the people of Zimbabwe which is televised for those unable to attend the stadium.174 Arts Main article: Art of Zimbabwe Traditional arts in Zimbabwe include pottery basketry textiles jewelry and carving. Among the distinctive qualities are symmetrically patterned woven baskets and stools carved out of a single piece of wood. Shona sculpture has become world famous in recent years having first emerged in the 1940s. Most subjects of carved figures of stylised birds and human figures among others are made with sedimentary rocks such as soapstone as well as harder igneous rocks such as serpentine and the rare stone verdite. Shona sculpture in essence has been a fusion of African folklore with European influences. World renowned Zimbabwean sculptors include Nicholas Nesbert and Anderson Mukomberanwa Tapfuma Gutsa Henry Munyaradzi and Locardia Ndandarika. Internationally Zimbabwean sculptors have managed to influence a new generation of artists particularly Black Americans through lengthy apprenticeships with master sculptors in Zimbabwe. Contemporary artists like New York sculptor M. Scott Johnson and California sculptor Russel Albans have learned to fuse both African and Afro-diasporic aesthetics in a way that travels beyond the simplistic mimicry of African Art by some Black artists of past generations in the U.S. Several authors are well known within Zimbabwe and abroad. Charles Mungoshi is renowned in Zimbabwe for writing traditional stories in English and in Shona and his poems and books have sold well with both the black and white communities.175 Catherine Buckle has achieved international recognition with her two books African Tears and Beyond Tears which tell of the ordeal she went through under the 2000 Land Reform.176 Prime Minister of Rhodesia the late Ian Smith has also written two books The Great Betrayal and Bitter Harvest. The book The House of Hunger by Dambudzo Marechera won an award in the UK in 1979 and the Nobel Prize-winning author Doris Lessing's first novel The Grass Is Singing is set in Rhodesia. Internationally famous artists include Henry Mudzengerere and Nicolas Mukomberanwa. A recurring theme in Zimbabwean art is the metamorphosis of man into beast.177 Zimbabwean musicians like Thomas Mapfumo Oliver Mtukudzi the Bhundu Boys and Audius Mtawarira have achieved international recognition. Among members of the white minority community Theatre has a large following with numerous theatrical companies performing in Zimbabwe's urban areas. Cuisine Raw Boerewors. Like in many African countries the majority of Zimbabweans depend on a few staple foods. "Mealie meal" also known as cornmeal is used to prepare sadza or isitshwala and bota or ilambazi. Sadza is a porridge made by mixing the cornmeal with water to produce a thick paste. After the paste has been cooking for several minutes more cornmeal is added to thicken the paste. This is usually eaten as lunch and dinner usually with greens (such as spinach chomolia collard greens) beans and meat that has been stewed grilled or roasted. Sadza is also commonly eaten with curdled milk commonly known as lacto (mukaka wakakora) or dried Tanganyika sardine known locally as kapenta or matemba. Bota is a thinner porridge cooked without the additional cornmeal and usually flavoured with peanut butter milk butter or sometimes jam.178 Bota is usually eaten for breakfast. Graduations weddings and any other family gatherings will usually be celebrated with the killing of a goat or cow which will be barbecued or roasted by the family. Afrikaner recipes are popular though they are a small group (0.2%) within the white minority group. Biltong a type of jerky is a popular snack prepared by hanging bits of spiced raw meat to dry in the shade.179 Boerewors is served with sadza. It is a long sausage often well-spiced composed of beef rather than pork and barbecued. Since Zimbabwe was a British colony they have adopted some English habits. For example most people will have porridge in the morning however they will still have 10 o'clock tea (midday tea). They will have lunch which can be left-overs from the night before freshly cooked sadza or sandwiches (which is more common in the cities). After lunch there is usually 4 o'clock tea that is served before dinner. It is not uncommon for tea to be had after a dinner. Sports Main article: Sports in Zimbabwe Cricket (sport) is the most popular of sports in Zimbabwe although rugby union and football also have a following traditionally among the white minority. Zimbabwe has won eight Olympic medals one in field hockey at the (boycotted) 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow and seven in swimming three at the 2004 Summer Olympics and four at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Zimbabwe has also done well in the Commonwealth Games and All-Africa Games in swimming with Kirsty Coventry obtaining 11 gold medals in the different competitions.180181182183 Zimbabwe has also competed at Wimbledon and the Davis Cup in tennis most notably with the Black family which comprises Wayne Black Byron Black and Cara Black. Zimbabwe has also done well in golf. It is set to participate in ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Music Main article: Music of Zimbabwe Scouting Main article: The Boy Scouts Association of Zimbabwe Baden-Powell's sketch of Chief of Scouts Burnham Matobo Hills 1896. It was in the Matabeleland region in Zimbabwe that during the Second Matabele War Robert Baden-Powell the founder of Scouting and Frederick Russell Burnham the American born Chief of Scouts for the British Army first met and began their life-long friendship.184 In mid-June 1896 during a scouting patrol in the Matobo Hills Burnham began teaching Baden-Powell woodcraft. Baden-Powell and Burnham discussed the concept of a broad training programme in woodcraft for young men rich in exploration tracking fieldcraft and self-reliance.185 It was also during this time in the Matobo Hills that Baden-Powell first started to wear his signature campaign hat like the one worn by Burnham.186 Scouting in the former Rhodesia and Nyasaland started in 1909 when the first Boy Scout troop was registered. Scouting grew quickly and in 1924 Rhodesia and Nyasaland sent a large contingent to the second World Scout Jamboree in Ermelunden Denmark. In 1959 Rhodesia hosted the Central African Jamboree at Ruwa. In 2009 Scouts celebrated 100 years of Scouting in Zimbabwe and hundreds of Scouts camped at Gordon Park a Scout campground and training area as part of these celebrations.187 Tourism Main article: Tourism in Zimbabwe The logo of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority showing the Victoria Falls and the Zimbabwe Bird found at Great Zimbabwe Victoria Falls the end of the upper Zambezi and beginning of the middle Zambezi Since the Land Reform programme in 2000 tourism in Zimbabwe has steadily declined. After rising during the 1990s (1.4 million tourists in 1999) industry figures described a 75% fall in visitors to Zimbabwe in 2000. By December less than 20% of hotel rooms had been occupied.188 This has had a huge impact on the Zimbabwean economy. Thousands of jobs have been lost in the industry due to companies closing down or simply being unable to pay staff wages due to the decreasing number of tourists. Several airlines have also pulled out of Zimbabwe. Australia's Qantas Germany's Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines were among the first to pull out and most recently British Airways suspended all direct flights to Harare.188189 The country's flagship airline Air Zimbabwe still flies to the United Kingdom. Many light aircraft charter companies operate in Zimbabwe providing a quick and safe means of travel in the region. The biggest of these companies is Executive Air. Zimbabwe boasts several major tourist attractions. Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River which are shared with Zambia are located in the north west of Zimbabwe. Before the economic changes much of the tourism for these locations came to the Zimbabwe side but now Zambia is the main beneficiary. The Victoria Falls National Park is also in this area and is one of the eight main national parks in Zimbabwe190 largest of which is Hwange National Park. The Eastern Highlands are a series of mountainous areas near the border with Mozambique. The highest peak in Zimbabwe Mount Nyangani at 2593 m (8507 ft) is located here as well as the Bvumba Mountains and the Nyanga National Park. World's View is in these mountains and it is from here that places as far away as 6070 km (3743 mi) are visible and on clear days the town of Rusape can be seen. Great Zimbabwe as featured on the defunct $50 note Zimbabwe is unusual in Africa in that there are a number of ancient ruined cities built in a unique dry stone style. The most famous of these are the Great Zimbabwe ruins in Masvingo. Other ruins include Khami Ruins Zimbabwe Dhlo-Dhlo and Naletale although none of these is as famous as Great Zimbabwe. The Matobo Hills are an area of granite kopjes and wooded valleys commencing some 22 miles (35 km) south of Bulawayo in southern Zimbabwe. The Hills were formed over 2000 million years ago with granite being forced to the surface then being eroded to produce smooth "whaleback dwalas" and broken kopjes strewn with boulders and interspersed with thickets of vegetation. Mzilikazi founder of the Ndebele nation gave the area its name meaning 'Bald Heads'. They have become famous and a tourist attraction due to their ancient shapes and local wildlife. Cecil John Rhodes and other early white pioneers like Leander Starr Jameson are buried in these hills at a site named World's View.191 National symbols insignia and anthems The two main traditional symbols of Zimbabwe are the Zimbabwe Bird and the Balancing Rocks. Other national symbols exist but have varying degrees of official usage such as the flame lily and the Sable Antelope. Zimbabwe Bird Main article: Zimbabwe Bird The stone-carved Zimbabwe Bird appears on the national flags and the coats of arms of both Zimbabwe and Rhodesia as well as on banknotes and coins (first on Rhodesian pound and then Rhodesian dollar). It probably represents the bateleur eagle. The famous soapstone bird carvings stood on walls and monoliths of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe built it is believed sometime between the 13th and 16th centuries by ancestors of the Shona. The ruins which gave their name to modern Zimbabwe cover some 1800 acres (7.3 km2) and are the largest ancient stone construction in Zimbabwe.192 When the ruins of Great Zimbabwe were excavated by treasure-hunters in the late 19th century five of the carved birds they discovered were taken to South Africa by Cecil Rhodes. Four of the statues were returned to Zimbabwe by the South African government at independence while the fifth remains at Groote Schuur Rhodes' former home in Cape Town. Balancing Rocks Main article: Balancing Rocks Balancing Rocks are geological formations all over Zimbabwe. The rocks are perfectly balanced without other supports. They are created when ancient granite intrusions are exposed to weathering as softer rocks surrounding them erode away. They are often remarked on and have been depicted on both the paper money of the Zimbabwean dollar and the paper money of the Rhodesian dollar. The ones found on the current notes of Zimbabwe named the Banknote Rocks are located in Epworth approximately 9 miles (15 km) south east of Harare.193 There are however many different formations of the rocks incorporating single and paired columns of 3 or more rocks. These formations are a feature of south and east tropical Africa from northern South Africa northwards to Sudan. The most notable formations in Zimbabwe are located in the Matobo National Park in Matabeleland. National anthem Main article: National Anthem of Zimbabwe "Blessed be the Land of Zimbabwe" (Shona: "Simudzai Mureza wedu WeZimbabwe"; Northern Ndebele: "Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe") is the national anthem of Zimbabwe. It was introduced in March 1994 after a nation-wide competition to replace "Ishe Komborera Africa" as a distinctly Zimbabwean song. The winning entry was a song written by Professor Solomon Mutswairo and composed by Fred Changundega. It has been translated into all three of the main languages of Zimbabwe. Reverse side of the defunct ten cent coin featuring the Zimbabwe Bird Traditional Zimbabwe Bird design The flame lily national flower of Zimbabwe See also Zimbabwe portal Africa portal Main articles: Outline of Zimbabwe and Index of Zimbabwe-related articles References Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009) (PDF). World Population Prospects Table A.1. 2008 revision. United Nations. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008texttables.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-12.  a b c d "Zimbabwe". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/02/weodata/weorept.aspxsy2007&ey2010&scsm1&ssd1&sortcountry&ds.&br1&c698&sNGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp0&a&pr.x73&pr.y17. Retrieved 2010-04-21.  "Human Development report". UNDP. http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/indicators/161.html. Retrieved 15.apr.2010.  "Human Development Report 2010". United Nations. 2010. http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR2010ENTable1.pdf. Retrieved 5 November 2010.  "Zimbabwe big house of stone". Somali Press. http://www.somalipress.com/zimbabwe-overview/zimbabwe-big-house-stone-1145.html. Retrieved 2008-12-14.  Michel Lafon (1994). "Shona Class 5 revisited: a case against *ri as Class 5 nominal prefix". Zambezia 21: 5180. http://archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/African%20Journals/pdfs/Journal%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Zimbabwe/vol21n1/juz021001005.pdf.  Lawrence J. Vale (1999). "Mediated monuments and national identity". Journal of Architecture 4: 391408. doi:10.1080/136023699373774.  Garlake Peter (1973). Great Zimbabwe: New Aspects of Archaeology. London: Thames & Hudson. p. 13. ISBN 978-0812815993.  Chipika J (2000). "Deforestation of woodlands in communal areas of Zimbabwe: is it due to agricultural policies". Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 79: 175. doi:10.1016/S0167-8809(99)00156-5.  a b Hall Martin; Stephen W. Silliman (2005). Historical Archaeology. Wiley Blackwell. pp. 241244. ISBN 978-1405107518.  "So Who Was Shaka Zulu- Really". The Odyssey. http://www.worldtrek.org/odyssey/africa/062699/062699monicabula.html. Retrieved 2008-12-14.  Hensman Howard. Cecil Rhodes: A Study of a Career. p. 106107. a b c Parsons Neil. A New History of Southern Africa Second Edition 1993. London: Macmillan. pp. 178181. Bryce James. Impressions of South Africa. p. 170. ""A Country in Search of a Name." The Northern Rhodesia Journal III (1) (1956). p. 78.". Gray J. A. (1956). http://www.nrzam.org.uk/NRJ/V3N1/V3N1.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-14.  Palamarek Ernie. Hatari. p. 132. a b Moorcraft Paul (1990-08-31). "Rhodesia's War of Independence". History Today. http://www.historytoday.com/author/paul-moorcraft. http://www.historytoday.com/paul-moorcraft/rhodesias-war-independence. Retrieved 2011-01-15. "Per head of (white) population Rhodesia had contributed more in both world wars than any other part of the empire including the United Kingdom. ... There is little doubt now that after a few resignations here and there the army the Royal Navy and even the Royal Air Force (supposedly the most disaffected service) would have carried out any orders to subdue the first national treason against the Crown since the American War of Independence."  Parsons (1993). p. 292. "Malawi political background". NationsEncyclopedia.com. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/World-Leaders-2003/Malawi-POLITICAL-BACKGROUND.html. Retrieved 2008-12-14.  "Zambia political background". NationsEncyclopedia.com. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/World-Leaders-2003/Zambia-POLITICAL-BACKGROUND.html. Retrieved 2008-12-14.  Judd Denis. Empire: The British Imperial Experience from 1765 to the Present. p. 372. Parsons (1993). pp. 318320. "On This Day". BBC News. 1979-06-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/1/newsid2492000/2492915.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-14.  a b Chung Fay. Re-living the Second Chimurenga: memories from the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe Preben (INT) Kaarsholm. p. 242. Preston Matthew. Ending Civil War: Rhodesia and Lebanon in Perspective. p. 25. George M. Houser. "Letter by George M. Houser Executive Director of the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) on the 1980 independence election in Rhodesia". http://richardknight.homestead.com/files/zimletmarch80.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-01.  "Nyarota speaks". The Zimbabwe Times. 2010-01-29. http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/pageid20. Retrieved 2010-03-28.  a b Nyarota Geoffrey. Against the Grain. p. 134. Breaking the Silence : Building True Peace. Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe p. 157. "Chronology of Zimbabwe". badley.info. http://badley.info/history/ZANU-PF-Zimbabwe.event.html. Retrieved 2008-12-09.  "Timeline: Zimbabwe". BBC News. 2009-10-15. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/countryprofiles/1831470.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-09.  "Zimbabwe: 1990 General Elections". EISA. http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/zim1990election.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-09.  "Voting for Democracy: A Study of Electoral Politics in Zimbabwe". Jonathon M. Moyo/University of Zimbabwe. http://www.uz.ac.zw/publications/books/pol.html. Retrieved 2008-12-09.  "A Brief History of Zimbabwe". About.com. http://africanhistory.about.com/od/zimbabwe/p/ZimbabweHist3.htm.  "Zimbabwe: ZANU PF hegemony and its breakdown (19901999)". EISA. http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/zimoverview5.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-09.  "History of Zimbabwe". Infoplease. http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0862066.html.  "Britain's troubles with Mugabe". BBC News. 2000-04-03. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/692638.stm.  "Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001". 2001. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZimbabweDemocracyandEconomicRecoveryActof2001.  "5304/09 ADD 1 RESTREINT UE". http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st05/st05304-ad01re01.en09.pdf.  "Individuals and entities from Zimbabwe on US sanctions list". http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619oid94939&snDetail.  Fast Track Land Reform in Zimbabwe Human Rights WatchPDF (175 KB) Zimbabwe suspended from Commonwealthdead link HumanRightsFirst.org 8 December 2003. "Zimbabwe destruction: One man's story". BBC. 30 August 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4188702.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-19.  Zimbabwe: Housing policy built on foundation of failures and liesdead link Amnesty International 9 August 2006. Crisis profile: Zimbabwe's humanitarian situation July 26 2005. AlertNet. "Zimbabwe: health profile". The World Health Organization. 2010-08-17. http://www.who.int/gho/countries/zwe.pdf. Retrieved 2011-04-15.  "Country Operational Plan: Zimbabwe". The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. 2009-09-28. http://www.pepfar.gov/documents/organization/140428.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-30.  "Carter warns situation appears dire in Zimbabwe". CELEAN JACOBSON Associated Press Writer. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081124/aponreaf/afzimbabwe. Retrieved 2008-12-14. dead link "Diamond Industry Calls for Clampdown on Zimbabwe Smuggling". Rapaport. 12 October 2008. http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspxArticleID24471. Retrieved 2008-12-12.  "Eerie silence at Zimbabwe mine" BBC News December 4 2008. "Statement of the IMFs Mission to Zimbabwe". 2010. http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10420.htm.  http://www.upi.com/TopNews/World-News/2010/12/18/Mugabe-wants-sanctions-removed/UPI-84591292686762/ "The World Factbook". http://www.travlang.com/factbook/print/zi.html. Retrieved 2007-11-13.  "Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe" (PDF). Parliament of Zimbabwe. http://www.parlzim.gov.zw/cms/UsefulResourses/ZimbabweConstitution.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-19.  "Provincial Councils and Administration Act (Chapter 29:11)" (PDF). Parliament of Zimbabwe. http://www.parlzim.gov.zw/cms%5CActs%5CTitle29LOCALGOVERNMENT/PROVINCIALCOUNCILSANDADMINISTRATIONACT2911.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-19.  "Rural District Councils Act (Chapter 29:13)" (PDF). Parliament of Zimbabwe. http://www.parlzim.gov.zw/cms%5CActs%5CTitle29LOCALGOVERNMENT/RURALDISTRICTCOUNCILSACT2913.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-19.  "Traditional Leaders Act (Chapter 29:17)" (PDF). Parliament of Zimbabwe. http://www.parlzim.gov.zw/cms%5CActs%5CTitle29LOCALGOVERNMENT/TRADITIONALLEADERSACT2917.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-19.  Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 17) Act 2005 NGO Network Alliance Project Mugabe Robert. (2007). Encyclopdia Britannica. Encyclopdia Britannica 2007 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopdia Britannica. "Tekere says Mugabe 'insecure' in new book". Archived from the original on 2007-12-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20071227185709/http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/review27.15680.html. Retrieved 2008-01-06.  a b Frankel Matthew. "Myanmar Boycott is Misguided" The Brookings Institution 26 May 2010. Zimbabwe: Election Fraud Report University of Pennsylvania 18 April 2005. Mugabe's former ally accuses him of foul play 12 March 2005. Independent Online Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe stands 'on a precipice' BBC 31 March 2008. "Mugabe rival quits election race". BBC News (BBC News Online). 22 June 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7467990.stm  a b "Contrast in styles as contenders hold rallies in Harare townships". The Independent. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1660337.html. Retrieved 2011-01-16.  "Zimbabwes MDC factions reunite"dead link SABC News April 28 2008. a b "Opposition reunites in Zimbabwe" BBC News April 28 2008. Cris Chinaka "All eyes on Zim as ZEC wrap-up recount" Reuters (IOL) April 29 2008. Aid Group Says Zimbabwe Misused $7.3 Million The New York Times November 2 2008. "Police baton charge Harare protesters". ABC News. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/03/2437229.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-07.  a b "Zimbabwe". Amnesty International. Archived from the original on 2007-12-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20071203015112/http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/zwe-summary-eng. Retrieved 2007-12-02.  "Zimbabwe Events of 2006". Human Rights Watch. http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/zimbab14720.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-02.  "Zimbabwe election violence spreads to Harare". New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfmcid2&objectid10517688. Retrieved 2008-12-07.  a b "Unbowed Tsvangirai urges defiance". BBC. 2007-03-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6449691.stm. Retrieved 2007-12-02.  a b The Herald Zimbabwe (2007-03-14). "Opposition protesters case not heard". Archived from the original on 2007-03-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20070316181021/http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspxsectid16333&cat1. Retrieved 2007-03-14.  Zimbabwe Press Media TV Radio Newspapers Press Reference 2006. Zimbabwe newspaper bombed BBC News 28 January 2001. Zimbabwe: Newspaper Silenced February 7 2004. New York Times. a b "Zimbabwe lifts reporting ban on BBC and CNN" Telegraph July 30 2009. Why did Zimbabwe ban the BBC April 1 2005. BBC News. Al Jazeera kicked out of Zimbabwe June 22 2008. Zimbabwe Metro. a b "Zimbabwe Ministry of Defence". http://www.mod.gov.zw/zdf/zdf.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-17.  "Zimbabwe Defence Forces News". ZDF News. http://www.zimbabwedefence.com/AFZ0.html. Retrieved 2009-04-17.  "Militarisation of Zimbabwe: Does the opposition stand a chance". http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.phpartid3364&cat4. Retrieved 2008-01-06.  Godwin Peter (1996). Mukiwa A White Boy in Africa. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0333671503.  "Ministry of Defence Zimbabwe". http://www.mod.gov.zw/army/zna.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-11.  "5th Brigade gets new commander". Zimbabwe Defence Forces News. 22 feb 2006. http://www.zimbabwedefence.com/News5thGetsComm.html. Retrieved 2009-04-18.  "Country Profile Zimbabwe". Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. http://infoexport.gc.ca/ie-en/DisplayDocument.jspdid1589. Retrieved 2007-12-02. "Since the country is well endowed with natural resources such as minerals arable land and wildlife many opportunities lie in resource-based activities such as mining agriculture and tourism and their downstream industrial activities."  a b c d Madslien Jorn (14 April 2008). "No quick fix for Zimbabwe's economy". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7346042.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-19.  "Chiadzwa diamond mining company in trouble with Zimbabwe MPs" Earth Times 1 Feb 2010. Diamonds in the rough rreport by Human Rights Watch published June 26 2009. "Zimbabwe-South Africa economic relations since 2000". Africa News. 2007-10-31. http://www.africanews.com/site/listmessages/12598. Retrieved 2007-12-03. "Zimbabwe remains South Africa's most important trading partner in Africa."  Craig J. Richardson (PDF). The loss of property rights and the collapse of Zimbabwe. 25. Cato Journal. pp. 541565. http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj25n3/cj25n3-12.pdf. Retrieved 2010-11-10.  Organised Violence and Torture in Zimbabwe in 1999 1999. Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. "Zimbabwe President Mugabe labels white farmers 'enemies'"CNNApril 18 2000. Robinson Simon. "A Tale of Two Countries"Time MagazineMonday February 18 2002. "Zimbabwe forbids white farmers to harvest"USA Today24 June 2002. "White farmers under siege in Zimbabwe"BBCThursday 15 August 2002. Nick Wadhams (2007-08-01). "Zimbabwe's Wildlife Decimated by Economic Crisis". Nairobi: National Geographic News. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/08/070801-zimbabwe-animals.html. Retrieved 2007-08-05.  "Zimbabwe economy buoyant more reform needed: IMF". Reuters. 8 November 2010. http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE6A70C320101108.  "Zimbabwe economy growing: IMF". 09 November 2010. http://www.talkzimbabwe.com/zimbabwe-economy-growing-imf-cms-884.  "Zimbabwe inflation hits 11200000 percent". CNN. 2008-08-19. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/08/19/zimbabwe.inflation/index.html. Retrieved 2008-08-19.  "Zimbabwe introduces 100-billion-dollar note". Agence France-Presse. 2008-07-19. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hBpdlcnYSM6PN90n6Zjw-aG46VBA. Retrieved 2010-03-28.  Berger Sebastian (2009-11-13). "Zimbabwe hyperinflation 'will set world record within six weeks'". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/3453540/Zimbabwe-hyperinflation-will-set-world-record-within-six-weeks.html. Retrieved 2011-04-04.  Clemens Michael; Moss Todd (2005-07-20) Costs and Causes of Zimbabwe's Crisis. Center for Global Development. (Report). Retrieved 2011-04-04. Meldrum Andrew (2005-05-21). "As country heads for disaster Zimbabwe calls for return of white farmers". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/zimbabwe/article/02763148917300.html. Retrieved 2011-04-04.  Timberg Craig (2007-01-06). "White Farmers Given Leases In Zimbabwe". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/05/AR2007010501746pf.html. Retrieved 2011-04-04.  "Zimbabwe threatens white farmers". Washington Post. Associated Press. 2007-02-05. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/05/AR2007020501262pf.html. Retrieved 2011-04-04.  Chinaka Cris (2007-08-08). "Zimbabwe threatens white farmers on evictions". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0839141020070808. Retrieved 2011-04-04.  "RBZ". http://www.rbz.co.zw.  "Zimbabwe Situation". http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/jun16a2007.html#Z6.  Paul Lewis and agencies (2009-01-16). "Zimbabwe unveils 100 trillion dollar banknote". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/16/zimbabwe-hyper-inflation-mugabe-tsvangirai. Retrieved 2010-03-28.  "Zimbabwe abandons its currency". BBC News. 2009-01-29. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7859033.stm. Retrieved 2011-04-04.  "Zimbabwe dollar sheds 12 zeros". BBC News. 2009-02-02. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7865259.stm. Retrieved 2010-03-28.  Malaba Sakhile (2010-09-03). "Zimbabwe double the previous years tobacco output". Metro Zimbabwe. http://www.zimbabwemetro.com/opinion/zimbabwe-double-the-previous-years-tobacco-output/. Retrieved 2011-04-04.  Dube Jennifer (2011-04-03). "Zimplats ignores seizure threat". The Standard (Zimbabwe). http://www.thestandard.co.zw/business/29142-zimplats-ignores-seizure-threat.html. Retrieved 2011-04-04.  IMARA (2011-02-17). "IMARA: Global investors get upbeat briefing on Zim prospects". Press release. http://ir.imarainvestor.com/profiles/investor/ResLibraryView.aspResLibraryID43595&GoTopage1&Category1211&BzID1648. Retrieved 2011-04-04.  How to stay alive when it all runs out 12 July 2007. The Economist. United States Department of State (2004-03-02). "Zimbabwe: Sanctions Enhancement". Press release. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2004/30091.htm. dead link Analysis: Africa fails again to deal with Zimbabwedead link The Jerusalem Post 1 April 2007. a b http://www.heritage.org/index/Country/Zimbabwe Heritage: Zimbabwe. "FACTBOX: Zimbabwe's meltdown in figures". Reuters. 2008-06-29. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL2961278920080629. Retrieved 2010-05-30.  "Zimbabwe Suspends Use of Own Currency". VOA News. 12 April 2009. http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-04-12-voa9.cfm.  "Zimbabwe". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 2008-05-15. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html. Retrieved 2008-05-26.  The World Health Organization (2007). "Annex Table 1Basic indicators for all Member States" (PDF). The World Health Report 2006. Geneva: World Health Organization. ISBN 9241563141. http://www.who.int/entity/whr/2006/annex/06annex1en.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-30.  Peta Thornycroft (2006-04-10). "In Zimbabwe life ends before 40". Harare: Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/in-zimbabwe-life-ends-before-40/2006/04/09/1144521210993.html. Retrieved 2006-04-10.  "Zimbabwe". UNAIDS. http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/zimbabwe/. Retrieved 2011-01-16.  "HIV Prevalence Rates Fall in Zimbabwe". UNESCO. http://www.harare.unesco.org/educaids/zimprevalence.html. Retrieved 2007-12-03.  "MSN Encarta". MSN Encarta. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia7615758253/Zimbabwe.html. Retrieved 2007-11-13.  "Zimbabwe". http://adventistatlas.org/ViewCountry.aspCtryCodezw. Retrieved 2008-01-22.  "Zimbabwe International Religious Freedom Report 2005". U.S. Department of State. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51503.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-03. "An estimated 1% of the total population is Muslim."  "The People of Zimbabwe". Archived from the original on July 12 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070712141810/http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/post/zimbabwe/zpeople.html. Retrieved 2007-11-13.  a b "Ethnicity/Race of Zimbabwe". http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108169.html. Retrieved 2008-01-06.  Quarterly Digest Of Statistics Zimbabwe Printing and Stationery Office 1999. Quarterly Digest of Statistics 1998 Zimbabwe Printing and Stationery Office Zimbabwe GAP Adventures Mother Tongue: Interviews with Musaemura B. Zimunya and Solomon Mutswairo University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Meldrum Andrew (2007-07-01). "Refugees flood from Zimbabwe The Observer". The Guardian (London). http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0211598800.html. Retrieved 2010-04-06.  "Zimbabwean refugees suffer in Botswana and South Africa Sokwanele Civic Action Group". http://www.sokwanele.com/articles/sokwanele/zimrefugeessufferinsouthafricaandzimbabwe20July2007.html.  a b c d Internal "Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) Internal displacement in Zimbabwe". http://www.internal-displacement.org/countries/zimbabweInternal.  "The Many Faces of Displacement: IDPs in Zimbabwe" (PDF). Geneva: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. 2008. http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/48ad3b70c.pdf. Retrieved 2010-11-09.  Tibaijuka A.K. (2005). "Report of the Fact-Finding Mission to Zimbabwe to assess the Scope and Impact of Operation Murambatsvina" (PDF). Geneva: UN Special Envoy on Human Settlements Issues in Zimbabwe. http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/zimbabwe/zimbabwerpt.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-13.  Davies R. and Sanders D. 1998. Adjustment policies and the welfare of children: Zimbabwe 19801985. In: Cornia G.A. Jolly R. and Stewart F. (Eds.) Adjustment with a human face Vol. II: country case studies.Clarendon Press Oxford 27299. 1dead link Dugbatey K. 1999. National health policies: sub-Saharan African case studies (19801990) Soc. Sci. Med. 49 223239. Marquette C.M. 1997. Current poverty structural adjustment and drought in Zimbabwe World Development 25 11411149 "United Nations Statistics Division". http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/socind/health.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-07.  Hungwe Brian (7 November 2008). "The death throes of Harare's hospitals". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7714892.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-03.  "Zimbabwe: coping with the cholera outbreak". 26 November 2008. http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/zimbabwe-feature-261108opendocument. Retrieved 2008-12-03.  "Zimbabwe cholera deaths near 500". BBC. 2 December 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7760088.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-02.  "PM urges Zimbabwe cholera action" BBC December 6 2008. "Miliband backs African calls for end of Mugabe" The Times December 5 2008. "Zimbabwe declares national emergency over cholera". Reuters. December 4 2008. http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE4B31T420081204feedTypeRSS&feedNameworldNews&rpc69&pageNumber2&virtualBrandChannel0. Retrieved 2008-12-04.  "Zimbabwe declares cholera outbreak a national emergency". AFP. 4 December 2008. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hsW9YNn1roEp0rzjeGSJo0pKcj2A. Retrieved 2008-12-04.  a b On the cholera frontline March 9 2009 IRIN "Zimbabwe says cholera epidemic may spread with rain". Reuters. 30 November 2008. http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnJOE4AT06A.html. Retrieved 2008-12-03. dead link "CIA World Factbook". Cia.gov. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html#People. Retrieved 2010-12-29.  Botswana Literacy Survey 2003dead link Central Statistics Office Botswana Zimbabwe Country Assistance Evaluation World BankPDF (344 KB) United Nations Development Programme. "Human development index". http://hdrstats.undp.org/indicators/16.html. Retrieved 2007-11-15.  "Unlicensed and outdoors or no school at all" IRIN July 23 2010 "Zimbabwe: Country Leads in Africa Literacy Race" AllAfrica.com July 14 2010 Nkepile Mabuse (2009-09-28). "Zimbabwe schools begin fightback". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/09/25/zimbabwe.schools/index.html. Retrieved 2009-09-28.  a b "Zimbabwe US Embassy". http://harare.usembassy.gov/zimbabweeducationalprofile.html. Retrieved 2007-11-15.  Anonymous (2007-04-19). "BBC report on 40 years in Zimbabwe's schools". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6566919.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-03.  a b c "Reporters without Borders Press Freedom Index". Rsf.org. http://www.rsf.org/article.php3idarticle29031. Retrieved 2010-03-28. dead link "Resuming operations in Zimbabwe" BBC News July 29 2009. "The nine lives of Wilf Mbanga" Metrovox Mach 17 2005. Freedom House 2007 Map of Press Freedom: Zimbabwe. "Zimbabwe licenses new private newspapers" Reuters May 26 2010. "independent dailies allowed to resume publishing" International Freedom of Expression Exchange May 28 2010. "Zimbabwe gets first private daily newspaper in years" Reuters June 4 2010. Owomoyela Oyekan (2002). Culture and Customs of Zimbabwe. Westport Conn.: Greenwood Press. p. 77. ISBN 0313315833.  "Zimbabwe Celebrates 25 years of Independence". http://www.kas.de/proj/home/home/35/2/. Retrieved 2008-01-06.  "Tribute to Charles Mungoshi". http://zimbabwe.poetryinternationalweb.org/piwcms/cms/cmsmodule/index.phpobjid5752. Retrieved 2007-11-02.  "Tribute to Cathy Buckle". Archived from the original on 2007-10-30. http://web.archive.org/web/20071030001000/http://africantears.netfirms.com/beyondtears.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-02.  "Cultural Origins of art". http://karaart.com/collections/shona/origins3.html. Retrieved 2008-01-06.  Zambuko.com. "Sadza ne Nyama: A Shona Staple Dish". http://www.zambuko.com/mbirapage/resourceguide/pages/culture/sadzatext.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03.  Stephanie Hanes (2006-09-20). "Biltong: much more than just a snack". The Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0920/p13s01-lifo.html. Retrieved 2006-10-03.  "2004 Olympic Games swimming results". CNN. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2004/schedules/117BySport.html. Retrieved 2007-07-22.  "Montreal 2005 Results". Archived from the original on January 28 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070128064425/http://www.fina.org/events/WC/Montreal2005/results/sw.php. Retrieved 2007-06-09.  "12th FINA World Championships". Archived from the original on June 6 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070606111744/http://www.fina.org/events/WC/Melbourne2007/results/swimming.php. Retrieved 2007-06-09.  "BBC Sport Commonwealth Games 2002 Statistics". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/commonwealthgames2002/bsp/statistics/results.stm. Retrieved 2007-08-29.  Burnham Frederick Russell (1926). Scouting on Two Continents. Doubleday Page & company. pp. 2; Chapters 3 & 4. OCLC 407686.  van Wyk Peter (2003). Burnham: King of Scouts. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-412200-28-8. http://www.burnhamkingofscouts.com/.  Jeal Tim (1989). Baden-Powell. London: Hutchinson. ISBN 0-09-170670-X.  "Zimbabwe Scouts celebrate their centenary in a park that Baden-Powell had visited in 1936". http://www.scout.org/en/aroundtheworld/africa/informationevents/news/zimbabwescoutscelebratetheircentenaryinaparkthatbponcevisited. Retrieved 2009-08-26.  a b Lewis Machipisa (2001-03-14). "Sun sets on Zimbabwe tourism". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1220218.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-16.  Sebastien Berger (2007-10-29). "British Airways abandons flights to Zimbabwe". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtmlxml/news/2007/10/29/wairways129.xml. Retrieved 2007-11-16.  "Zimbabwe Tourism Authority". Archived from the original on 2007-12-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20071203100122/http://www.zimbabwetourism.co.zw/hwange.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-16.  "The Spirit of Matobo". http://zimbabwe.safari.co.za/spirit-of-zimbabwe.html. Retrieved 2007-11-16.  Prof. George P. Landow. "Great Zimbabwe". http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/post/zimbabwe/art/greatzim/gz1.html.  "Dzimba Dzemabwe". http://members.fortunecity.com/madzimbabwe/Buildings/Natural/Balancing%20Rocks/BalancingRocks.html. Retrieved 2007-11-15.  Further reading Barclay Philip. Zimbabwe: Years of Hope and Despair (2010) JoAnn McGregor and Ranka Primorac eds. Zimbabwe's New Diaspora: Displacement and the Cultural Politics of Survival (Berghahn Books; 2010) 286 pages. Scholarly essays on displacement as a result of Zimbabwe's continuing crisis with a focus on diasporic communities in Britain and South Africa; also explores such topics as the revival of Rhodesian discourse. Meredith Martin.Mugabe: Power Plunder and the Struggle for Zimbabwe's Future (2007) excerpt and text search Smith Ian Douglas. Bitter Harvest: Zimbabwe and the Aftermath of its Independence (2008) excerpt and text search Peter Orner and Annie HolmesHope Deferred: NARRATIVES OF ZIMBABWEAN LIVES(2011) excerpts External links Find more about Zimbabwe on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary Images and media from Commons Learning resources from Wikiversity News stories from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Humanitarian information coverage on ReliefWeb Voice of Witness - Narratives of Zimbabweans whose lives have been affected by the countrys politicaleconomic and human rights crises RelZim.org a web portal on religion in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe entry at The World Factbook Zimbabwe from UCB Libraries GovPubs Zimbabwe at the Open Directory Project Wikimedia Atlas of Zimbabwe Global Integrity Report: Zimbabweanti-corruption policy scorecard Parliament of Zimbabweofficial government site Zimbabwe Government Onlineofficial government site and mirror site Chief of State and Cabinet Members Zimbabwe travel guide from Wikitravel v d e     Topics related to Zimbabwe History Timeline  Pre-colonial  First Matabele War  Second Matabele War  World War II  Colonial  Unilateral Declaration of Independence  Rhodesia  Rhodesian Bush War  Military  Cricket Politics Government  President  Parliament (Senate  House of Assembly)  Foreign relations  Elections (Electoral Commission)  Political parties  Human rights  Gay rights  2007 political crisis  Land reform  20082009 Zimbabwean cholera outbreak Geography Provinces  Districts  Municipalities  Limpopo River  Zambezi River  Chimanimani District  Cities and towns  Place names  Rivers  Great Zimbabwe National Monument  Wildlife Economy Tourism  Reserve Bank  Zimbabwean dollar  Stock Exchange  Communications  Transportation Demographics Zimbabweans  Ethnic groups (Whites  Shona people  Ndebele people)  Holidays  Languages (English  Shona  Northern Ndebele) Culture Coat of arms  National flag  National anthem  National emblem  National flower  National animal  Art  Music  Language  Diaspora Portal  Geographic locale v d eCountries and territories of Africa Sovereign states Algeria  Angola  Benin  Botswana  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cameroon  Cape Verde  Central African Republic  Chad  Comoros  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Republic of the Congo  Cte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)  Djibouti  Egypt  Equatorial Guinea  Eritrea  Ethiopia  France (Mayotte  Runion)  Gabon  The Gambia  Ghana  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Italy (Pantelleria)  Kenya  Lesotho  Liberia  Libya  Madagascar  Malawi  Mali  Mauritania  Mauritius  Morocco  Mozambique  Namibia  Niger  Nigeria  Portugal (Madeira)  Rwanda  So Tom and Prncipe  Senegal  Seychelles  Sierra Leone  Somalia  South Africa  Spain (Canary Islands  Ceuta  Melilla  Plazas de soberana)  Sudan  Swaziland  Togo  Tanzania  Tunisia  Uganda  Yemen (Socotra)  Zambia  Zimbabwe States with limited recognition Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic  Somaliland Dependencies les parses (France)  Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (United Kingdom) Unclear sovereignty Western Sahara v d eSubdivisions of Zimbabwe Provinces Bulawayo  Harare  Manicaland  Mashonaland Central  Mashonaland East  Mashonaland West  Masvingo  Matabeleland North  Matabeleland South  Midlands Districts Beitbridge  Bikita  Bindura  Binga  Bubi  Buhera  Bulawayo  Bulilimamangwe  Chegutu  Chikomba  Chimanimani  Chipinge  Chiredzi  Chirumhanzu  Chivi  Gokwe North  Gokwe South  Goromonzi  Guruve  Gutu  Gwanda  Gweru  Harare  Hurungwe  Hwange  Hwedza  Insiza  Kadoma  Kariba  Kwekwe  Lupane  Makonde  Makoni  Marondera  Masvingo  Matobo  Mazowe  Mberengwa  Mount Darwin  Mudzi  Mukumbura  Murehwa  Mutare  Mutasa  Mutoko  Muzarabani  Mwenezi  Nkayi  Nyanga  Rushinga  Seke  Shamva  Shurugwi  Tsholotsho  Umguza  Umzingwane  Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe  Wedza  Zaka  Zvimba  Zvishavane Wards Wards of Zimbabwe Largest cities Harare  Bulawayo  Chitungwiza  Mutare  Gweru  Kwekwe  Kadoma  Masvingo  Chinhoyi  Marondera v d eNiger-Congo-speaking nations  Kordofanian  Sudan  Mande      Gambia  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Mali  Mauritania  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Liberia  Cte d'Ivoire  Nigeria  Burkina Faso  Benin  Togo  Atlantic-Congo     Atlantic  Benin  Burkina Faso  Cameroon  CAR Ijoid  Nigeria  Chad  Cte d'Ivoire  Gambia  Guinea Dogon  Mali  Guinea-Bissau  Liberia  Mali  Mauritania  Niger  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Sudan  Togo  Volta-Congo     Senufo  Benin  Cte d'Ivoire  Mali Gur  Benin  Burkina Faso  Cte d'Ivoire  Ghana  Mali  Nigeria  Togo Adamawa-Ubangi  Cameroon  CAR  Chad  Nigeria Kru  Burkina Faso  Cte d'Ivoire  Liberia Kwa  Benin  Cte d'Ivoire  Ghana  Nigeria  Togo  Benue-Congo     Bantu  Angola  Botswana  Burundi  Cameroon  DRC Yoruba and Igbo  Nigeria  Rep. of the Congo  Equatorial Guinea  Gabon  Kenya  Lesotho  Nigeria  Malawi  Mozambique  Namibia  Rwanda  South Africa  Swaziland  Tanzania  Uganda  Zambia  Zimbabwe CAR Central African Republic  DRC Democratic Republic of the Congo  International membership v d eNations in the Group of 15 (G-15)      Algeria  Argentina  Brazil  Chile  Egypt  India  Indonesia  Iran  Jamaica  Kenya  Malaysia  Mexico  Nigeria  Peru  Senegal  Sri Lanka  Venezuela  Zimbabwe v d eSouthern African Development Community Member states Angola  Botswana  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Lesotho  Madagascar  Malawi  Mauritius  Mozambique  Namibia  South Africa  Swaziland  Tanzania  Zambia  Zimbabwe Leaders Chairpersons: Levy Mwanawasa  Kgalema Motlanthe Secretaries-General: Kaire Mbuende  Prega Ramsamy  Tomaz Salomo See also Southern African Development Coordination Conference  Southern African Customs Union  Common Monetary Area  Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa v d eMember states of the African Union (AU) Algeria  Angola  Benin  Botswana  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cameroon  Cape Verde  Central African Republic  Chad  Comoros  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Republic of the Congo  Cte d'Ivoire  Djibouti  Egypt  Equatorial Guinea  Eritrea  Ethiopia  Gabon  The Gambia  Ghana  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Kenya  Lesotho  Liberia  Libya  Madagascar  Malawi  Mali  Mauritania  Mauritius  Mozambique  Namibia  Niger  Nigeria  Rwanda  Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic  So Tom and Prncipe  Senegal  Seychelles  Sierra Leone  Somalia  South Africa  Sudan  Swaziland  Tanzania  Togo  Tunisia  Uganda  Zambia  Zimbabwe  History v d eBritish Empire and Commonwealth of Nations Legend Current territory     Former territory * now a Commonwealth Realm     now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations Europe  18th century 17081757  Minorca since 1713  Gibraltar 17631782  Minorca 17981802  Minorca 19th century 18001964  Malta 18071890  Heligoland 18091864  Ionian Islands 20th century 1921-1937  Irish Free State North America  17th century 15831907  Newfoundland 16071776  Virginia since 1619  Bermuda 16201691  Plymouth Colony 16291691  Massachusetts Bay Colony 16321776  Maryland 16361776  Connecticut 16361776  Rhode Island 16371662  New Haven Colony 16631712  Carolina 16641776  New York 16651674 and 1702-1776  New Jersey 16701870  Rupert's Land 16741702  East Jersey 16741702  West Jersey 16801776  New Hampshire 16811776  Pennsylvania 16861689  Dominion of New England 16911776  Massachusetts 18th century 17011776  Delaware 17121776  North Carolina 17121776  South Carolina 17131867  Nova Scotia 17331776  Georgia 17631873  Prince Edward Island 17631791  Quebec 17631783  East Florida 17631783  West Florida 17841867  New Brunswick 17911841  Lower Canada 17911841  Upper Canada 19th century 18181846  Columbia District / Oregon Country1 18411867  Province of Canada 18491866  Vancouver Island 18531863  Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands 18581866  British Columbia 18591870  North-Western Territory 18621863  Stikine Territory 18661871  Vancouver Island and British Columbia 18671931  *Dominion of Canada2 20th century 19071949  Dominion of Newfoundland3 1Occupied jointly with the United States 2In 1931 Canada and other British dominions obtained self-government through the Statute of Westminster. see Canada's name. 3Gave up self-rule in 1934 but remained a de jure Dominion until it joined Canada in 1949. Latin America and the Caribbean  17th century 16051979  *Saint Lucia 16231883  Saint Kitts (*Saint Kitts & Nevis) 16241966  *Barbados 16251650  Saint Croix 16271979  *St. Vincent and the Grenadines 16281883  Nevis (*Saint Kitts & Nevis) 16291641  St. Andrew and Providence Islands4 since 1632  Montserrat 16321860  Antigua (*Antigua & Barbuda) 16431860  Bay Islands since 1650  Anguilla 16511667  Willoughbyland (Suriname) 16551850  Mosquito Coast (protectorate) 16551962  *Jamaica since 1666  British Virgin Islands since 1670  Cayman Islands 16701973  *Bahamas 16701688  St. Andrew and Providence Islands4 16711816  Leeward Islands 18th century 17621974  *Grenada 17631978  Dominica since 1799  Turks and Caicos Islands 19th century 18311966  British Guiana (Guyana) 18331960  Windward Islands 18331960  Leeward Islands 18601981  *Antigua and Barbuda 18711964  British Honduras (*Belize) 18821983  *St. Kitts and Nevis 18891962  Trinidad and Tobago 20th century 19581962  West Indies Federation 4Now the San Andrs y Providencia Department of Colombia Africa  18th century 17921961  Sierra Leone 17951803  Cape Colony 19th century 18061910  Cape Colony 18101968  Mauritius 18161965  Gambia 18561910  Natal 18681966  Basutoland (Lesotho) 18741957  Gold Coast (Ghana) 18821922  Egypt 18841966  Bechuanaland (Botswana) 18841960  British Somaliland 18871897  Zululand 18881894  Matabeleland 18901965  Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) 5 18901962  Uganda 18901963  Zanzibar (Tanzania) 18911964  Nyasaland (Malawi) 18911907  British Central Africa Protectorate 18931968  Swaziland 18951920  East Africa Protectorate 18991956  Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 20th century 19001914  Northern Nigeria 19001914  Southern Nigeria 19001910  Orange River Colony 19001910  Transvaal Colony 19061954  Nigeria Colony 19101931  South Africa 19111964  Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) 19141954  Nigeria Colony and Protectorate 19151931  South West Africa (Namibia) 19191960  Cameroons (Cameroon) 6 19201963  Kenya 19221961  Tanganyika (Tanzania) 6 19541960  Nigeria 19791980  Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) 5 5Southern Rhodesia issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965 (as Rhodesia) and returned to British control in 1979. 6League of Nations mandate Asia  17th Century 1685-1824  Bencoolen (Sumatra) 18th century 17021705  Cn o 17571947  Bengal (West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh) 17621764  Philippines 17951948  Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 17961965  Maldives 19th century 18191826  British Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore) 18261946  Straits Settlements 18391967  Colony of Aden 18391842  Afghanistan 18411997  Hong Kong 18411941  Kingdom of Sarawak (Malaysia) 18581947  British India (India Pakistan and Bangladesh Burma) 18791919  Afghanistan 18821963  British North Borneo (Malaysia) 18851946  Unfederated Malay States 18881984  Sultanate of Brunei 18881946  Sultanate of Sulu 18911971  Muscat and Oman protectorate 18921971  Trucial States protectorate 18951946  Federated Malay States 18981930  Weihai Garrison 18781960  Cyprus 20th century 19181961  Kuwait protectorate 19201932  Iraq6 19211946  Transjordan6 19231948  Palestine6 19451946  South Vietnam 19461948  Malayan Union 19461963  Sarawak (Malaysia) 19481957  Federation of Malaya (Malaysia) since 1960  Akrotiri and Dhekelia (before as part of Cyprus) since 1965  British Indian Ocean Territory 6League of Nations mandate Oceania  18th century 17881901  New South Wales 19th century 18031901  Van Diemen's Land/Tasmania 18071863  Auckland Islands7 18241980  New Hebrides (Vanuatu) 18241901  Queensland 18291901  Swan River Colony/Western Australia 18361901  South Australia since 1838  Pitcairn Islands 18411907  Colony of New Zealand 18511901  Victoria 18741970  Fiji8 18771976  British Western Pacific Territories 18841949  Territory of Papua 18881965  Cook Islands7 18891948  Union Islands (Tokelau)7 18921979  Gilbert and Ellice Islands9 18931978  British Solomon Islands10 20th century 19001970  Tonga (protected state) 19001974  Niue7 19011942  *Commonwealth of Australia 19071953  *Dominion of New Zealand 19191942  Nauru 19451968  Nauru 19191949  Territory of New Guinea 19491975  Territory of Papua and New Guinea11 7Now part of the *Realm of New Zealand 8Suspended member 9Now Kiribati and *Tuvalu 10Now the *Solomon Islands 11Now *Papua New Guinea Antarctica and South Atlantic  17th century since 1659  St. Helena12 19th century since 1815  Ascension Island12 since 1816  Tristan da Cunha12 since 1833  Falkland Islands13 20th century since 1908  British Antarctic Territory14 since 1908  South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands13 14 12Since 2009 part of Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Ascension Island (1922) and Tristan da Cunha (1938) were previously dependencies of St Helena 13Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of AprilJune 1982 14Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands) v d e Languages of Zimbabwe Dombe  English  Fanagalo  Kalanga  Kunda  Lozi   Manyika  Nambya  Ndau  Northern Ndebele  Nsenga  Nyanja  Shona  Tonga  Tsoa   Tsonga  Tswa  Tswana  Venda   Zimbabwe Sign Language/Zimsign