Sub Saharan Africa

Zimbabwe

Last updated: 14 March 2011

Country information

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Map of Zimbabwe

Area: 390,757 sq. km (150,872 sq. mi)
Population: 13.5 million (UN 2008). Note: more than 3m Zimbabweans are now estimated to live outside the country
Capital City: Harare (population of Greater Harare: 1.1 million)
People: Shona, Ndebele, Others (10%)
Languages: English (official language), Shona and Ndebele
Religion(s): Christian (various); indigenous; small Hindu, Muslim, Jewish communities
Currency: Multi-currency, predominantly the US dollar and South African rand (the most widely used currencies) but also the Botswanan pula, British pound and the euro. The Zimbabwe dollar was suspended indefinitely by the Zimbabwe government in April 2009 following a period of hyper-inflation.
Head of State: President Robert Mugabe, ZANU(PF) (since 1987)
Prime Minister: Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC-T (since February 2009)
Foreign Minister: Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, ZANU(PF) (since April 2005)
Membership of international groupings/organisations: United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF) ; World Bank, African Union (AU), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Non Aligned Movement (NAM). Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth on 7 December 2003 following its suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth.