Zimbabwe, located in south-central Africa, is a country
slightly smaller than California. The capital and largest city is Harare.
The government is a parliamentary democracy and is governed under the 1979 constitution. The President, who is elected by popular vote to a 6-year term, is chief of state and head of government.
The population consists mainly of the Bantu group of southern and central Africa.
English is the official language. The Mashona, who speak Shona, are the majority language group. The Matabele, who are Sindebele speakers, contribute to about 20 percent of the population, and live mainly in the south-western region.
About half of the population practice a religion that is an almost even mix of Christianity (25 percent) and indigenous beliefs (24 percent). The remaining population study Islam and other religions.
Agriculture drives Zimbabwe's economy, with corn as its chief food source. Its main cash crops are cotton and tobacco. Tea plantations are widespread. The country's farming industry, however, has suffered from recent changes in production.
The land is characterized by a high plateau with mountains in the east. Recurring droughts threaten the land. Floods and severe storms are rare in Zimbabwe.
The unit of currency is the Zimbabwean dollar.
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