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Facts about Zimbabwe
Facts about Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in the southern part of Africa. Zimbabwe is neighbored by Zambia to the north, Botswana in the southwest, Mozambique in the east and south Africa in the south. This country also lies between two major southern African rivers Zambezi and Limpopo. Zimbabwe covers about 390757 square kilometers of land.
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Harare is the capital city of Zimbabwe and is one of the major business centers in Zimbabwe. As per the 2024 population estimates, Zimbabwe is estimated to have approximately 16 million people. The Shona people make up the biggest population of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe is a former British colony and its former name was Southern Rhodesia. This saw the country’s names chances to Southern Rhodesian after the then leader Cecil Rhodes who led the British South African Company in 1898 to Rhodesian in 1965 and Zimbabwe Rhodesia in 1979.
What is the official Language of Zimbabwe?
English is the official language spoken in Zimbabwe but 16 other languages like Shona, Ndebele, Nambya, chewa, Tswana, Sotho, Tonga are widely spoken in the country.
Brief history of Zimbabwe?
During the scramble and partition for Africa, Zimbabwe fell under the colonies of Great Britain under Cecil Rhodes as the leader of a charter company called the British South African Company in the 1880s. He later obtained mining rights from the Ndebele leader King Lobengula.
To get back up from the British royal government, Cecil Rhodes sent the consensus over Matebele’s land. Later, the pioneer group of Europeans was sent but guarded by armed militia from the British South African Company as they went through the Matabeleland plus the Shona territory creating the Fort Salisbury. In 1980 Zimbabwe gained her independence from British rule.
What is the climate of Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe generally experiences a subtropical climate with the rainy season being October to March. The Zambezi valley is known for being hot. Cool temperatures are normally experienced in the eastern part of Zimbabwe, the southern part is known for its high temperatures as because of its aridity. The central plateau gets cool as it receives frost in winter.
The eastern highlands normally receive rain more than any other parts of the country. Get in touch with us for more information.
Flora and Fauna of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is endowed by various species of flora and fauna placed in various parts of the country. In terms of flora, Zimbabwe has numerous varying vegetation zones inclusive of miombo woodland, south African bushveld, Zambezian Mompe woodland, easter Zimbabwe montane grassland, the largest part of Zimbabwe is covered by savannah vegetation.
The varied vegetation zone of Zimbabwe give home to a number of wild animals like over 350 animals species, more than 500 bird species, more than 131 fish species and much more. Zimbabwe was both flora and fauna haven but due to poaching and deforestation for agricultural purposes, some of these have been lost.
Zambia has the largest manmade Lake in the world
The construction of the Kariba Dam on River led to the formation of the Lake Kariba which is 226 kilometers long and 40 kilometers wide. This man made water reservoir cuts across into Zambia. From Lake Kariba, you may engage in a boat ride, fishing, and sightseeing where pods of crocodiles and hippopotami are sighted.
Commercial State Of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe in the past has been experiencing overwhelming inflation which later led to people using currencies from other countries for transactions other than the Zimbabwe dollar which lost value from 2008.
Some of the functions currencies in Zimbabwe include the South African rand, Dollar, euro, pound and others currencies.
Zimbabwe home to Victoria Falls a UNESCO Reserve
The Victoria Falls on River Zambezi is the largest curtain of waterfalls in the world. These mysterious falls are one of the seven natural wonders that the world celebrates. The Victoria Falls are elevated at an altitude of approximately 915 meters above sea level but spread out 1708 meters wide.
Zimbabwe also holds other UNESCO heritage sites like the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, Matobo Hills, Khami Ruins.
What Is The International Airport Of Zimbabwe?
The international airport of Zimbabwe is Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport with the IATA code of HRE, which was formerly known as Harare International Airport. Centenary airport, Kotwa airport, Masvingo airport, Kariba Airport, Marondera Local airport and others.
Road transport is another means of getting around Zimbabwe as several routes head to different parts of the country.
Charter flights are also available but advance booking is required so that all necessary clearances can be made.
The great Zimbabwe monuments is believed to be the capital of the historical Queen Sheba. Khami Ruins crafted out of stones are believed to have been set up between 1450 and 1650 was the capital of Butua state. The Matobo hills have some of the highest concentrations of rock art in the southern part of Africa. Contact our team for more information.
Minerals of Zimbabwe
Mining in Zimbabwe is one of the best foreign exchange earners of the country. Several minerals are extracted from the Zimbabwe soils including diamonds. The Marange Diamonds fields discovered in 2006 are the largest in the world. Gold mining also happens in Zimbabwe. Other minerals mined in the country include copper, cobalt, tin, nickel and others.
Culture of Zimbabweans
The Shona people form almost 80% of the entire Zimbabwean population. The Ndebere people are believed to have been part of Zulu origin for about 14% of the total country’s population. About 1% of the Zimbabwe population is made up of white descendants of the colonial era.
Other tribes in Zimbabwe include Tsonga, Sotho, Ndau, Venda, Xhosa and others. There are about 16 official languages spoken in Zimbabwe including English.
For local cuisines, the Zimbabweans love their staple food which is Mealie meal. This is comprised of mainly corn meal. Other local meals of Zimbabwe include Isitishwala, ilambazi a porridge meal, curdled milk, spinach and others are some of the delicacies to enjoy as a taste of Zimbabwe.
Tourism Sites of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe have some of the most unique tourist attractions in Africa some of which include the famous Victoria Falls one of the seven natural wonders in the world, River Zambezi , Hwange National Park, hiking mountain Nyangani. The Nyanga National Park, Matobo Hills, Muzilikazi the hills that resemble bald heads, its among these hills where Cecil Rhodes and others very important colonial fallen Masters are buried.
Population of Zimbabwe
According to the census of 2022, about 16 million Zimbabweans are living in the country but estimated to increase to 16 million by 2024. The Shona people make up the biggest part of Zimbabweans with about 80 %, Ndebere approximately 14%, 1% European origin called the white Zimbabweans including the Greeks, Britons, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Afrikanaas and others.
What Are The Town Centers in Zimbabwe?
The capital city of Zimbabwe is Harare in Harare Province, Chinhoyi in Mashonaland West Province, Bulawayo in Bulawayo Province, Kwekwe in Midlands Province, Ruwa in Shonaland East, Mutare in Manicaland and others. Most of these towns are business centers where you can stop for some shopping on your way to any destination in Zimbabwe.
What Is The Major Economic Activity Of Zimbabweans
Zimbabweans depend on mining and Agriculture to survive. Some of the minerals mined in Zimbabwe include gold, copper, coal, iron ore, chromite, diamond and many others.
In the agricultural sector, the local people of Zimbabwe grow cash crops like cotton, tobacco, tea, maize wheat and others. During President Mugabe time, Land was ceased from whites and given back to the blacks claiming that it had been confiscated from the locals and unfairly ceased during the colonial era. This dwindled the amount of agricultural products that the country exports.
Because of mining and agriculture in Zimbabwe, many industries are situated in the country but run with power from Kariba Dam which is shared with Zambia.
Is Zambia Safe To Visit?
Even though there is some political unrest in Zimbabwe, a visitor has the freedom to visit Zimbabwe. On ground are security officers who keep law and order in the country. When in Zimbabwe, move with your travel documents just in case you are randomly questioned about your reasons for being there.
Abide by the guidelines of the destinations you visit during safari in Zimbabwe in order to be safe and return home without getting hurt.
Do not walk around with your precious jewelry or any other precious item like a lot of money because you may attract the wrong company especially in town centers where petty theft is rampant.
In case you have to step out of your lodge or hotel, inform someone so that in case soothing goes wrong, you can be easily traced.
When traveling with children in Zimbabwe, ensure they are always under your watch so that they do not wander anyhow.
When is the best time to Visit Zimbabwe?
Every time of the year is Zimbabwe visit time but for most outdoor safari activities, the dry season which is June to October is most exciting. During the dry season, the roads in the countryside where major safari destinations of Zimbabwe are situated are quicker to navigate. Having a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle in good condition is most preferred. The number of tourists to Zimbabwe in the past years has reduced because of the political situation in the country but is slowly picking up.
This is the peak tourism season too in Zimbabwe so expect to share the same space with other tourists both local and international. Watching the Victoria season during the dry season is a better opportunity to even dare swim to the brim of the falls. It is best to reserve your Zimbabwe safari in advance so as not to get last minute disappointments.
The wet season is normally March, April, March but there are some Zimbabwe activities you can be part of like the visit to Victoria Falls on River Zambezi is more exciting in the wet season when the volume of the water is higher so it plunges into the water pool in the gorge at a high velocity.
During the wet season, most game parks have high grass which acts as hiding places for infants from predators. For those interested in witnessing new births this is the opportunity you can use to visit Zimbabwe.
List of What not to do on a Zimbabwe Visit?
- Don’t engage in unlawful activities like dealing drugs while in Zimbabwe because you may end in the jails of Africa.
- Feeding wild animals in the game Parks of Zimbabwe is forbidden as they are wild animals that must collect there own food.
- Never disrespect the local cultures because you offend the believers of these cultures
- Respect the Rules of Traffic because you may land into trouble or pay a high penalty
- Shouting or hooting wild on game drives in the National Parks of Zambia is forbidden because you may anger the wild animals. This is also encroaching on the peace of these animals.
- Do not take photos of the locals without permission because this may offend them. it is also unlawful in Zimbabwe.
- Don’t move alone in the night because you may land in the wrong hands.
- Try not to engage in politics while in Zimbabwe because you may land on the wrong side of the government.
- Do not take photos of the government buildings and army barracks as this is illegal and you may be penalized for this.
- In case you have health problems, purchase travel insurance prior to traveling to Zimbabwe so that in case of an emergency your medical expenses are covered.
What To Do on a Visit In Zimbabwe?
- Ensure you have a visa before traveling in Zimbabwe in case your country is required to possess one.
- Carry some cash on you during a visit in Zimbabwe as credit cards are not quick to use in Africa.
- In case you have children, ensure they are always in your company so that they do not wander into other places.
- Pack light while on safari in Zimbabwe only what is relevant for your time in Zimbabwe so that in case you have to lift them yourself you can easily do so.
Contact us for more information about Zimbabwe.
