Local timeHarare ·
Africa / Eastern Africa · Card 059
Flag shown for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a country in Eastern Africa. Its capital is Harare.

Find Zimbabwe

HarareZimbabweZambiaMozambiqueMalawiBotswana
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.

At a glance

Capital
Harare
Language guide
Languages spoken & official status
Currency
Zimbabwe Gold / ZiG (ZWG); foreign currencies also circulate
Population
17.0 million2025 · World Bank
Area
390,757 km²150,872 square miles
Independence
1980from the UK

Zimbabwe in context

Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Harare; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & environment

Landscape

Zimbabwe is mostly plateau, with a higher central belt and mountains along the eastern side. Lower, warmer country lies toward major river valleys. Granite outcrops and rounded hills are distinctive features in several regions, including the Matobo area.

The Eastern Highlands are wetter and more mountainous than much of the interior. To the north, the Zambezi forms a boundary with Zambia and includes Victoria Falls and Lake Kariba. These water landscapes contrast with the inland plateau.

Climate & seasons

Elevation makes the high plateau cooler than the lowlands. Most rain falls during the warmer part of the year, followed by a dry winter season.

Elevation & water

Altitude moderates temperatures across the central and eastern uplands. Seasonal rainfall supports crops, woodland and grassland, while dry-season water supplies depend on rivers, reservoirs and groundwater. Different elevations create noticeably different growing conditions.

Flag shown for Zimbabwe

Flag

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

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe · currency

Languages

Public and official use

Zimbabwe’s constitution recognizes sixteen official languages, including Shona, Ndebele, English, Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa.

Community and regional languages

Shona and Ndebele are the most widely spoken first languages. English remains important in administration, education and business. Recognition protects a broader range of communities than the three languages most often listed in short country profiles.

Sources: Parliament of Zimbabwe · Constitution · CIA World Factbook · archived country profile

History & independence

Zimbabwe became internationally recognized as independent on 18 April 1980 after a liberation war, the Lancaster House agreement and elections. This followed the white-minority Rhodesian government’s unrecognized unilateral declaration of independence in 1965.

  1. Rhodesia makes an unrecognized independence declaration

  2. The Lancaster House agreement is reached

  3. Zimbabwe becomes independent

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe · currency

Economy

Main activities

Mining, agriculture, manufacturing and services are important activities. Gold, platinum-group metals and tobacco are notable exports. Currency conditions, energy supply and rainfall affect economic activity.

Industry and production

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

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe · currency

Population & economic trends

Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.

Population, 1970–2025

Millions of people
17.02025 · millions of people
0.0010.020.05.219707.0198010.1199011.9200013.4201015.5202017.02025

Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.

Sources: World Bank · Population

View data table
Population: source values and plotted units
Year People Millions of people
1970 5,215,918 5.216
1980 7,041,303 7.041
1990 10,137,281 10.137
2000 11,892,055 11.892
2010 13,356,548 13.357
2020 15,526,888 15.527
2025 16,950,795 16.951

Real GDP, 1990–2025

Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
25.52025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
0.0015.030.019902000201020202025

Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.

Sources: World Bank · Real GDP

View data table
Real GDP: source values and plotted units
Year Constant 2015 US$ Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
1990 16,762,655,222 16.763
1991 17,689,930,170 17.690
1992 16,095,082,949 16.095
1993 16,264,301,855 16.264
1994 17,766,348,463 17.766
1995 17,794,425,481 17.794
1996 19,638,059,366 19.638
1997 20,164,466,644 20.164
1998 20,746,271,025 20.746
1999 20,576,588,256 20.577
2000 19,947,126,181 19.947
2001 20,234,268,509 20.234
2002 18,434,630,066 18.435
2003 15,301,651,167 15.302
2004 14,413,001,709 14.413
2005 13,589,857,106 13.590
2006 13,119,457,398 13.119
2007 12,640,170,700 12.640
2008 10,406,779,091 10.407
2009 11,787,972,496 11.788
2010 14,107,304,145 14.107
2011 16,109,683,000 16.110
2012 18,794,430,789 18.794
2013 19,168,343,272 19.168
2014 19,623,972,034 19.624
2015 19,973,250,000 19.973
2016 20,124,206,637 20.124
2017 21,076,969,325 21.077
2018 22,132,908,952 22.133
2019 20,731,353,612 20.731
2020 19,110,793,941 19.111
2021 20,729,099,177 20.729
2022 22,001,713,150 22.002
2023 23,178,995,952 23.179
2024 23,567,590,556 23.568
2025 25,478,147,585 25.478

Human development

The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.

HDI · 20230.598Medium human developmentRank 153 of 193 · 2025 report

Human Development Index over time

19900.500
20000.458
20100.512
20200.582
20230.598
62.8 yearsLife expectancy at birth
8.9 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+

The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.

Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025

Government

Presidential republic. Parliament has two chambers (a bicameral legislature). The president holds executive responsibilities; the legislature makes national laws.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe · currency

Knowledge check

Three questions about Zimbabwe.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

Which crop is listed among Zimbabwe’s notable exports?

Sources & notes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe · currency

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.

HarareZimbabweZambiaMozambiqueMalawiBotswana