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USAfrica Research Information
Zimbabwe (ex Southern Rhodesia and later Rhodesia) is a landlocked country bordered by Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana. Centre of a thriving iron age civilisation in 1400 AD, with ancient city ruins at Great Zimbabwe, it was explored by Livingstone in 1855 and administered by the British South Africa Company from 1890. While it’s not without problems, Zimbabwe is a beautiful and relatively safe country. The people are friendly, their music and arts are world famous, the national Parks are among Africa’s finest, and the bright cities of Harare and Bulawayo boast a variety of attractions. World famous Victoria falls and it’s growing number of adrenaline-junkie activities. Oral tradition has it that Great Zimbabwe or 'Great House of Stone' was built by the Karanga. For centuries, the Karanga and the succeeding Rozvi dynasties ruled supreme. Great Zimbabwe is composed entirely of granite blocks cut to a specific size and fitted together ingeniously without aid of mortar. Close on a million such blocks were used. Some were cut into small pieces for decorative edgings or insets - the distinctive chevron pattern is the most common. It is believed that building began, on the Hill Complex, between 1100 and 1150 AD. At its peak about 30'000 people were estimated to be living in the area.
Harare:
Harare was founded in 1890 and then called Salisbury after Lord Salisbury, the British Prime minister. After the creation of the railway from Beira, Mozambique, this city grew significantly. Salisbury was the colony capital of Southern Rhodesia, of the Federation of Rhodesia; which lasted for a short time, and Nyasaland; which lasted from 1953 to 1963. It was also the capital Rhodesia from 1965 to 1979. Harare is the commercial and industrial center of Zimbabwe. It is also a transportation center, serving as a junction for air, road and rail travel. There are important gold mines in the surrounding areas. Moreover, agricultural produce from the surrounding areas, like Victoria tobacco, come to Harare for distribution.
Economy:
Zimbabwe’s economy relies heavily on agricultural crops such as tobacco, cotton, and sugarcane, and on related manufacturing industries such as textiles and sugar production. Mining, primarily gold, is also a major activity.
History:
Zimbabwe became independent in April 1980, when the Lancaster House agreements with Britain brought to an end 15 years of unilaterally declared independence by the former white-minority Government of Rhodesia and the armed conflict that engendered it. The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has been in power since 1980. Independent Zimbabwe inherited an economy that was more industrialized than most in Africa, with a diversified productive base, well-developed infrastructure and a relatively sophisticated financial sector. Currently, most large-scale commercial farms are owned by the white minority, while the majority of the population lives on less productive agricultural land. Zimbabwe embarked on a substantial economic reform process in 1991 which was not successfully carried through. Since the late 90s, it has been grappling with the resolution of fiscal problems; the inequities in land distribution, poverty and unemployment problems; population pressures; and unfavorable rainfall patterns. Economic deterioration has been exacerbated this year by invasions of commercial farms and continued military involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Zimbabwe is a multiparty republic with an executive president and a parliament consisting of 150 members. Ten members are chosen by traditional chiefs, 20 are appointed by the President, and the balance are elected.
In June 1999 President Mugabe appointed a commission to draw up a new constitution, which would grant greater powers to the president and included a provision that Britian should compensate farmers for lands bought as part of the land resettlement programme. In a referendum in February 2000, a low voter turnout voted against the new constitution, in what was seen as a vote of no confidence in Mugabe. The new constitution was quickly ammended in minor ways and taken to Parliament where it was approved in June 2000. Attempts were made to oblige Britian to compensate farmers for the loss of their land. War veterans began invading farms resulting in violence and the deaths aof farmers and opposition supporters. No action was taken by the authorities to stop them. Parliamentary elections took place in the middle of this unrest. The ruling party won 62 seats against the 57 of the opposition. Although outside observers declared that the election was mostly fair, it reported that the ruling party was respobsible for most of the pre-election intimidation. The most recent parliamentary election, held in June 2000, returned Mr. Robert Mugabe and the ruling ZANU party to power with a narrow margin. The opposition party, MDC, won the majority of the urban votes. Presidential elections are scheduled for 2002. War veterans, invaded a number of commercial farms in the run-up to the elections. In response, the Government has gazetted over 2,000 farms for compulsory acquisition and resettlement. Efforts continue on the part of several parties including the donors to find an orderly and satisfactory approach to land reform.
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REMARKS
Zimbabwe faces food shortages later 2001 and may need international aid.
"That there will be shortages in national production is confirmed.
The uncertainty is the magnitude," Finance Minister Simba Makoni told journalists
in July.
