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Africa / Eastern Africa · Card 059

Zimbabwe

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

Find Zimbabwe

● 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
Languages: 16 officially recognized languages
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 & languages

Physical geography

Mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east.

Languages

The constitution recognizes Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa.

Location

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia.

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

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.

1965
Rhodesia makes an unrecognized independence declaration
1979
The Lancaster House agreement is reached
1980
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

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

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.