Zimbabwe is a landlocked country.Zimbabwe is situated between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The capital of Zimbabwe is Harare.The area of Zimbabwe is 150,872 sq mi (390,757 sq km). The largest city is the capital city of Zimbabwe, Harare. Its currency is the US dollar. Namibia, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, and Mozambique are the other countries surrounding its borders. Zimbabwe has the world’s largest iron ore and chromium ore deposits.Fun Facts About ZimbabweZimbabwe has a vast variety of languages spoken.The Republic of Zimbabwe has recognized 16 official languages. They are English, Kalanga, Chewa, Chibarwe, Tonga, Tswana, IsiXhosa, SeSotho, sign language (Zimbabwe sign language), IsiNdebele, Shangani, Ndau, Shona, Khoisan, TshiVenda, and Nambya.In 300 AD, Iron Age farmers were the first people that settled here. They were Bantu-speaking people. Zimbabwe is one of the last Commonwealth countries in the world to gain independence. It gained its independence from the United Kingdom on April 18, 1980. They celebrate their National Day on April 18 to mark their independence. Zimbabwe’s flag has a symbolic meaning representing the country’s origin. There was a democratic change in the government of Zimbabwe after the general elections in 1980. Education is one of the basic human rights written in the Zimbabwe Constitution. Robert Mugabe was the first Prime Minister. Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe are the largest waterfall in the world.The traditional paintings of Zimbabwe are very famous. The paintings are passed down from generations. Particularly in the Matabele tribe, the paintings hold a lot of importance. Women are usually in charge of the artwork and painting. Mothers teach their daughters how to paint, and the walls inside the home are covered in their artistry. It is said that if the house has many rock paintings, then the matriarch of the house is a successful wife and mother. Beaded ceremonial dresses are worn by women on special occasions and festivals. The men of the house rarely wear beaded dresses. The translucent small beads are sewn together, to form a patterned dress. Traditional beads were so small that a needle couldn’t pass through them. They had to sew the beads using sinew. In modern times, larger beads are used, and the dresses are made using needle and thread. The traditional process now seems very taxing and there are fewer buyers of the beaded dresses. The women of Matabele are especially skilled in making beaded dresses. Copper and brass rings called idzila were worn by a wife in the Matabele region. These rings would be worn around legs, neck, and arms. It was worn to show her faithfulness to her husband. Rings were also a sign of wealth that the man is providing his wife. Neck hoops made of grass were worn on ceremonious occasions. Unmarried women, or women of less social status, wore them. They were called isigolwani.There are many things to do in Zimbabwe. National Park trips in Chobe, Zambezi river cruises, helicopter rides over the Falls and the Boma dinner experience are some of the activities one can enjoy when they visit Zimbabwe.Facts About Zimbabwe’s TraditionsZimbabwe is a land of many traditions. As there are also many languages in this region of Southern Africa.There was massive inflation in the Zimbabwe economy in 2008 after its independence from Zimbabwe Rhodesia. As a result of this, Zimbabwe had to forgo its currency. They had to use other countries’ currencies. They are currently using the US dollar as their national currency. They are also using others currently, the Botswanan Pula and the South African Rand. They started on April 12, 2009.Gold mining is an important occupation for the people. Every household has a totem that is unique to them. It represents their ancestry; it was reported to have the earliest totems in the world. Mito is totems that are used by Mashona for each family to recognize their ancestry. The great Zimbabwe had many dynasties and there were many civilizations that ruled Zimbabwe, so, mi topo are the representation of their ancestry. The totems are a representation of social identity for clans. They are usually in the shape of animals. Mbizi meaning zebra, Shumbu meaning lion, Mhofu meaning beast, and Soku meaning monkey are some of the examples of animal totems. In the Mashona society, there are 60 principal names, called Zvidawo, and 25 identifiable totems. A particular praise name and a unique totem name are assigned to every family. People can have the same totem, but different clan names. Clan names are s combination of totem names and praise names, for example, Soko Murehwa or Soko Mukanya. For traditional ceremonies like the burial of the dead, totem identity plays an important role. People of different tribes are considered to be related if they have the same totem, because that means they are the descendants of the same ancestor. So, if someone dies, their burial is to be performed with a member having the same totem, even if coming from a different tribe. Same tribe people, with different totems, cannot perform the burial. There is a fine if they perform the burial.Constructed with a wooden board and staggered with metal keys, mbira is a traditional musical instrument. Mbira is mostly used in ceremonies of the Mashona tribe. During all-night traditional ceremonies, mbira is used to contact deceased souls of ancestors. These ancestors are meant to guide souls and save them from disasters. So, this musical instrument is also of religious importance to the Zimbabwe people. Makombwe is the highest spiritual guardian spirit of Mashona which are considered to be the most powerful; the next order is Mhondoro, the tribe’s deceased Chief spirit and lastly, the Vadzimu are the family ancestors’ spirits. During floods and droughts, the mbira is used by the traditional people to predict the weather. In death ceremonies and wedding ceremonies, it is used by the people. It is used to cure people of many ailments and sicknesses. Harmful spirits are known to be removed by using mbira in ceremonies. Electing a Chief in the tribe is also done using the mbira.While mbira is known to be sacred and used only during religious and important spiritual occasions, the drum is an important instrument in Zimbabwean culture. Drums are used for entertainment and cultural practices, apart from religious purposes. When mbira is played, rattles are used to accompany it. Hosho is also used with mbira. Hosho is made from plastic and wood, but the traditional hosho is made with dried gourds. These dried gourds have seeds within them. Magavhu are leg rattles worn by dancers. A type of xylophone called marimba is also used as a musical instrument. The tourists who come to Zimbabwe to experience Victoria Falls, use djembe drums for entertainment purposes. As it is seen and read in movies and books, Zimbabwe drums showcase the deepest sounds of South Central Africa. in the colonial area, when the people of Zimbabwe were forced to abandon their ancestral homes, music provided them with solace and kept them connected with their religion and values.Facts About Zimbabwe’s ClimateZimbabwe is situated in latitudes between 15 and 23 degrees in the south, and 25 and 34 degrees east longitude in South Central Africa. It is a landlocked country with a high plateau bordered by four different countries. These countries surrounding Zimbabwe form a four-nation quadripoint. The whole country is at a high level, consisting of a central plateau. The plateaus stretch from the southwest to the northern part of the country. The eastern part of Zimbabwe is very mountainous. These mountainous regions are called eastern highlands. At 2592 m Mount Nyangani is the highest point in the eastern highlands. There are many tourist destinations in the Highlands. Troutbeck, Vumba, Chimanimani, Nyanga and Chirinda forest at Mount Selinda. Victoria Falls, which is a part of the Zambezi river, is in the extreme northwest side of the country. Victoria Falls is the most spectacular and the world’s biggest waterfall!The country of Zimbabwe has a subtropical climate. The eastern highlands have the coolest temperature in the country and receive the highest rainfall. The southern areas of Zimbabwe are very hot. The central parts are also reported to receive frost in the winter. From May to October, there is a dry season and from November to March, there is a rainy season in which there is extreme rainfall. The average temperature of the country varies between 47-87 F. The countries have wet summers. One of the hottest regions in Zimbabwe is Matabele North. The highest temperature reaches 31 degrees centigrade. The two major rivers which are the primary sources of water in the country are the Limpopo river in the south and Zambezi river in the north. There was abundant wildlife in Zimbabwe. But, due to excessive poaching and deforestation, the wildlife is becoming extinct. Due to the unfair deforestation, the quality of soil has diminished, and erosion took place in many fertile soils.Facts About Zimbabwe’s PopulationThe Shona tribe contributes to 70% of the population in the Zimbabwe government. There has been an increase in population due to lower death rates from HIV/AIDS. In the 20th century, the population has risen up to 3%. The majority of the population is of African origin. A majority 99.6% of the population is Black; the remaining 0.4% are Europeans who settled in the Republic of Zimbabwe in colonial periods, though many of them left after independence in 1980. About 30,000 of the white population still lives in the Republic of Zimbabwe. At an annual rate of 4.3%, the Black majority has grown since 1980. Around 80% of the Black population is of the Shona tribe and 16% of the Ndebele tribe. About 2% of the population are indigenous people. There have been reports of nonindigenous people from different African countries such as Mozambique, Zambia, and Malawi. These people came here as migrant workers. The white population mainly comprises the British people who remained after independence due to having their land here. There is also a lesser-known Asian population. it comprises Indian people. the average life expectancy has increased rapidly over the course of years. The average life expectancy was 37 for men and 34 years for women in the year 2006. According to the United Nations world health organization, it was the lowest life expectancy in 2006. The president was told to rake stringent measures in the health department, after which the life expectancy increased in 2015. It was 53 years for men, and 54 years for women. The name is derived from the fortified trading hub of gold Great Zimbabwe. It was built by the Shona tribe in the medieval ages. Hence Shona tribe is the leading tribe here.Zimbabwe government had one of the oldest serving Prime Ministers. Robert Mugabe acquired the office on 22 December 1987 in the new constitution. He was in the office till the year 2017. Robert Mugabe resigned on 21st November 2017. Before that, President Mugabe also served as a Prime Minister for 7 years. From 1980 to 1987, President Mugabe served as a Prime Minister in the Zimbabwe government. The country had experienced one of the highest inflation in modern times. There was a 231 million % inflation in the Zimbabwean economy. What cost one dollar in the US, required a wheelbarrow load of money to buy in Zimbabwean dollars.
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country.
