ZIMBABWE

Information at a Glance

People

Population: 10,778,000 million
Population Growth rate: Text
Ethnic groups: 98% Bantu
Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

AIDS is an major factor affecting population estimates for Zimbabwe.

Economy

Currency: Zimbabwe dollar
GDP per capita: $2,196
Main Industries: mining and agriculture
Main exports: tobacco, gold, metal alloys, cotton

Health

Life expectancy: 49 years
Infant mortality:62.25 deaths/1,000
Average calories consumed: 92% of calories needed
Safe water: 77% of population has access

Self-reliance

Imports oil but some local processing of food, paper, sugar.

Literacy

Literacy rate: 85%.
Languages: English is the official language. Most people speak their own Bantu languages.

Income Distribution

Improving; minimum wage legislation helps the employed.

Environment

Regions: high plateau with mountains in the eastern area
Problems: deforestation; damage to soil erosion; air and water pollution

Politics

OSocialist¹ but pragmatic one-party state.

Freedom & human rights

The government does not like being criticised but there is no real repression of the governments critics.

Position of women: one-third of the work force are women.