Zimbabwe
Country Facts
| Population |
11.4million
|
| Language |
|
English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele)
|
| Nationality |
ZImbabwean |
| Capital |
Harare |
| Minorities |
Ndebele
|
| Bordering Countries |
Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia
|
| • |
Estimated life expectancy - 43 years (women), 44 years (men)
|
| • |
Percentage of population malnourished - 45%
|
| • |
Displaced people - More than 880,000
|
| • |
Percentage of people living on less than $2 a day - 83%
|
| • |
HIV/AIDS- 15.3% of pop (1.3 million)
|
After the end of British rule, the white minority in Zimbabwe tried to create an independent country based on white supremacy. A civil war ensued, with the native peoples outraged by the disproportionate land rights and political power held by the whites. Due to the unrest, the white government was forced to sign an agreement with the guerrilla groups of African nationalists, agreeing to a new, more equal government and allowing the first election to be held in 1980.
Robert Mugabe won the election in a landslide and has maintained an iron grip over the country ever since. His rule has been characterised by the suppression and abuse of human rights, illegitimate elections, and banning anti-governmental political rallies. Under Mugabe’s presidency, the country has seen a massive increase in economic, political, and social issues, to the extent that Zimbabwe has been deemed a failed state by members of the international community. The recent election of Morgan Tsvangari as Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister offers a glimmer of hope for a desperate country.
