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Zimbabwe

Africa · 16 million

About Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a sovereign country located in Africa, specifically within the Southern Africa subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Harare, and the country is home to approximately 17.1 million people. In its native languages, the country is known as “Zimbabwe”, “Zimbabwe”, “Zimbabwe”. Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Chewa, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language are recognised as official or widely-spoken languages, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Zimbabwe. The official currency in circulation is the Zimbabwean dollar ($), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Zimbabwe is widely recognised for medieval dry-stone ruins, Victoria Falls and Hwange's elephants. People from Zimbabwe are referred to as Zimbabwean.

Geography & climate

Zimbabwe covers approximately 390,757 km² of territory, making it a mid-sized country by land area. It shares land borders with 4 neighbouring countries — a position that has historically influenced migration patterns, regional politics, and cross-border commerce. Geographically, Zimbabwe sits in the Southern and Eastern Hemisphere, at roughly 20.0° S, 30.0° E. Standard civil time follows UTC+02:00 year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of Zimbabwe can be summarised as: southern african plateau with subtropical with dry winters. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.

People, language & society

With roughly 17.1 million inhabitants, Zimbabwe is a country of significant population size. Linguistic life is plural here: Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Chewa, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language are all in active use, with regional and minority tongues often adding further variety. Citizens are formally known in English as Zimbabwean, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the Zimbabwean dollar ($) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.

Quick facts at a glance

Practical travel & daily-life info

Visitors planning a trip to Zimbabwe should familiarise themselves with the capital, Harare, the local time zone (UTC+02:00), the local currency (Zimbabwean dollar). The international dialling prefix is +263, which is required when phoning a Zimbabwe number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the left side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .zw, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Monday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.

Government & global standing

Zimbabwe is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Zimbabwe is generally classified within the Africa region and more specifically the Southern Africa subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties.

Bordering countries

Zimbabwe shares land borders with 4 countries. Click any neighbour to read about it:

Did you know?

The medieval ruins of Great Zimbabwe — soaring dry-stone walls built without mortar around the 11th–15th centuries — gave the modern country its name, which means 'great houses of stone'.

Zimbabwe in the GlobeIQ atlas

Inside the GlobeIQ game, Zimbabwe appears as a moderately challenging puzzle, suited to players who already know the major continents. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Zimbabwe carries the personality tags “🪨 Great Zimbabwe” and “🐘 Hwange Elephants”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Zimbabwe to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.

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