Zimbabwe

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Map of Zimbabwe showing its national boundaries, major cities, and neighboring countries including Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Malawi. The capital city, Harare, is marked near the northeast, with other cities such as Bulawayo, Mutare, and Gweru labeled. An inset locator map in the top left corner shows Zimbabwe's position within southern Africa.

Devil's Cataract

Map of southern Africa highlighting Zimbabwe in tan, with its capital Harare marked by a star. Surrounding countries including Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Madagascar are labeled, along with the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Map of Zimbabwe highlighting its physical features, including major rivers such as the Zambezi, Lake Kariba, mountain ranges like the Eastern Highlands, and landmarks such as Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, and Great Zimbabwe National Monument. Neighboring countries-Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia-are shown, with a small locator map in the upper left corner indicating Zimbabwe's position in southern Africa.

Map of the Zambezi River basin in southern Africa, showing the river's course, major tributaries, dams, waterfalls, and rapids. The map highlights physical features such as elevation, major cities, and country boundaries, with a locator inset indicating the basin's position on the African continent. Areas subject to flooding and key bridges are also marked.

Map showing the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park spanning the borders of Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The core area of the park is outlined in red and includes Kruger National Park in South Africa, Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe. Additional national parks and monuments in the region are also marked, with a locator map of Africa in the bottom right corner for geographic context.

Zimbabwe: Ethnic composition

Zimbabwe: Religious affiliation

At a Glance

default image

Zimbabwe summary

Zimbabwe: Media

country, Africa

Videos

The word Zimbabwe appears in white text over a blue background.

How to pronounce Zimbabwe

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Visit a rural village in Zimbabwe to learn about its subsistence farming methods and threat of disease

Visit a rural village in Zimbabwe to learn about its subsistence farming methods and threat of disease

Rural village life in Zimbabwe

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Images

Zimbabwe

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Zimbabwe showing its national boundaries, major cities, and neighboring countries including Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Malawi. The capital city, Harare, is marked near the northeast, with other cities such as Bulawayo, Mutare, and Gweru labeled. An inset locator map in the top left corner shows Zimbabwe's position within southern Africa.

Zimbabwe

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Devil's Cataract

Devil's Cataract

Devil's Cataract, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

Jeremy Woodhouse/Getty Images

Map of southern Africa highlighting Zimbabwe in tan, with its capital Harare marked by a star. Surrounding countries including Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Madagascar are labeled, along with the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Zimbabwe

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Zimbabwe highlighting its physical features, including major rivers such as the Zambezi, Lake Kariba, mountain ranges like the Eastern Highlands, and landmarks such as Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, and Great Zimbabwe National Monument. Neighboring countries-Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia-are shown, with a small locator map in the upper left corner indicating Zimbabwe's position in southern Africa.

Zimbabwe

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Matopo Hills

Matopo Hills

Ancient granite formations mark the landscape of the Matopo Hills of southwestern...

Gerald Cubitt

Map of the Zambezi River basin in southern Africa, showing the river's course, major tributaries, dams, waterfalls, and rapids. The map highlights physical features such as elevation, major cities, and country boundaries, with a locator inset indicating the basin's position on the African continent. Areas subject to flooding and key bridges are also marked.

Zambezi River

The Zambezi River basin and its drainage network.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map showing the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park spanning the borders of Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The core area of the park is outlined in red and includes Kruger National Park in South Africa, Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe. Additional national parks and monuments in the region are also marked, with a locator map of Africa in the bottom right corner for geographic context.

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The curved concrete wall of the Kariba Dam spans a wide river, with water held on one side and rocky, green hills surrounding the structure between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Kariba Dam

Kariba Dam, an arch dam on the Zambezi River at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

© Portcent/Dreamstime.com

Great Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe

Aerial view of the ruins of Great Zimbabwe.

ZEFA

Map of Southern Africa highlighting the principal peoples present from the 17th to mid-19th century, with names of groups such as San, Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana, Herero, and others labeled across the region. Major rivers, lakes, plateaus, and select towns are shown, along with some physical features and archaeological sites. Modern political boundaries are outlined for reference.

Principal peoples of Southern Africa, 17th to mid-19th century

Map showing the approximate locations of the principal peoples of Southern Africa...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of colonial southern Africa from 1884 to 1905, using color codes to show territories controlled by Britain, Portugal, and Germany at different times. The map highlights British-controlled areas in orange, Portuguese-controlled areas in purple, German-controlled areas in green, and disputed regions in red, with boundaries and key colonial regions labeled. Major features include German South West Africa, German East Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Colony, and the Orange Free State.

Colonial Southern Africa, 1884–1905

European penetration into Southern Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Antique map from 1902 showing central Africa with colonial territories labeled as Kamerun, French Kongo, Kongo Free State, Portuguese West Africa, British East Africa, German East Africa, East Africa, and Rhodesia. The map details rivers, cities, and borders of the era, with an inset map of Madagascar in the lower right corner.

Central Africa, c. 1902

Map of Central Africa from the 10th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica,...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Rhodesian leader Ian Smith

Rhodesian leader Ian Smith

Marion Kaplan

Joshua Nkomo

Joshua Nkomo

Joshua Nkomo, 1979.

© Fred Mott—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Morgan Richard Tsvangirai in a suit and tie, looking to the side with his hand near his chin, against a blue background with partial event text visible.

Morgan Tsvangirai

Morgan Tsvangirai.

© Johannes Simon/Getty Images

President Robert Mugabe wearing a patterned green suit and cap speaks passionately at a podium with multiple microphones during a ZANU PF rally in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Robert Mugabe

Pres. Robert Mugabe speaking at a campaign rally, 2013.

© Simphiwe Nkwali—Sunday Times/Gallo Images/Getty Images

Emmerson Mnangagwa, president of Zimbabwe, wearing a suit and a scarf with Zimbabwean flag colors, speaks at the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow.

Emmerson Mnangagwa

Zimbabwean Pres. Emmerson Mnangagwa speaking at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference...

© Adrian Dennis—POOL/AFP/Getty Images

Nelson Chamisa speaks at a press conference, standing at a podium with microphones, in front of a large yellow campaign poster featuring his portrait in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Nelson Chamisa

Nelson Chamisa, the leader of Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Citizens Coalition...

© Mkhululi Thobela—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

A single acacia tree with a wide, flat canopy stands in golden grass on the savanna in Zimbabwe, Africa, with shrubs and trees in the background.

Acacia tree

An iconic acacia tree (Acacia species) on a savanna in Zimbabwe.

© EcoView/stock.adobe.com

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Interactives

Zimbabwe: Ethnic composition

Zimbabwe: Ethnic composition

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Zimbabwe: Religious affiliation

Zimbabwe: Religious affiliation

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Zimbabwe: Age breakdown

Zimbabwe: Age breakdown

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Zimbabwe: Urban-rural

Zimbabwe: Urban-rural

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Learn about the colonization of Africa, the process of decolonization that led to...

© Encyclopaedia Britannica

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