Zimbabwe

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.

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.

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.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

Geography

Location

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates

20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total : 390,757 sq km

land: 386,847 sq km

water: 3,910 sq km

comparison ranking: total 62

Area – comparative

about four times the size of Indiana; slightly larger than Montana

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 3,229 km

border countries (4): Botswana 834 km; Mozambique 1,402 km; South Africa 230 km; Zambia 763 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain

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

Elevation

highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m

mean elevation: 961 m

Natural resources

coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use

agricultural land: 39.5% (2022 est.)

arable land: 8.1% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 31.3% (2022 est.)

forest: 44.9% (2022 est.)

other: 15.7% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

1,740 sq km (2012)

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

Major aquifers

Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Population distribution

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

recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Geography – note

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: 17,150,352 (2024 est.)

male: 8,343,790

female: 8,806,562

comparison rankings: total 72; female 72; male 72

Nationality

noun: Zimbabwean(s)

adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups

African 99.6% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group), other (includes Caucasian, Asiatic, mixed race) 0.4% (2022 est.)

Languages

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: data represent population by mother tongue

Religions

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: 38.3% (male 3,315,075/female 3,254,643)

15-64 years: 57.8% (male 4,758,120/female 5,152,773)

65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 270,595/female 399,146)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 73 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 66.3 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 14.8 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 21.2 years (2024 est.)

male: 20.3 years

female: 22 years

comparison ranking: total 194

Population growth rate

1.91% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 44

Birth rate

28.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 29

Death rate

6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 136

Net migration rate

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 184

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas – population

1.578 million HARARE (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother’s mean age at first birth

20.3 years (2015 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Maternal mortality ratio

357 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

comparison ranking: 26

Infant mortality rate

total: 33.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 37 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 39

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 67.2 years (2024 est.)

male: 65.6 years

female: 68.8 years

comparison ranking: total population 198

Total fertility rate

3.47 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 36

Gross reproduction rate

1.71 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

66.8% (2015)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 97.9% of population

rural: 66.9% of population

total: 76.9% of population

unimproved:

urban: 2.1% of population

rural: 33.1% of population

total: 23.1% of population (2020 est.)

Health expenditure

2.8% of GDP (2021)

5.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 96.1% of population

rural: 49% of population

total: 64.2% of population

unimproved:

urban: 3.9% of population

rural: 51% of population

total: 35.8% of population (2017 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

15.5% (2016)

comparison ranking: 126

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 3.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 1.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 1.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 110

Tobacco use

total: 8.4% (2025 est.)

male: 17.6% (2025 est.)

female: 0.7% (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: total 139

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9.7% (2019)

comparison ranking: 52

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

61.6% (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 5.4% (2019)

women married by age 18: 33.7% (2019)

men married by age 18: 1.9% (2019)

Education expenditure

0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

17.9% national budget (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 199

Literacy

total population: 93.2% (2019 est.)

male: 93.1% (2019 est.)

female: 93.4% (2019 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years

male: 12 years

female: 11 years (2013)

Environment

Environment – current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; poaching; toxic waste and heavy metal pollution from mining

Environment – international agreements

party to: 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: none of the selected agreements

Climate

tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 13.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 10.98 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 12.1 megatons (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,449,752 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 231,960 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16% (2005 est.)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

Major aquifers

Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 650 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 3.04 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

20 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form: Zimbabwe

former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia

etymology: 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 zimba we bahwe, meaning “houses of stones;” the former name, Rhodesia, was derived from the name of British colonial administrator Cecil RHODES

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Harare

geographic coordinates: 17 49 S, 31 02 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: 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

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

mixed system of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law, and customary law

Constitution

history: 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: 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

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: 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: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 4 September 2023)

head of government: Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 11 September 2023)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to National Assembly

election/appointment process: 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: 23 August 2023

election results:
2023: 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%

2018: 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: 2028

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament

legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch – lower chamber

chamber name: National Assembly

number of seats: 280 (all directly elected)

electoral system: mixed system

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 8/23/2023

parties elected and seats per party: ZANU-PF (175); Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) (104)

percentage of women in chamber: 30.1%

expected date of next election: August 2028

note: 60 seats are reserved for women and 10 additional seats are reserved for candidates aged 21 – 35

Legislative branch – upper chamber

chamber name: Senate

number of seats: 80 (60 directly elected; 20 indirectly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 8/23/2023

parties elected and seats per party: ZANU-PF (33); Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) (27)

percentage of women in chamber: 44.3%

expected date of next election: August 2028

note: 18 seats are reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities

Judicial branch

highest court(s): 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: 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: High Court; Labor Court; Administrative Court; regional magistrate courts; customary law courts; special courts

Political parties

Citizens Coalition for Change
Movement for Democratic Change or MDC-T
National People’s Congress or NPC
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Sarah BHOROMA (since 12 November 2024)

chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100

FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://zimembassydc.org/

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela M. TREMONT (since August 2024)

embassy: 2 Lorraine Drive, Bluffhill, Harare

mailing address: 2180 Harare Place, Washington DC 20521-2180

telephone: [263] 867-701-1000

FAX: [263] 24-233-4320

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://zw.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

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

18 April 1980 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Flag description

seven equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green, with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow bird representing the long history of the country is on top of a five-pointed red star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green stands for agriculture, yellow for mineral wealth, red for the blood shed to achieve independence, and black for the people

National symbol(s)

Zimbabwe bird symbol, African fish eagle, flame lily

National color(s)

green, yellow, red, black, white

National anthem

name: “Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe” [Northern Ndebele language] “Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe” [Shona] (Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe)

lyrics/music: Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA

note: adopted 1994

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: 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

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)

$56.249 billion (2023 est.)
$53.399 billion (2022 est.)
$50.311 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 121

Real GDP growth rate

5.34% (2023 est.)
6.52% (2022 est.)
8.47% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 40

Real GDP per capita

$3,400 (2023 est.)
$3,300 (2022 est.)
$3,200 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 192

GDP (official exchange rate)

$35.231 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

104.7% (2022 est.)
98.5% (2021 est.)
557.2% (2020 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 213

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 4.1% (2023 est.)

industry: 26.3% (2023 est.)

services: 62.4% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

comparison rankings: services 72; industry 84; agriculture 123

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 76.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 15.1% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 12.2% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 4.1% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 21.6% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -29.2% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

sugarcane, beef, maize, cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, milk, onions, bananas, wheat (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

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

3.18% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 100

Labor force

6.386 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 75

Unemployment rate

8.6% (2024 est.)
8.8% (2023 est.)
10.1% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 151

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 14% (2024 est.)

male: 12.9% (2024 est.)

female: 15.4% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 96

Population below poverty line

38.3% (2019 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

50.3 (2020 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

comparison ranking: 12

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% (2017 est.)

highest 10%: 34.8% (2017 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

9.37% of GDP (2023 est.)
9.41% of GDP (2022 est.)
9.45% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues: $17 million (2018 est.)

expenditures: $23 million (2018 est.)

Public debt

82.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

comparison ranking: 35

Taxes and other revenues

7.2% (of GDP) (2018 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 192

Current account balance

$133.877 million (2023 est.)
$304.966 million (2022 est.)
$348.215 million (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 74

Exports

$7.603 billion (2023 est.)
$7.453 billion (2022 est.)
$6.575 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 126

Exports – partners

UAE 45%, China 18%, South Africa 15%, Mozambique 4%, Hong Kong 2% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

gold, tobacco, nickel, minerals, diamonds (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$10.293 billion (2023 est.)
$9.569 billion (2022 est.)
$8.104 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 123

Imports – partners

South Africa 37%, China 15%, Bahamas, The 5%, Singapore 5%, UAE 4% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

refined petroleum, fertilizers, trucks, soybean oil, stone processing machines (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$261.373 million (2024 est.)
$115.53 million (2023 est.)
$598.622 million (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 182

Debt – external

$6.671 billion (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

comparison ranking: 62

Exchange rates

Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
3,266.332 (2024 est.)
3,509.172 (2023 est.)
374.954 (2022 est.)
88.552 (2021 est.)
51.329 (2020 est.)

note: ongoing hyperinflation rendered Zimbabwean dollar essentially worthless; introduction of Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) as new currency effective April 2024

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 50.1% (2022 est.)

electrification – urban areas: 89%

electrification – rural areas: 33.7%

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 2.491 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 8.346 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports: 395 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 2.297 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 1.864 billion kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 121; imports 65; exports 82; consumption 113; installed generating capacity 114

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 32.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 65.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

production: 7.968 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption: 6.705 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 984,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 71,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 502 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 800 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

12.578 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 7.629 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 4.949 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 101

Energy consumption per capita

10.855 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 147

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 310,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 106

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 15 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 88 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 72

Broadcast media

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

.zw

Internet users

percent of population: 38% (2023 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 269,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total 116

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

144 (2025)

comparison ranking: 37

Heliports

5 (2025)

comparison ranking: 101

Railways

total: 3,427 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 3,427 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified)

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ)

Ministry of Home Affairs: Zimbabwe Republic Police (2025)

Military expenditures

0.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 30,000 active Zimbabwe Defense Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

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

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

the ZDF’s primary responsibilities are protecting the country’s sovereignty and territory and securing its borders; it also has a considerable role in domestic security and has continued to be active in the country’s politics since the 2017 military-assisted political transition; 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

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 (2024)

Space

Space agency/agencies

Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA; established in 2019 and officially launched in 2021; under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development) (2024)

Space program overview

has a nascent program with the goal of utilizing space technologies in economic development; particularly interested in remote sensing capabilities to assist with monitoring or managing agriculture and food security, climate change, disease outbreaks, environmental hazards and disasters, and natural resources, as well as weather forecasting; part of a joint project (BIRDS-5) with Japan, which seeks to promote the first steps towards creating an indigenous space program by designing, building, testing, launching, and operating the first satellites for participating countries (2024)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 9,931 (Mozambique) (2023); 12,293 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Zimbabwe was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/zimbabwe/