Zimbabwe is a country in Southern Africa. It is landlocked and is surrounded by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique to the east and north.
Although the country is landlocked, its great rivers are used for transport. The Zambezi forms the natural riverine boundary with Zambia and when in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water. The falls have been a major tourist attraction.
Once known as the Breadbasket of Africa, in recent times Zimbabwe has undergone a politically induced economic depression. Due to political activities, many commercial farms have been taken out of large-scale production and redistributed to small-scale farmers. Press freedoms have been curtailed and law and order has been compromised by armed gangs.
Regions
Cities
Other destinations
Understand
History
Stone cities were built in many locations in present-day Zimbabwe. The most impressive structures and the best known of these, Great Zimbabwe, were built in the 15th century, but people had been living on the site from about 400 AD.
British invaders under the British South Africa Company took control of and settled parts of Zimbabwe from around 1900, calling it Southern Rhodesia.
The United Kingdom annexed Southern Rhodesia from the British South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority. UN sanctions and a guerrilla struggle finally led to both free elections and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980.
Robert Mugabe was the first leader of Zimbabwe and still clings on to power 27 years later. He initially pursued a policy of reconciliation towards the white population, but severity towards regions which had supported a competing guerilla group (ZAPU). From 2000, Mugabe has instituted a policy of extensive land redistribution and of "national service" camps, which are suspected of political indoctrination. In recent years, the economy has shrunk 30%, inflation has shot up to over 2200%, informal homes and businesses have been destroyed, and there are shortages of food and fuel. Zimbabweans of all colours have been leaving the country in large numbers. The prospects of change seem remote at present.
Climate
Tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March). Although there are recurring droughts, floods and severe storms are rare.
Terrain
Mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east. Lowveld in south eastern corner.
Elevation extremes :
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Get in
By plane
Harare International Airport has a number of international flights, mainly to other African countries. When coming from Europe you can fly directly with Air Zimbabwe. However, a good option is to fly with South African Airways via Johannesburg. SAA operates to quite a few European airports and has many flights to South Africa and other African destinations. When coming from South Africa you can also use the no-frills airline Kulula.com . Klm offer flights from Amsterdam via Nairobi which continue on to Lusaka from Harare.
British Airways operates non stop flighs from London Heathrow to Harare on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
By car
Zimbabwe is accessible by road from the countries that surround it.
The N1 highway from South Africa will take you from Cape Town via Bloemfontein and Johannesburg/Pretoria right to Harare. Please note that this is a toll road, especially when coming closer to Zimbabwe. (You can reach the N1 from nearly anywhere in South Africa, as it goes straight through the country.) Gas stations are easy to spot in Zimbabwe due to the long lines waiting for gas, as fuel shortages are common. Most realiable gas that is available is the coupon system that is sold and particular gas stations. The N1 highway is only within South Africa and ends at Beitbridge Boarder post as you get into Zimbabwe.
By bus
Regular deluxe bus services operate from Johannesburg to Harare.
A number of buses also travel from Johannesburg to Bulawayo. The more adventourus tourists could travel by train from Bulawayo to the Victoria Falls. The train also passes through Hwange National Park, one of the biggest national park in Africa.
Get around
Between the cities buses are still running - but are bad even by African standards. The only exception is with buses from the RoadPort in Harare which run to Lusaka, Lilongwe (not Blantyre) and some other destinations.
Minibus taxis still run in the cities - and the Bulawayo - Vic Falls train is a good experience - although you will pass through the wreckage of the 2006 train crash that claimed quite a few lives.
Given the price of petrol nearly everyone traveling between cities picks up hitchhikers (for a fee) - as a tourist you'll get to the front of the queue every time.
Talk
The languages spoken are English (official), Shona, Sindebele/Ndebele, and numerous but minor tribal dialects.
Buy
Getting money is the biggest hassle of a visit to Zimbabwe. The official currency is the Zimbabwean dollar ($ or Z$). Zimbabwe is currently experiencing hyperinflation standing at over 4,500% as of June 2007, so the price of goods may increase dramatically over even the course of a single day. The official exchange rate, where US$1 buys Z$15,000 is also ridiculous: as of June 2007, the black market rate is around Z$300,000. Not all black marketeers will change Euro.
Changing money at the official rate makes Zimbabwe the most expensive country on earth for travellers: a loaf of bread might cost US$12. Hence, despite it being illegal, travellers will probably want to buy Zimbabwean dollars on the black market. However, it is very risky to change money on the street — it would make a Zimbabwean policeman very happy to catch a western tourist conducting 'economic sabotage' due to the huge bribe you'd have to pay to escape his clutches. You will have to use your wits to find someone reliable to change money. Your guesthouse / backpackers will be able to put you in touch with someone although you may find it difficult to get more than US$50 worth of Zim dollars at any one time. Most proper shops, hotels and tourist class guesthouses will NOT accept US dollars at the black market rate (the Central Bank does strict audits). Independent shops, market stalls etc will happily take foreign currency. In such cases, US dollars are your best bet; bring lots of small bills as no one will be able to give you change in forex.
You will find that many places charge non-Zimbabweans more for entry (national parks, Victoria falls, various museums) and you can only pay in foreign currency unless you show a Zim passport. One trick you may want to try is to change some money (US$50 maybe) at the official rate at a forex bureau, get the receipt, and show this receipt every time you visit a foreign currency only place, and then pay in your (black market) Zim dollars. The very enterprising may want to sell this receipt to a fellow traveller when leaving the country.
As for costs - non-imported things are very cheap (especially labour intensive things), however for a tourist drinking coke and eating pizza prices are not that much lower than in South Africa.
Haggling for a better price is common, but keep in mind that most people are very poor so don't try to abuse their desperation.
Eat
For a sample of what Zimbabweans eat (in some form, nearly every day), ask for "sadza and stew." The stew part will be familiar, served over a large portion of sadza - a thick ground corn paste (vaguely like polenta and the consistency of thick mashed potatoes) that locals eat at virtually every meal. It's inexpensive, quite tasty and VERY filling.
If you want to really impress your African hosts, eat it how they do: take a golfball-sized portion of the sadza in one hand and kneed it into a ball, then use your thumb to push a small indentation into it and use that to scoop up a bit of stew before popping it into your mouth.
For extra credit, clap your hands together twice gently when it (or anything else for that matter) is served to say "thank you." Trust me: they'll be very impressed!
Drink
A variety of domestic brews are made in Zimbabwe, mainly European-style lagers with a few milk stouts mixed in for good measure. If you're feeling very adventurous, you may want to try the unusual "beer" that most locals drink, a thick, milky beverage known as Chibuku - guaranteed to be unlike anything you've ever tasted outside of Africa. It is generally sold in a 2 litre plastic bottle called a 'skud' but is often decanted into a plastic bucket after a good shake. Beware, however: it's definitely an acquired taste!
Imported drinks and locally made franchises are available as well as local soft drinks. If you are offered Mazoe, this is the local orange squash (or other fruit flavour). Bottled water is also available. Tap water is of variable quality, depending on the area and source. In Bulawayo it is usually excellent. However this depends on whether there is water in the reservoirs, as there are sometimes water cuts in order to divert water to areas that are low.
Sleep
There are various hotels and motels in the town. If you are on a safari tour there are chalets and camping sites in most of the safaris areas. Several hotels have international partnerships, such a Meikles Hotel, Crown Monomotapa Hotel, Holiday Inn in Harare and Bulawayo.
You also have access to lodges in the towns.
Stay safe
Given the political and economic instability in the country, travellers to Zimbabwe should take care with their personal security and safety. However, on the whole the country remains very safe for foreign visitors (certainly more so than Johannesburg, for example) and you are likely to find it very welcoming and quite inexpensive. Simply exercise the same caution and sensitivity you would as a relatively well-heeled tourist travelling in any very poor country or in cities like New York, Rome or London. And don't forget to tip; times are tough for locals, and they depend on your generosity.
Recently, security forces including the army and the police have been striking or resigning in large numbers, as have medical professionals. You might not be able to rely on their presence to ensure your personal safety... or to keep order in general.
Stay healthy
In the current economic situation many medicines are in short supply, so you are strongly advised to take all medications with you. Private doctors, hospitals and pharmacies are of a good professional standard in the towns, although specialist medicine or surgery may require a visit to South Africa. Again, however, current circumstances may severely restrict medical supplies.
HIV/AIDS is very common in Zimbabwe. Obviously you should never have unprotected sex. If you form a serious relationship, consider both getting an HIV test before taking things further.
Malaria is prevalent, so unless you are going to stay entirely within Harare or Bulawayo, anti-malarials are advised. Drugs reduce the severity of the disease but don't prevent infection, so also consider precautions such as:
Bilharzia is present in some lakes. Ask locally before swimming.
Snakes are common in the bush, and most bites are on the foot or lower leg. If walking, particularly in long grass, wear proper boots and either long, loose trousers or thick, concertinaed hiking socks. Shake out boots and shoes in the morning, in case you have a guest. These precautions also reduce the chance of scorpion sting. If you do get bitten or stung, stay calm. Try to identify the exact culprit, but get to medical assistance as rapidly as you can without undue exertion. Many bites and stings are non-fatal even if not treated, but it is safer to seek treatment, which is very effective these days.
Respect
Clapping twice is an accepted "thank you", especially when someone is handing you something (food, a purchase). If one hand is full you can clap the free hand on your chest. As in Asia, taking items passed to you with both hands is polite.
When shaking hands or handing anything valuable to someone, it is polite to support the right forearm with the left hand (or vice versa), to signify the "weight" of the gift or honour. In practice this often means just touching the forearm, or even gesturing towards it.
Zimbabwe (IPA: zɪmˈbɑbwe), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, and formerly the Republic of Rhodesia, is a landlocked country in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It borders South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique to the east. The name Zimbabwe derives from "Zimba Remabwe" meaning "big house of stone" in the Shona language. Its use as the country's name is a tribute to Great Zimbabwe, site of the capital of the Munhumutapa Empire.
History
Precolonial era
There is wide-spread evidence of the presence of Stone Age hunters in Zimbabwe from about 5000 years ago or even earlier. These people were related to today's Khoisan people and were displaced by Bantu people. They painted scenes of life in hundreds of caves across Zimbabwe, the so-called Bushman paintings. Iron Age Bantu-speaking peoples began migrating into the area about 2,000 years ago, including the ancestors of the Shona, who account for roughly four-fifths of the country's population today. By the Middle Ages, there was a Bantu civilization in the region, as evidenced by ruins at Great Zimbabwe, a Shona-speaking state. Around the early 10th century, trade developed with Muslim merchants on the Indian Ocean coast, helping to develop Great Zimbabwe in the 11th century. The state traded gold, ivory, and copper for cloth and glass. It ceased to be the leading Shona state in the mid-15th century.
In 1836 the Shona were conquered in southern Zimbabwe by the Ndebele, who forced them to pay tribute and concentrate in northern Zimbabwe.
Wishart era
In 1888 British imperialist Cecil Rhodes extracted mining rights from King Lobengula of the Ndebele. He used this concession to persuade the British government to grant a royal charter to his British South Africa Company (BSAC) over Matabeleland and its subject states such as Mashonaland, and to negotiate similar concessions covering all territory between the Limpopo River and Lake Tanganyika, referred to as 'Zambesia'. Through such concessions and treaties, many of which were deceitful, he promoted the colonization of the region's land, labor, and precious metal and mineral resources. In 1895 the BSAC adopted the name 'Rhodesia' for Zambesia, after Cecil Rhodes, and in 1898 'Southern Rhodesia' was officially adopted for the part south of the Zambezi, which later became Zimbabwe, while the part to the north was administered separately by the BSAC and was later named Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia.
Natives staged unsuccessful revolts against the encroachment on their native lands in 1896 and 1897. Both the Ndebele and Shona became subject to the Rhodes administration. This was the beginning of a larger settlement of white settlers, that also led to the land distribution favouring whites and displacing both the Shona and Ndebele and other black people. The land issue in Zimbabwe remains a controversial issue to this day.
Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British colony in 1922. In 1953, in the face of African opposition, Britain joined the two parts of Rhodesia with Nyasaland (now Malawi) in the ill-fated Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland which was dominated by Southern Rhodesian settlers. Growing African nationalism and unrest particularly in Nyasaland forced Britain to dissolve it in 1963, and each of the three countries went their separate ways. In 1965, Ian Smith's regime declared Unilateral Independence from Britain and Southern Rhodesia dropped the designation 'Southern', becoming the Republic of Rhodesia in 1970.
Settler rule and civil war
The white-minority government led by Ian Smith declared Rhodesia's unilateral independence on November 11, 1965.
The British government requested United Nations economic sanctions against Rhodesia as negotiations with the Smith administration in 1966 and 1968 stalemated. The Smith administration declared itself a republic in 1970, recognized only by the apartheid government of South Africa.
Guerrilla fighting against the white minority intensified, and the Smith regime opened negotiations with the leaders of the Patriotic Fronts Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), led by Robert Mugabe, and the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), led by Joshua Nkomo. With his regime near the brink of collapse, in March 1978 Smith signed a desperate accord with three black leaders, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa, who offered safeguards for white civilians.
On 1 December 1979 delegations from the British and Rhodesian governments and the Patriotic Front met in London and signed the Lancaster House Agreement, ending the civil war.
Independence
Britain's Lord Soames was appointed governor to oversee the disarming of revolutionary guerrillas, the holding of elections, and the granting of independence to an uneasy coalition government with Joshua Nkomo, head of ZAPU. In the free elections of February 1980, Mugabe and his ZANU won a landslide victory. Mugabe has won re-election ever since.
During the first decade of independence Mugabe used the North Korean trained Fifth Brigade to silence any opposition from the Ndebele nation in an operation against dissidents referred to as Gukurahundi. Several thousand civilians, mostly Ndebele, were killed or disappeared and have not been accounted for to this date. Allegations of genocide and ethnic cleansing have resulted in calls for Mugabe's arrest and prosecution for crimes against humanity.
Land issues, which the liberation movement promised to solve, re-emerged as the vital issue for the ruling party beginning in 1999. Despite majority-rule, and the existence of a "willing buyer-willing seller" land reform programme since the 1980s, ZANU (PF) claimed that whites made up less than 1% of the population but held 70% of the country's commercially viable arable land (though these figures are disputed by many outside of the Government of Zimbabwe). Mugabe began to redistribute land to blacks in 2000 with a compulsory land redistribution; charges that the programme as a whole is designed to reward loyal deputies have persisted in Zimbabwe since the beginning of the process. Despite claims by both the opposition and the government that land reform of one kind or another must take place, the Mugabe lead process has been seen as a diversion away from an ill conceived war in the DRC and economic maladministration. The legality and constitutionality of the process has regularly been challenged in the Zimbabwean High and Supreme Courts, however the policing agencies have rarely acted in accordance with courts' rulings on these matters. The chaotic implementation of the land reform lead to a sharp decline in agricultural exports, traditionally the country's leading export producing sector. Mining and tourism have surpassed agriculture. As a result, Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a severe hard currency shortage, which has led to hyperinflation and chronic shortages in imported fuel and consumer goods. In 2002 Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations on charges of human rights abuses during the land redistribution and of election tampering.
Following elections in 2005, the government initiated "Operation Murambatsvina," a supposed effort to crack down on illegal markets and homes that had seen slums unfit for human habitation emerge in towns and cities. This action has been widely condemned by opposition and international figures, who charge that it has left a large section of the urban poor homeless. The Zimbabwe government has described the operation as an attempt to provide decent housing to the population although they have yet to deliver any new housing for the forcefully removed people.
Zimbabwe's current economic and food crisis, described by some observers as the country's worst humanitarian crisis since independence, has been attributed, in varying degrees, to a drought affecting the entire region, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the government's price controls and land reforms.
Life expectancy at birth for males in Zimbabwe has dramatically declined since 1990 from 60 to 37, the lowest in the world. Life expectancy for females is even lower at 34 years. Concurrently, the infant mortality rate has climbed from 53 to 81 deaths per 1,000 live births in the same period. 5.5 million Zimbabweans currently live with the HIV.
Politics
Zimbabwe has a parliamentary government. Under constitutional changes in 2005, an upper chamber, the Senate, was reinstated. The House of Assembly is the lower chamber of Parliament.
In 1987 Mugabe, then the Prime Minister, revised the constitution and made himself President. His ZANU party has won every election since independence on April 18, 1980. In some quarters corruption and rigging of elections have been alleged. In particular, the elections of 1990 were nationally and internationally condemned as being rigged, with the second-placed party, Edgar Tekere's Zimbabwe Unity Movement, winning only 20% of the vote. Presidential elections were last held in 2002 amid allegations of vote-rigging, intimidation and fraud. The next Presidential elections are to be held in 2008, although Mugabe is currently trying to amend the constitution in an attempt to stay in power until 2010.
The Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai is the largest opposition party. The MDC is currently split into two factions. One faction, led by Arthur Mutambara is contesting the elections to the Senate, while the other led by Morgan Tsvangirai is opposed to contesting the elections, stating that participation in a rigged election is tantamount to endorsing Mugabe's claim that past elections were free and fair. However, the opposition parties have resumed participation in national and local elections as recently as 2006. The two MDC camps had their congresses in 2005 with Morgan Tsvangirai being elected to lead the main splinter group which has become more popular than the other group. Mutambara, a Robotics Professor and former NASA robotics specialist has replaced Welshman Ncube who was the interim leader after the split. Morgan Tsvangirai did not participate in the Senate elections, while the Mutambara faction participated and won some seats in the senate. The Mutambara faction has however been weakened by defections from MPs and individuals who are disillusioned by their manifesto. As of 2007, the Tsvangirai-led MDC has become the most popular, with crowds as large as 20,000 attending their rallies as compared to between 500–5,000 for the other splinter group. There is wide disagreement in Zimbabwe and neighbouring states as to whether a divided MDC can win presidential elections against a disciplined ruling party. The opposition continues to be weak in rural areas, where a large number of the population of Zimbabwe resides.
The 2005 Zimbabwe parliamentary elections were held on March 31 and multiple claims of vote rigging, election fraud and intimidation were made by the MDC and Jonathan Moyo, calling for investigations into 32 of the 120 constituencies. Jonathan Moyo participated in the elections despite the allegations and won a seat as an independent member of Parliament.
Education
Zimbabwe has an adult literacy rate of approximately 90% (average of,.). For comparison, rates for other SADC countries in 2004 were: South Africa, 86%, Zambia, 79.9%, Swaziland, 80.9%, Namibia, 83.3%, Lesotho, 81.4%, Botswana, 78.9%, Tanzania, 77.1%, Malawi, 61.8%, Mozambique, 46.5%. Zimbabweans generally value and pursue academic achievement, for example, Robert Mugabe, the president, has four non-honorary degrees and the cabinet has several graduates at PhD level.
Universities
The highest professional board for accountants is the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Zimbabwe, (ICAZ) with direct relationships with similar bodies in South Africa, Canada, UK and Australia, meaning if you are a qualified Chartered Accountant from Zimbabwe, you are also a member of similar bodies in these countries after writing a conversion paper which is normally easier than the normal qualifying examination papers. In addition, Zimbabwean-trained Doctors only require one year of residence to be fully-licensed doctors in the USA
Media
The current Zimbabwean government suppresses freedom of the press and has repeatedly been accused of using the public broadcaster (ZBC) as a propaganda tool.
Newspapers critical of the government, such as the Daily News, were forced to close after bombs exploded at their offices and the government refused to renew their license.
The British Broadcasting Corporation and CNN have also been banned from filming or reporting from Zimbabwe..
Administrative divisions
Zimbabwe is divided into eight provinces and two cities with provincial status. The provinces are subdivided into 59 districts and 1,200 municipalities.
The provinces include:
Districts: see Districts of Zimbabwe
Municipalities: see Municipalities of Zimbabwe
Geography
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country, surrounded by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the west, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east and northeast. Inyangani is the highest mountain in Zimbabwe at 2,592 m (8,504 ft). The north-western border is defined by the Zambezi River. Victoria Falls is a popular tourist destination on the Zambezi. To the south, Zimbabwe is separated from South Africa by the Limpopo River. Zimbabwe also shares a border with Namibia to the west via a narrow land corridor.
Economy
The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems after having abandoned earlier efforts in developing a market-oriented economy. Current problems include a shortage of foreign exchange, soaring inflation, and supply shortages. Zimbabwe's involvement from 1998 to 2002 in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy.
Mineral exports, agriculture, and tourism are the main foreign currency earners of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is the biggest trading partner of South Africa south of the equator. Since land redistribution began, agricultural exports, especially tobacco, have declined sharply.
The downward spiral of the economy has been attributed mainly to mismanagement, corruption and Zimbabwe's inability to feed itself after evicting more than 4000 white farmers in the controversial land redistribution of 2000.
Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to an estimated high of 4,530% in May 2007, a state of hyperinflation. The IMF predicts a rate of 6,430% by the end of 2008.
In August 2006 a new revalued Zimbabwean dollar was introduced, equal to 1000 old Zimbabwean dollars. The exchange rate fell from 24 old Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar in 1998 to 250,000 old or 250 new Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar at the official rate, and an estimated 120,000,000 old or 120,000 revalued Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar on the parallel market, in June 2007.
Mugabe points to foreign governments and alleged "sabotage" as the cause of this, as well as the country's 80% formal unemployment rate. Critics of Mugabe's administration, however, immediately indicate the main cause of some of these issues stems from Mugabe's controversial program which sought to seize land from white commercial farmers.
Robert Mugabe has repeatedly blamed sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the EU and the USA for the state of the Zimbabwean economy. Governments that imposed the sanctions have however argued that the sanctions are only meant to target government officials and not ordinary citizens..
In a recent meeting of the Southern African Development Community, a call was issued for the sanctions to be removed..
Demographics and ethnicity
According to the United Nations World Health Organization, the life expectancy for men is 37 years and the life expectancy for women is 34 years of age, the lowest in the world in 2006. An association of doctors in Zimbabwe have made calls for President Mugabe to make moves to assist the ailing health service.
Zimbabwe has a very high HIV infection rate. In 2001, it was measured at its highest level ever of 33.7% for people aged 15–49.
On 3 October 2006 Zimbabwe launched the world's first official HIV/AIDS Toolkit, which forms the basis for a global AIDS prevention, treatment and support plan. The country was chosen to test it because of its excellence in initiating different strategies on home based care.
Language
English is the official language of Zimbabwe, though less than 2.5% consider it their native language, mainly the white and Coloured (mixed race) minorities. The rest of the population speak Shona (76%) and Ndebele (18%). Shona has a rich oral tradition, which was incorporated into the first Shona novel, Feso by Solomon Mutswairo, published in 1956. English is spoken primarily in the cities, but less so in rural areas. Radio and Television news is now broadcast in English, Ndebele, and Shona.
Ethnic groups (2005 est.)
Black ethnic groups total 98% of the population:
Other Zimbabwean ethnic groups:
Human rights
There have been widespread reports of various civil and political human rights abuses throughout Zimbabwe, in particular against opponents of the government. According to human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch the government of Zimbabwe violates the rights to shelter, food, freedom of movement and residence, freedom of assembly and the protection of the law. There are assaults on the media, the political opposition, civil society activists, and human rights defenders.
Culture
Football is the most popular sport in Zimbabwe, although rugby and cricket also have a following, traditionally among the white minority.
Zimbabwe celebrates its national holiday on April 18.
Arts
Traditional arts in Zimbabwe include pottery, basketry, textiles, jewelry, and carving. Among the distinctive qualities are symmetrically patterned woven baskets and stools carved out of a single piece of wood. Shona sculpture in essence has been a fusion of African folklore with European influences. Also, a recurring theme in Zimbabwean art is the metamorphosis of man into beast.
Zimbabwean musicians like Thomas Mapfumo,Oliver Mutukudzi and the Bhundu Boys have achieved international recognition.
Religion
There are various forms of spiritual practice in Zimbabwe. Forty to fifty percent of Zimbabweans attend Christian churches. Around ten percent are Roman Catholics, who have an Archbishop of Harare. However like most former European colonies, Christianity is often mixed with enduring traditional beliefs. Besides Christianity, Ancestral worship is the most practiced non-Christian religion which involves ancestor worship and spiritual intercession; the Mbira Dza Vadzimu, which means "Voice of the Ancestors", an instrument related to many lamellophones ubiquitous throughout Africa, is central to many ceremonial proceedings. Mwari simply means God the creator, musika vanhu. Around 1% of the population is Muslim.
Food
As many other Africans, a majority of Zimbabweans depend on staple foods. "Mealie meal" (cornmeal) is used to prepare bota, a porridge made by mixing the cornmeal with water to produce a thick paste. This is usually flavoured with peanut butter, milk, butter, or, sometimes, jam. Bota is usually eaten for breakfast. Cornmeal is also used to make sadza, which is usually eaten for dinner, and by many for lunch too. Sadza is prepared similarly to bota; however, after the paste has been cooking for several minutes, more cornmeal is added to thicken the paste until it is hard. This meal is usually served with greens, (spinach, collard greens), etc., beans, and meat that is stewed, grilled, or roasted. Sadza is also commonly eaten with curdled milk, commonly known as lacto (mukaka wakakora), or a small dried fish called kapenta (matemba). On special occasions, rice and chicken with cabbage salad are often served as the main meal.
Graduations, weddings, and any other family gatherings will usually be celebrated with the killing of a goat or cow, which will be braaied (an Afrikaaner form of barbecue) for the family.
Afrikaners' recipes are popular though they are a small group within the white minority group. Meat is especially important, though often expensive and now rare in Zimbabwe, for Afrikaners. Biltong, a type of jerky, is a popular snack, prepared by hanging bits of raw meat to dry in the sun. Boerewors (pronounced - "Boo-ruh-vorse") is served alongside sadza. It is a long sausage, often well-spiced, composed of various meats and barbecued.
See also
External links
Government
News
Protest movements
Directories
Tourism
Literature Refrances
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm
Other
