Information About Zimbabwe

History of Zimbabwe

In 1923, the southern Rhodesia was conquered by the United Kingdom and taken over from the former company of the British South Africa. The constitution which was drafted in 1961 allowed the whites to rule over the Zimbabwe until the state self-confessed its independence in 1965 although the United Kingdom demanded more voting rights since it did not recognize the independence act. The first free elections were held in 1979 where the guerrilla uprising and the united nation sanctions pushed for the Zimbabwean independence in 1980. The first prime minister of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe has dominated the presidential position since 1987 although the 2002 election were rigged by his representatives so that he could remain in power. In 2005, the prices of the basic commodities in the markets were controlled by the state and this led to the closure of many businesses. Use of violence and unfair election has affected the state and led to the power sharing within the government with Mugabe as the president and the Tsvangirai as the prime minister although some issues concerning the sharing have never been settled.

Geography of Zimbabwe

The landlocked country of Zimbabwe lies between the two rivers of Zambezi and Limpopo in the southern regions of the African continent between the two states of South Africa and Zambia. The total area covered by the country is 390,757 square kilometers where 386,847 square kilometers are dry land while the rest of the land is covered by water. Since the country is landlocked, it doesn't have a coastline, with the eastern regions dominated by mountains. The south western and north western regions of the country lie within the central plateau and are the most elevated regions within the state.

Climate of Zimbabwe

The large variations between the latitude on which Zimbabwe is located are responsible for the climate modification, although the tropical climate is experienced in almost all the parts of the country. The rainy seasons usually occur from the months of October to March and natural hazards such as drought and storms influence many regions within Zimbabwe.

Natural Resources in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is enriched with abundant mineral deposits such as the gold, coal, iron ores and platinum group metals. Some minor mineral deposits of economic value such as copper, nickel, chromium and lithium are also found within the country. The country is dominated by large arable lands which are used for agriculture, wildlife conservation and the forested areas provide the timber and fuel for the people of Zimbabwe.

Tourist Attraction in Zimbabwe

Scenery, wildlife and the conducive climatic condition of Zimbabwe creates the desire for many people all over the world who finds themselves in the country for leisure and adventure. The major wonders of world are experienced at the Victoria falls within the Zambezi river in Zimbabwe where base jumping and water rafting are conducted; lake Kariba which is the largest man-made lake and reservoir in the world with the wonderful scene of the sunset and diverse species of wildlife; the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe with the Nyanga and Vumba mountain ranges with cooler climate and the Hwange national park which is one of the largest animal reserves in the world with luxurious hotels located within it, are some of the magnetic landmarks within Zimbabwe attracting large numbers of tourists every year. Mana pools national park crowded during the summers, the Matoba national park with rocks and granite covering over 80 kilometers and the geomorphologic balancing rocks in Zimbabwe are also great areas to pay a visit. The major cities found within Zimbabwe are:

• Harare
• Bulawayo
• Chitungwiza
• Mutare
• Gweru
• Epworth

Famous Hotels in Zimbabwe

The famous hotels of Zimbabwe are

• The Victoria falls hotel
• Victoria falls safari club
• The kingdom at Victoria falls
• The Stanley and Livingstone
• Crestar spray view hotel
• Elephant hills resort

Zimbabwe Culture and Cuisine

Pottery, jewellery and curving are the major traditional arts in Zimbabwe with many theatrical companies carrying out different presentations in the theaters within the urban regions. Bantu languages are the most spoken languages although a small number involving the whites and the mixed races use the English as the official language. The cornmeal used to prepare the bota and porridge and flavored with peanut or milk butter is the staple food consumed in Zimbabwe. Sadza, made from the cornmeal are used for dinner while the bota is mostly taken for the breakfast. The meals are stewed with either meat or beans and served together with vegetables such as spinach and collard greens.

International Airports in Zimbabwe

• Joshua Nkomo international airport
• Harare international airport
• Victoria falls airport
• Hwange national park airport
• Charles Prince airport
• Mutare airport