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Zimbabwe

AfricaSouthern Africa

391 Thousand km²

Quick Facts

Capital

Harare

Area

390,757 km²

Language

English, Shona & Ndebele (16 official languages)

Currency

Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)

Calling Code

+263

Drives On

Left

Internet

.zw

Timezone

CAT (UTC+2)

Script

Latin

Government

Presidential Republic

Independence

1980

Map tiles by CARTO. Data by OpenStreetMap.

Zimbabwe takes its name from Great Zimbabwe, the massive stone city built between the 11th and 15th centuries that once served as the capital of a trading empire stretching from the Limpopo to the Zambezi. Those ruins - the largest ancient stone structures in sub-Saharan Africa south of the Nile - were so impressive that European colonists refused to believe Africans had built them. They were wrong, and today the Zimbabwe Bird carved from soapstone at those ruins sits on the national flag.

Modern Zimbabwe is a country of contradictions. It has some of the best-educated populations in Africa, extraordinary natural beauty from the eastern highlands to the Zambezi escarpment, and a cricket and rugby culture that hints at its complex colonial past as Rhodesia. It also endured Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule, hyperinflation that once reached 79.6 billion percent per month, and an ongoing economic crisis that has pushed millions into diaspora. Yet Zimbabweans are known for their humor, their resilience, and a cultural sophistication that shows in everything from their stone sculpture tradition to their literary output.

Largest Cities in Zimbabwe

Harare

Capital and largest city with wide jacaranda-lined avenues, a cultural scene that punches above its weight, and an altitude that keeps it pleasantly cool

2,900,000

Bulawayo

Second city and Ndebele cultural capital, known for its colonial architecture, railway heritage, and proximity to the Matobo Hills

1,200,000

Chitungwiza

Satellite city south of Harare, one of the fastest-growing urban areas in southern Africa with a vibrant informal economy

400,000

Mutare

Gateway to the Eastern Highlands near the Mozambique border, surrounded by mountains, forests, and tea and coffee estates

260,000

Victoria Falls

Tourism town on the Zambezi River, gateway to the Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls and the country's adventure capital

35,000

Famous People from Zimbabwe

Tsitsi Dangarembga

Literature

Author of Nervous Conditions, the first novel in English by a Black Zimbabwean woman, and a Booker Prize finalist for its sequel

Peter Ndlovu

Sport

First African to play in the English Premier League, a trailblazer at Coventry City who became Zimbabwe's all-time top scorer

Kirsty Coventry

Sport

Zimbabwe's most decorated Olympian with seven swimming medals, including gold, now serving as a member of the IOC

Chenjerai Hove

Literature

Award-winning poet and novelist whose book Bones won the Zimbabwe Publishers' Literary Award and the Noma Award for African publishing

Oliver Mtukudzi

Music

Beloved musician known as Tuku who released over 60 albums blending Zimbabwean mbira music with pop, jazz, and Afro-fusion

Traditional Cuisine of Zimbabwe

Sadza

Thick white maize porridge and the absolute foundation of Zimbabwean cuisine - eaten by hand with relish at nearly every meal

Nyama

Grilled or stewed meat served as the most prized relish alongside sadza, with beef, goat, and chicken being the staples

Mopane Worms

Dried caterpillars of the emperor moth harvested from mopane trees, a protein-rich delicacy fried crispy or cooked in tomato sauce

Dovi

Rich peanut butter stew with vegetables or chicken, one of the most popular relishes served across Zimbabwe

Maputi

Roasted or popped maize kernels sold in small bags as the ubiquitous street snack, Zimbabwe's answer to popcorn

Nature & Landmarks in Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls

Landmark

One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Zimbabwean side offers unmatched close-up views of the 108-meter cascade

Hwange National Park

National Park

Zimbabwe's largest park with over 100 mammal species and 400 bird species, famous for its enormous elephant herds and painted wild dogs

Matobo Hills

National Park

UNESCO World Heritage Site of dramatic granite formations with ancient San rock art, the highest density of leopards in Africa, and Cecil Rhodes' grave

Great Zimbabwe

Landmark

Ruins of the medieval stone city that gave the country its name, the largest ancient stone structure in sub-Saharan Africa south of the Nile

Eastern Highlands

Mountain

Misty mountain chain along the Mozambique border with Mount Nyangani (2,592m), tea estates, and pine forests that feel nothing like the rest of Africa

Sports in Zimbabwe

Cricket

Test cricket nation since 1992, with memorable victories and players like Heath Streak and Andy Flower who competed at the highest level

Football

The Warriors have qualified for multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, with a passionate domestic league and growing youth development

Swimming

Kirsty Coventry won seven Olympic medals including gold in the 200m backstroke, making her Zimbabwe's greatest ever Olympian

Did You Know?

Great Zimbabwe was a medieval city of 18,000 people whose stone walls were built without mortar - the stones are so precisely cut they hold by gravity alone

Zimbabwe has had some of the worst hyperinflation in history - in November 2008, prices doubled every 24 hours and 100-trillion-dollar notes were printed

The Zimbabwe Bird, a soapstone sculpture found at Great Zimbabwe, appears on the national flag, coat of arms, and currency

Kirsty Coventry's seven Olympic swimming medals are the most by any African athlete in Olympic history

Zimbabwe has 16 official languages, more than almost any other country on Earth

The Matobo Hills contain one of the highest concentrations of rock art in the world, with San paintings dating back over 13,000 years

Zimbabwe's stone sculpture tradition, centered in the Shona communities, has produced some of the most valued contemporary African art