factbook.json/africa/zi.json

{
  "Introduction": {
    "Background": {
      "text": "<p>The hunter-gatherer San people first inhabited the area that eventually became Zimbabwe. Farming communities migrated to the area around A.D. 500 during the Bantu expansion, and Shona-speaking societies began to develop in the Limpopo valley and Zimbabwean highlands around the 9th century. These societies traded with Arab merchants on the Indian Ocean coast and organized under the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in the 11th century. A series of powerful trade-oriented Shona states succeeded Mapungubwe, including the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (ca. 1220-1450), Kingdom of Mutapa (ca. 1450-1760), and the Rozwi Empire. The Rozwi Empire expelled Portuguese colonists from the Zimbabwean plateau, but the Ndebele clan of Zulu King MZILIKAZI eventually conquered the area in 1838 during the era of conflict and population displacement known as the Mfecane. <br><br>In the 1880s, colonists arrived with the British South Africa Company (BSAC) and obtained a written concession for mining rights from Ndebele King LOBENGULA. The king later disavowed the concession and accused the BSAC agents of deceit. The BSAC annexed Mashonaland and then conquered Matabeleland during the First Matabele War of 1893-1894, establishing company rule over the territory. In 1923, the UK annexed BSAC holdings south of the Zambezi River, which became the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. The 1930 Land Apportionment Act restricted Black land ownership and established rules that would favor the White minority for decades. A new constitution in 1961 further cemented White minority rule.<br><br>In 1965, the government under White Prime Minister Ian SMITH unilaterally declared its independence from the UK. London did not recognize Rhodesia’s independence and demanded more voting rights for the Black majority in the country. International diplomacy and an uprising by Black Zimbabweans led to biracial elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, who led the uprising and became the nation's first prime minister, was the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) from independence until 2017. In the mid-1980s, the government tortured and killed thousands of civilians in a crackdown on dissent known as the Gukurahundi campaign. Economic mismanagement and chaotic implementation of land redistribution policies periodically crippled the economy. General elections in 2002, 2008, and 2013 were severely flawed and widely condemned but allowed MUGABE to remain president. In 2017, Vice President Emmerson MNANGAGWA became president after a military intervention that forced MUGABE to resign, and MNANGAGWA cemented power by sidelining rival Grace MUGABE (Robert MUGABE’s wife). In 2018, MNANGAGWA won the presidential election, and he has maintained the government's longstanding practice of violently disrupting protests and politicizing institutions. Economic conditions remain dire under MNANGAGWA.</p>"
    }
  },
  "Geography": {
    "Location": {
      "text": "Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia"
    },
    "Geographic coordinates": {
      "text": "20 00 S, 30 00 E"
    },
    "Map references": {
      "text": "Africa"
    },
    "Area": {
      "total ": {
        "text": "390,757 sq km"
      },
      "land": {
        "text": "386,847 sq km"
      },
      "water": {
        "text": "3,910 sq km"
      }
    },
    "Area - comparative": {
      "text": "about four times the size of Indiana; slightly larger than Montana"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "total": {
        "text": "3,229 km"
      },
      "border countries": {
        "text": "Botswana 834 km; Mozambique 1,402 km; South Africa 230 km; Zambia 763 km"
      }
    },
    "Coastline": {
      "text": "0 km (landlocked)"
    },
    "Maritime claims": {
      "text": "none (landlocked)"
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)"
    },
    "Terrain": {
      "text": "mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east"
    },
    "Elevation": {
      "highest point": {
        "text": "Inyangani 2,592 m"
      },
      "lowest point": {
        "text": "junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m"
      },
      "mean elevation": {
        "text": "961 m"
      }
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "39.5% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 8.1% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 0.2% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 31.3% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "44.9% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "15.7% (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "1,740 sq km (2012)"
    },
    "Major rivers (by length in km)": {
      "text": "<p>Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth</p>"
    },
    "Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
      "Indian Ocean drainage": {
        "text": "Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)"
      },
      "Internal (endorheic basin) drainage": {
        "text": "Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)"
      }
    },
    "Major aquifers": {
      "text": "Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half, as shown in this population distribution map"
    },
    "Natural hazards": {
      "text": "recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare"
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural river boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April), the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)"
    }
  },
  "People and Society": {
    "Population": {
      "total": {
        "text": "17,150,352 (2024 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "8,343,790"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "8,806,562"
      }
    },
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "Zimbabwean(s)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "Zimbabwean"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "African 99.6% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group), other (includes Caucasian, Asiatic, mixed race) 0.4% (2022 est.)"
    },
    "Languages": {
      "text": "Shona (official, most widely spoken) 80.9%, Ndebele (official, second most widely spoken) 11.5%, English (official, traditionally used for official business) 0.3%, 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa) 7%, other 0.3% (2022 est.)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data represent population by mother tongue"
    },
    "Religions": {
      "text": "Apostolic Sect 40.3%, Pentecostal 17%, Protestant 13.8%, other Christian 7.8%, Roman Catholic 6.4%, African traditionalist 5%, other 1.5% (includes Muslim, Jewish, Hindu), none 8.3% (2022 est.)"
    },
    "Age structure": {
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "38.3% (male 3,315,075/female 3,254,643)"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "57.8% (male 4,758,120/female 5,152,773)"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "3.9% (2024 est.) (male 270,595/female 399,146)"
      }
    },
    "Dependency ratios": {
      "total dependency ratio": {
        "text": "73 (2024 est.)"
      },
      "youth dependency ratio": {
        "text": "66.3 (2024 est.)"
      },
      "elderly dependency ratio": {
        "text": "6.8 (2024 est.)"
      },
      "potential support ratio": {
        "text": "14.8 (2024 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Median age": {
      "total": {
        "text": "21.2 years (2024 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "20.3 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "22 years"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "1.91% (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Birth rate": {
      "text": "28.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Death rate": {
      "text": "6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Net migration rate": {
      "text": "-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half, as shown in this population distribution map"
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "32.5% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "1.578 million HARARE (capital) (2023)"
    },
    "Sex ratio": {
      "at birth": {
        "text": "1.03 male(s)/female"
      },
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "1.02 male(s)/female"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "0.92 male(s)/female"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "0.68 male(s)/female"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Mother's mean age at first birth": {
      "text": "20.3 years (2015 est.)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49"
    },
    "Maternal mortality ratio": {
      "text": "358 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Infant mortality rate": {
      "total": {
        "text": "33.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "37 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "29.6 deaths/1,000 live births"
      }
    },
    "Life expectancy at birth": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "67.2 years (2024 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "65.6 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "68.8 years"
      }
    },
    "Total fertility rate": {
      "text": "3.47 children born/woman (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Gross reproduction rate": {
      "text": "1.71 (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 92.8% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 47.7% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 62.3% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 7.2% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 52.3% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 37.7% of population (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Health expenditure": {
      "Health expenditure (as % of GDP)": {
        "text": "2.8% of GDP (2021)"
      },
      "Health expenditure (as % of national budget)": {
        "text": "5.2% of national budget (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Physician density": {
      "text": "0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2023)"
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 50.3% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 65.6% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 49.7% of population (2022 est.)"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 34.4% of population (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "15.5% (2016)"
    },
    "Alcohol consumption per capita": {
      "total": {
        "text": "3.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "beer": {
        "text": "1.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "wine": {
        "text": "0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "spirits": {
        "text": "0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "other alcohols": {
        "text": "1.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Tobacco use": {
      "total": {
        "text": "8.4% (2025 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "17.6% (2025 est.)"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "0.7% (2025 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": {
      "text": "9.7% (2019)"
    },
    "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": {
      "text": "61.6% (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Child marriage": {
      "women married by age 15": {
        "text": "5.4% (2019)"
      },
      "women married by age 18": {
        "text": "33.7% (2019)"
      },
      "men married by age 18": {
        "text": "1.9% (2019)"
      }
    },
    "Education expenditure": {
      "Education expenditure (% GDP)": {
        "text": "0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Education expenditure (% national budget)": {
        "text": "17.9% national budget (2025 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Literacy": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "93.2% (2019 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "93.1% (2019 est.)"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "93.4% (2019 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Environment": {
    "Environmental issues": {
      "text": "deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; poaching; toxic waste and heavy metal pollution from mining"
    },
    "International environmental agreements": {
      "party to": {
        "text": "Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands"
      },
      "signed, but not ratified": {
        "text": "none of the selected agreements"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "39.5% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 8.1% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 0.2% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 31.3% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "44.9% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "15.7% (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "32.5% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions": {
      "total emissions": {
        "text": "12.578 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)"
      },
      "from coal and metallurgical coke": {
        "text": "7.629 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)"
      },
      "from petroleum and other liquids": {
        "text": "4.949 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Particulate matter emissions": {
      "text": "14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)"
    },
    "Waste and recycling": {
      "municipal solid waste generated annually": {
        "text": "1.45 million tons (2024 est.)"
      },
      "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": {
        "text": "21.8% (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total water withdrawal": {
      "municipal": {
        "text": "547.078 million cubic meters (2022 est.)"
      },
      "industrial": {
        "text": "81.352 million cubic meters (2022 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural": {
        "text": "4.281 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total renewable water resources": {
      "text": "20 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "Republic of Zimbabwe"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "Zimbabwe"
      },
      "former": {
        "text": "Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "takes its name from the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (13th-15th century) and its capital of Great Zimbabwe, which was built of stone; the name Zimbabwe comes from the Bantu phrase <em>zimba we bahwe</em>, meaning \"houses of stones;\" the former name, Rhodesia, was derived from the name of British colonial administrator Cecil RHODES"
      }
    },
    "Government type": {
      "text": "presidential republic"
    },
    "Capital": {
      "name": {
        "text": "Harare"
      },
      "geographic coordinates": {
        "text": "17 49 S, 31 02 E"
      },
      "time difference": {
        "text": "UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "named after a village of Harare at the site of the present capital; the village name derived from a Shona chieftain, NE-HARAWA, whose name meant \"he who does not sleep\""
      }
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands"
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "mixed system of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law, and customary law"
    },
    "Constitution": {
      "history": {
        "text": "previous 1965 (at Rhodesian independence), 1979 (Lancaster House Agreement), 1980 (at Zimbabwean independence); latest final draft completed January 2013, approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013, effective 22 May 2013"
      },
      "amendment process": {
        "text": "proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; amendments to constitutional chapters on fundamental human rights and freedoms and on agricultural lands also require approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum"
      }
    },
    "International law organization participation": {
      "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt"
    },
    "Citizenship": {
      "citizenship by birth": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "citizenship by descent only": {
        "text": "the father must be a citizen of Zimbabwe; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen"
      },
      "dual citizenship recognized": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "residency requirement for naturalization": {
        "text": "5 years"
      }
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 4 September 2023)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 11 September 2023)"
      },
      "cabinet": {
        "text": "Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to National Assembly"
      },
      "election/appointment process": {
        "text": "each presidential candidate nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least 1 candidate from each province) and directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (no term limits); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership"
      },
      "most recent election date": {
        "text": "23 August 2023"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "<em><br>2023: </em>Emmerson MNANGAGWA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 52.6%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44%, Wilbert MUBAIWA (NPC) 1.2%, other 2.2%<br><em><br>2018:</em> Emmerson MNANGAGWA elected president in first round; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 50.7%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44.4%, Thokozani KHUPE (MDC-N) 0.9%, other 4%"
      },
      "expected date of next election": {
        "text": "2028"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch": {
      "legislature name": {
        "text": "Parliament"
      },
      "legislative structure": {
        "text": "bicameral"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch - lower chamber": {
      "chamber name": {
        "text": "National Assembly"
      },
      "number of seats": {
        "text": "280 (all directly elected)"
      },
      "electoral system": {
        "text": "mixed system"
      },
      "scope of elections": {
        "text": "full renewal"
      },
      "term in office": {
        "text": "5 years"
      },
      "most recent election date": {
        "text": "8/23/2023"
      },
      "parties elected and seats per party": {
        "text": "ZANU-PF (175); Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) (104)"
      },
      "percentage of women in chamber": {
        "text": "30.1%"
      },
      "expected date of next election": {
        "text": "August 2028"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> 60 seats are reserved for women and 10 additional seats are reserved for candidates aged 21 - 35"
    },
    "Legislative branch - upper chamber": {
      "chamber name": {
        "text": "Senate"
      },
      "number of seats": {
        "text": "80 (60 directly elected; 20 indirectly elected)"
      },
      "electoral system": {
        "text": "proportional representation"
      },
      "scope of elections": {
        "text": "full renewal"
      },
      "term in office": {
        "text": "5 years"
      },
      "most recent election date": {
        "text": "8/23/2023"
      },
      "parties elected and seats per party": {
        "text": "ZANU-PF (33); Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) (27)"
      },
      "percentage of women in chamber": {
        "text": "44.3%"
      },
      "expected date of next election": {
        "text": "August 2028"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> 18 seats are reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities"
    },
    "Judicial branch": {
      "highest court(s)": {
        "text": "Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 judges)"
      },
      "judge selection and term of office": {
        "text": "Supreme Court judges appointed by the president on recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body consisting of the chief justice, Public Service Commission chairman, attorney general, and 2-3 members appointed by the president; judges normally serve until age 65 but can elect to serve until age 70; Constitutional Court judge appointment NA; judges serve nonrenewable 15-year terms"
      },
      "subordinate courts": {
        "text": "High Court; Labor Court; Administrative Court; regional magistrate courts; customary law courts; special courts"
      }
    },
    "Political parties": {
      "text": "Citizens Coalition for Change <br>Movement for Democratic Change or MDC-T <br>National People's Congress or NPC <br>Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF <br>Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d'Affaires Sarah BHOROMA (since 12 November 2024)"
      },
      "chancery": {
        "text": "1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 332-7100"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 483-9326"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>general@zimembassydc.org<br><br>https://zimembassydc.org/"
      }
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Pamela M. TREMONT (since August 2024)"
      },
      "embassy": {
        "text": "2 Lorraine Drive, Bluffhill, Harare"
      },
      "mailing address": {
        "text": "2180 Harare Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-2180"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[263] 867-701-1000"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[263] 24-233-4320"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>consularharare@state.gov<br><br>https://zw.usembassy.gov/"
      }
    },
    "International organization participation": {
      "text": "ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO"
    },
    "Independence": {
      "text": "18 April 1980 (from the UK)"
    },
    "National holiday": {
      "text": "Independence Day, 18 April (1980)"
    },
    "Flag": {
      "text": "<strong>description:</strong> seven equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green, with a white isosceles triangle edged in black based on the left side; in the middle of the triangle, a yellow bird is on top of a five-pointed red star<br><br><strong>meaning: </strong>the bird represents the long history of the country; white stands for peace, green for agriculture, yellow for mineral wealth, red for the blood shed to achieve independence, and black for the people"
    },
    "National symbol(s)": {
      "text": "Zimbabwe bird symbol, African fish eagle, flame lily"
    },
    "National color(s)": {
      "text": "green, yellow, red, black, white"
    },
    "National anthem(s)": {
      "title": {
        "text": "\"Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe\" [Ndebele] \"Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe\" [Shona] (Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe)"
      },
      "lyrics/music": {
        "text": "Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA"
      },
      "history": {
        "text": "adopted 1994; lyrics in the country's three main languages were written by Zimbabwean poet and academic MUTSWAIRO"
      }
    },
    "National heritage": {
      "total World Heritage Sites": {
        "text": "5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)"
      },
      "selected World Heritage Site locales": {
        "text": "Mana Pools National Park, Sapi, and Chewore Safari Areas (n); Great Zimbabwe National Monument (c); Khami Ruins National Monument (c); Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls (n); Matobo Hills (c)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economic overview": {
      "text": "low income Sub-Saharan economy; political instability and endemic corruption have prevented reforms and stalled debt restructuring; new Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency latest effort to combat ongoing hyperinflation; reliant on natural resource extraction, agriculture and remittances"
    },
    "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024": {
        "text": "$57.391 billion (2024 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023": {
        "text": "$56.249 billion (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": {
        "text": "$53.399 billion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars"
    },
    "Real GDP growth rate": {
      "Real GDP growth rate 2024": {
        "text": "2% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2023": {
        "text": "5.3% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2022": {
        "text": "6.1% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency"
    },
    "Real GDP per capita": {
      "Real GDP per capita 2024": {
        "text": "$3,500 (2024 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2023": {
        "text": "$3,400 (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2022": {
        "text": "$3,300 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars"
    },
    "GDP (official exchange rate)": {
      "text": "$44.188 billion (2024 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate"
    },
    "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": {
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022": {
        "text": "104.7% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": {
        "text": "98.5% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020": {
        "text": "557.2% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices"
    },
    "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "5.4% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "31.8% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "55.8% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data"
    },
    "GDP - composition, by end use": {
      "household consumption": {
        "text": "91.5% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "government consumption": {
        "text": "12.5% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "investment in fixed capital": {
        "text": "3.6% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "investment in inventories": {
        "text": "0.9% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "exports of goods and services": {
        "text": "22.1% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "imports of goods and services": {
        "text": "-30.6% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection"
    },
    "Agricultural products": {
      "text": "sugarcane, beef, maize, cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, milk, onions, bananas, wheat (2023)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, diamonds, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages"
    },
    "Industrial production growth rate": {
      "text": "2.7% (2024 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency"
    },
    "Labor force": {
      "text": "6.386 million (2024 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work"
    },
    "Unemployment rate": {
      "Unemployment rate 2024": {
        "text": "8.6% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2023": {
        "text": "8.8% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2022": {
        "text": "10.1% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment"
    },
    "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "12.9% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "15.4% (2024 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment"
    },
    "Population below poverty line": {
      "text": "38.3% (2019 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line"
    },
    "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": {
      "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020": {
        "text": "50.3 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality"
    },
    "Household income or consumption by percentage share": {
      "lowest 10%": {
        "text": "2.5% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "highest 10%": {
        "text": "34.8% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population"
    },
    "Remittances": {
      "Remittances 2023": {
        "text": "9.4% of GDP (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Remittances 2022": {
        "text": "9.4% of GDP (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Remittances 2021": {
        "text": "9.4% of GDP (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities"
    },
    "Budget": {
      "revenues": {
        "text": "$17 million (2018 est.)"
      },
      "expenditures": {
        "text": "$23 million (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Public debt": {
      "Public debt 2016": {
        "text": "69.9% of GDP (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Taxes and other revenues": {
      "text": "7.2% (of GDP) (2018 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP"
    },
    "Current account balance": {
      "Current account balance 2023": {
        "text": "$133.877 million (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2022": {
        "text": "$304.966 million (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2021": {
        "text": "$348.215 million (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars"
    },
    "Exports": {
      "Exports 2023": {
        "text": "$7.603 billion (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Exports 2022": {
        "text": "$7.453 billion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Exports 2021": {
        "text": "$6.575 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars"
    },
    "Exports - partners": {
      "text": "UAE 45%, China 18%, South Africa 15%, Mozambique 4%, Hong Kong 2% (2023)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "gold, tobacco, nickel, minerals, diamonds (2023)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "Imports 2023": {
        "text": "$10.293 billion (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Imports 2022": {
        "text": "$9.569 billion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Imports 2021": {
        "text": "$8.104 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars"
    },
    "Imports - partners": {
      "text": "South Africa 37%, China 15%, Bahamas, The 5%, Singapore 5%, UAE 4% (2023)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "refined petroleum, fertilizers, trucks, soybean oil, stone processing machines (2023)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars"
    },
    "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": {
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024": {
        "text": "$484.973 million (2024 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023": {
        "text": "$115.53 million (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022": {
        "text": "$598.622 million (2022 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars"
    },
    "Debt - external": {
      "Debt - external 2023": {
        "text": "$6.671 billion (2023 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> present value of external debt in current US dollars"
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "Currency": {
        "text": "Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar -"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2024": {
        "text": "3,266.332 (2024 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2023": {
        "text": "3,509.172 (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2022": {
        "text": "374.954 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2021": {
        "text": "88.552 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2020": {
        "text": "51.329 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note: </strong>ongoing hyperinflation rendered Zimbabwean dollar essentially worthless; introduction of Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) as new currency effective April 2024"
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity access": {
      "electrification - total population": {
        "text": "50.1% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "electrification - urban areas": {
        "text": "89%"
      },
      "electrification - rural areas": {
        "text": "33.7%"
      }
    },
    "Electricity": {
      "installed generating capacity": {
        "text": "2.491 million kW (2023 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "8.346 billion kWh (2023 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "395 million kWh (2023 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "2.297 billion kWh (2023 est.)"
      },
      "transmission/distribution losses": {
        "text": "1.864 billion kWh (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity generation sources": {
      "fossil fuels": {
        "text": "32.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)"
      },
      "solar": {
        "text": "0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)"
      },
      "hydroelectricity": {
        "text": "65.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)"
      },
      "biomass and waste": {
        "text": "1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Coal": {
      "production": {
        "text": "7.968 million metric tons (2023 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "6.705 million metric tons (2023 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "984,000 metric tons (2023 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "71,000 metric tons (2023 est.)"
      },
      "proven reserves": {
        "text": "502 million metric tons (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Petroleum": {
      "total petroleum production": {
        "text": "800 bbl/day (2023 est.)"
      },
      "refined petroleum consumption": {
        "text": "34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Energy consumption per capita": {
      "Total energy consumption per capita 2023": {
        "text": "10.855 million Btu/person (2023 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "310,000 (2023 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "2 (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephones - mobile cellular": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "15 million (2023 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "88 (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Broadcast media": {
      "text": "government owns all local radio and TV stations; foreign shortwave broadcasts and satellite TV available; in rural areas, access to TV broadcasts is extremely limited; analog TV only, no digital service (2017)"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".zw"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "38% (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": {
      "total": {
        "text": "269,000 (2023 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "2 (2023 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": {
      "text": "Z"
    },
    "Airports": {
      "text": "144 (2025)"
    },
    "Heliports": {
      "text": "5 (2025)"
    },
    "Railways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "3,427 km (2014)"
      },
      "narrow gauge": {
        "text": "3,427 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military and Security": {
    "Military and security forces": {
      "text": "Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ)<br><br>Ministry of Home Affairs: Zimbabwe Republic Police (2025)"
    },
    "Military expenditures": {
      "Military Expenditures 2024": {
        "text": "0.4% of GDP (2024 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2023": {
        "text": "0.3% of GDP (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2022": {
        "text": "0.9% of GDP (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2021": {
        "text": "1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2020": {
        "text": "1% of GDP (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Military and security service personnel strengths": {
      "text": "approximately 30,000 active Zimbabwe Defense Forces (2025)"
    },
    "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
      "text": "the ZDF inventory is comprised mostly of Russian/Soviet-era and Chinese armaments with smaller quantities of older or obsolescent material from countries such as Brazil, France, Italy, South Africa, the UK, and the US; since the early 2010s, Zimbabwe has been under an arms embargo from the EU, as well as targeted sanctions from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US (2024)"
    },
    "Military service age and obligation": {
      "text": "18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel); no conscription (2023)"
    },
    "Military - note": {
      "text": "the primary responsibilities of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) are protecting the country’s sovereignty and territory and securing its borders; it also has a role in domestic security and socio-economic development projects and has continued to be active in the country’s politics since the 2017 military-assisted political transition;<br>the ZDF is part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force and provided troops for the SADC military deployment to Mozambique from 2021-2024; Zimbabwe has defense ties with China and Russia<br><br>the ZDF was formed after independence from the former Rhodesian Army and the two guerrilla forces that opposed it during the Rhodesian Civil War (aka \"Bush War\") of the 1970s, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA); the ZDF intervened in the Mozambique Civil War (1983-1992), the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Second Congo War (1998-2003), and the Angolan Civil War (1975-2002) during the late 1990s (2025)"
    }
  },
  "Space": {
    "Space agency/agencies": {
      "text": "Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA; established in 2019 and officially launched in 2021) (2025)",
      "note": "note: ZINGSA is under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science, and Technology Development"
    },
    "Space program overview": {
      "text": "has a nascent program with the goal of using space technologies in economic development, including remote sensing capabilities to assist with monitoring or managing agriculture, food security, climate change, disease outbreaks, environmental hazards and disasters, and natural resources, as well as weather forecasting; has cooperated with Japan and Russia (2025)"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
    "Refugees and internally displaced persons": {
      "refugees": {
        "text": "22,432 (2024 est.)"
      },
      "IDPs": {
        "text": "32,675 (2024 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Trafficking in persons": {
      "tier rating": {
        "text": "Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Zimbabwe remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/zimbabwe/"
      }
    }
  }
}