Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked nation located in Southeast Africa.

It sits between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers.

The country shares borders with Zambia to the north and Mozambique to the east. To the south lies South Africa. Botswana is located to the southwest.

Harare serves as the capital and the largest city. Bulawayo is the second largest urban center. As of 2025 estimates, the population is roughly 16.9 million people. The Shona people are the largest ethnic group, making up 80% of the population. The Northern Ndebele and various smaller minorities also live there. Zimbabwe recognizes 16 official languages. English, Shona, and Ndebele are the most common languages used in the country.

The name "Zimbabwe" is deeply connected to the country's history and architecture.

It stems from a Shona term for Great Zimbabwe, a medieval city in the southeast near Masvingo. There are two main theories regarding the word's origin. Many sources suggest it comes from the Karanga dialect term "dzimba-dza-mabwe." This translates to "houses of stones." Another theory involves the Zezuru dialect. Archaeologist Peter Garlake suggests it is a contracted form of "dzimba-hwe." This means "venerated houses," which refers to the homes of chiefs or graves. The name was first used as a national reference in 1960 by Michael Mawema. He proposed it as an alternative to "Rhodesia," which nationalists found inappropriate due to its colonial roots.

Human history in this region spans hundreds of thousands of years.

Archaeological records show archaic human settlement dating back at least 500,000 years. The San people were among the earliest known inhabitants. They left behind cave paintings and arrowheads. Around 2,000 years ago, Bantu-speaking farmers arrived during the Bantu expansion. By the 9th century, proto-Shona societies emerged in the middle Limpopo River valley. These groups eventually moved into the Zimbabwean highlands. The Zimbabwean plateau became the heart of Shona states starting around the 10th century. By 1300, the Kingdom of Zimbabwe had eclipsed the earlier Kingdom of Mapungubwe.

These early kingdoms were powerful trading states. They used unique dry stone architecture to build their cities.

These states traded valuable resources like gold, ivory, and copper. In exchange, they received goods such as glass and cloth. From 1450 to 1760, the Mutapa Empire ruled much of the area. This empire was also known as the Mutapa, Mwene Mutapa, or Monomotapa empire. It maintained strategic trade routes with the Portuguese and Arab merchants. However, Portuguese attempts to monopolize this trade led to wars. These conflicts caused the empire to collapse in the early 17th century. In response, the Rozwi Empire emerged and eventually expelled the Portuguese in 1683.

The colonial era began with the arrival of European colonists in the 1880s.

Cecil Rhodes and his British South Africa Company sought control of the region. Rhodes obtained mining concessions from King Lobengula of the Ndebele. In 1890, the company sent the Pioneer Column to establish Fort Salisbury. This location is now known as Harare. The company used Maxim guns to defeat the Ndebele in the First Matabele War. In 1895, the territory was named "Rhodesia" after Rhodes. It later became the self-governing British colony of Southern Rhodesia in 1923. This period saw the displacement of indigenous peoples to favor European settlement.

Zimbabwe achieved sovereignty through a long and difficult struggle. The white minority government declared independence as Rhodesia in 1965. This led to international isolation and a 15-year guerrilla war.

Black rebel forces fought against the minority rule. This conflict ended with a peace agreement in April 1980. At that time, the nation officially became Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe and his ZANU–PF party won the first general election. Mugabe served as Prime Minister and later as President from 1987 to 2017. His administration was characterized by an authoritarian regime. The state security apparatus was responsible for widespread human rights violations. These actions received significant condemnation from the rest of the world.

Economic shifts have shaped the modern nation. Between 1997 and 2008, the economy suffered a consistent decline. This period was marked by hyperinflation, where prices rose extremely quickly.

Since then, the economy has experienced rapid growth. This recovery occurred after the government permitted the use of currencies other than the Zimbabwean dollar. In 2017, following a year of protests and economic decline, a coup d'état occurred. This led to the resignation of Robert Mugabe. Emmerson Mnangagwa has served as the president since that time. Today, Zimbabwe remains a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It also participates in the Southern African Development Community.