Zimbabwe General Information

Overview Influenced by news of political unrest in Zimbabwe, potential travellers believe that a visit to the country is not viable. The reality is quite different. Zimbabwe’s national parks are completely safe to visit as they are far from the cities where instability has occurred. is Victoria Falls is not near any farmland or trouble spots either. Ordinary Zimbabweans are desperate for a revival in the tourism industry to bring much needed foreign income into the country and create jobs. Zimbabwe has a generous sample of the Africa that many people hope to see - exotic scenery, interesting cultures and game parks full of animals. The Victoria Falls are the principal attraction. The mighty Zambezi spills dramatically into the Bakota Gorge where there are endless ways to experience the river. The energy and power of almost two kilometres of water crashing into the gorge 100 metres below is a spectacular sight. It is best appreciated from the spray drenched rainforest of the Victoria Falls National Park. White water rafting and riverboarding are the best ways to get wet and wild in the world-renowned grade five rapids, and every day people hurl themselves down the foamy river. Bungi jump 111 meters off the Victoria Falls railway bridge, ride a flying fox or abseil into the gorge. You could also take a scenic flight by helicopter, micro light or an impossibly small plane through the ‘smoke’ that still proudly thunders. Above the falls it is just as enticing, with an array of game and palm-dotted islands. Sunset cruises and canoeing on the upper Zambezi brings you amongst the hippos and crocodiles. You can take an elephant ride, walking safari or horse trail in the surrounding national parks and wilderness areas. You will not fail to get a hefty boost of adrenaline pumping through your veins after visiting this town, probably the biggest adrenaline capital outside Queenstown, New Zealand. Zimbabwe is also the location of the oldest stone structure south of the Sahara. Africa’s largest ancient stone monument after the pyramids is Great Zimbabwe, from which the nation takes its name. Situated in Masvingo, the Zim ruins, as they are familiarly called, are a World heritage site and are a testimony to the fact that this region has long been inhabited by ancient civilisations. It’s an unfathomable ruin nearly 1 000 years old and was once home to 10 000 ancestors of the Shona people. Formerly Salisbury, the capital Harare is Zimbabwe’s commercial and industrial centre and the location of the international airport, though flights from South Africa also arrive at Victoria Falls. There’s nothing much to keep you in Harare for long. Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second city, is home to some interesting museums and is close to Matopo National Park, which has one of the best-protected populations of black rhino in southern Africa. Piles of balancing granite rocks conceal ancient rock paintings and the grave of Cecil John Rhodes. More than 11% of Zimbabwe’s land has been set aside as parks and game reserves. Safari options are limitless and you are not confined to the back of a Land Rover. There are walking, horseback, canoeing and even elephantback safaris. Hwange National Park covers the eastern-most edge of the Kalahari and is Zimbabwe’s largest park. It is home to a staggering amount of elephants, which migrate to neighbouring Chobe National Park in Botswana. Experience another aspect of the Zambezi on Lake Kariba, where the Kariba dam has halted the course of the river and formed a lake with over 2 000 kilometres of isolated uncluttered shorelines, guarded by enormous numbers of game and best enjoyed from the sunny decks of a houseboat. Tiger fishing here is ranked as some of the best in the world, but beware snagging a croc by mistake! Trekking for lion in the Matusadona National Park completes an all-round safari experience. At Mana Pools, explore the river by tranquil multi-day canoe safaris and camp out in the bush. Currently, Zimbabwe is in a state of turmoil. Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980, and Robert Mugabe rose through the ranks to president. The 80s and 90s have seen troubled times with Mugabe chasing his ideal of a one-party-state at the cost of thousands of lives and economic collapse. The 2002 elections were rigged, and the intrigue and intimidation resulted in Zimbabwe’s exclusion from the commonwealth. The question of land redistribution remains a focal point. Meanwhile, the country is facing the prospect of famine due to an ongoing drought and infrastructure problems. But Zimbabwe’s political vulnerability does not affect the traveller, and ordinary people very much welcome travellers - and their tourist dollars - to their country.

What is Zimbabwe's History? Zimbabwe has been populated since the Stone Age. The ruins of Great Zimbabwe, dating back to the ancient African kingdom of Munhumatapa, testify to the advanced level of civilization that existed before the Europeans even got there. Zimbabwe has long been home to the Shona who today make up about 80% of the population. In the 1830s, the region was thrown into upheaval by the northward migration of Ndebele people from South Africa who enslaved the indigenous Shona people until the end of the century. The British arrived in 1888, headed by Cecil Rhodes who controlled the British South Africa Company. He had it in mind that all the land from the Cape to Cairo should belong to the British. While his great railroad through Africa failed, he did colonise this region as Rhodesia. Colonial activities were stronger here than in other African countries. British mission houses and schools forced their values upon the African people, and African customs - even music - were banned. The country's road to independence was long and rocky. It became Southern Rhodesia in 1923, and in 1953 it joined with Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and Nyasaland (now Malawi) to form the Central African Federation. A nationalist movement emerged to protest against the new federation. At the forefront was the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), mostly Ndebele, led by Joshua Nkomo. It was shortly joined by the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), mostly Shona, led by Ndabaningi Sithole. After the collapse of the federation in 1963, both ZAPU and ZANU were banned, and the majority of their leaders imprisoned. Relations between the white minority government led by Ian Smith and Britain soured over the government's treatment of black citizens. Under increasing pressure to change its ways, the white government, declared independence from Britain in 1965 and UN sanctions against Rhodesia followed in 1968. Both ZAPU and ZANU began campaigns of guerrilla warfare from their bases in Zambia and Mozambique. By 1972 it had become a fully-fledged civil war. The coming of independence in Angola and Mozambique in 1975 put more pressure on Smith to accept majority rule. He eventually conceded and released the imprisoned nationalist leaders. Talks led to an agreement known as the Internal Settlement. Finally, in 1979 under the Lancaster House agreement, its legal status as the British colony of Southern Rhodesia was restored in preparation for free elections and independence as Zimbabwe. Elections were held with 53 out of the 80 seats going to ZANU black leaders. Robert Mugabe became president, and the capital Salisbury was renamed Harare. Zimbabwe was the last African country to become independent in 1980 in a ceremony attended by Britain's Prince Charles and Bob Marley who wrote and performed a special song entitled ‘Zimbabwe’. However, the independent government has been far from successful. Almost immediately there was bitter rivalry between ZAPU and ZANU, and from 1982 to 1983, the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade, composed mostly of Shona, was sent by the government to Matabeleland where they massacred between 2 000 and 8 000 Ndebele civilians. No one has ever been prosecuted for these massacres, and commanders who perpetrated them are now at high levels of the Zimbabwe armed forces. Nkomo (ZAPU) left for exile in Britain, but returned in 1988 when talks led to the merger of the two rival parties as ZANU-PF. From the early 1990s, Mugabe has moved to increase his grip on power and eliminate any political opposition. He doesn’t think twice about throwing political opponents or journalists who criticize him into prison. He has constantly tried to change the constitution so it protects his position and insists that it is the British, who did not fulfil their independence promises, that are the root of all evil in Zimbabwe. His government has been riddled with economic mismanagement and growing corruption. Along with all this there is the forced and violent removal of white farmers in a brutal land redistribution programme, which led to the destruction of much of Zimbabwe's agricultural base. Over 100 000 farmers, farm workers and their families lost their homes and jobs. Mugabe has earned widespread scorn from the international community. It was only a matter of time before organised opposition re-emerged. At the beginning of 1999, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was formed, led by Morgan Tsvangirai, which pitted itself against ZANU-PF in the 2002 elections. Surprisingly, ZANU-PF won the controversial election. However, it was considered far from free and fair and it is alleged that violence and intimidation were used in anti-Mugabe strongholds to prevent citizens from voting. Morgan Tsvangirai, at the time of writing, is on trial for treason for an alleged and almost certainly fabricated plot to assassinate Mugabe. In 2002, as a result of its claimed human rights abuses and election rigging, Zimbabwe was temporarily suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations. Mugabe retaliated by withdrawing his country from the Commonwealth altogether. At 77, Mugabe has few years left and his demise is sure to be the catalyst for change in Zimbabwe. Predictably, the conflict has caused economic havoc: fuel shortages, rampant inflation, and an increase in crime, especially around Harare, the capital. But these incidents are not directed towards tourists: quite the contrary - the ordinary people of Zimbabwe are desperate for the tourism industry to reignite, to fuel the economy and create jobs.

What does Zimbabwe look like? Zimbabwe is a land-locked country in southern Africa, bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Mozambique to the northeast, South Africa to the south and Botswana to the southwest. With a total area of 390 310 sq km, the country falls into three geographical zones: the highveld, the lowveld and the Eastern Highlands. The central highveld region is dotted with small hills and kopjes (massive granite outcrops) and is the location of the two main cities, Harare and Bulawayo. The hills give rise to many rivers, which drain into the man-made Lake Kariba to the northwest, the marshes of Botswana to the west or into the Zambezi River to the northeast. The lowveld has the Limpopo valley in the south and the Zambezi valley in the north. Both are semi-arid bush where it gets extremely hot in summer. The Eastern Highlands border Mozambique and include the richly fertile Chimanimani and Inyanga mountain ranges, where the misty green hills are of great scenic beauty. Zimbabwe offers some of the best wildlife parks in southern Africa, notably Hwange, which is famous for its large amount of elephant, and Matopos, home to Cecil John Rhodes's grave and considerable numbers of rhino.

What is Zimbabwe's weather like? The hot dry season is from September to October, and the rainy season from November to March. The weather is at its best between April and May but the grass is also at its highest then, hampering game viewing in the parks, and the Victoria Falls are obscured by heavy spray. August to September is probably the best time to visit - before it gets too hot at Victoria Falls and in the Zambezi Valley. The falls themselves are at their lowest then, which is great for rafting but not good for views. Night-time temperatures can fall below freezing in June and July around Harare and most people are surprised at how cold some parts of Zimbabwe get. What do the people speak? Shona is the official language of Zimbabwe, along with Ndebele and English, and it’s spoken by more than 80% of Zimbabwe's population. Shona is also spoken by a substantial part of Mozambique, and some people speak it in Zambia and Botswana. Pronunciation is pretty much how it’s written down. Greetings are very important in Shona society. If you learn a couple, Zimbabweans will be most impressed. • Hi there - Kanjan • How are you – Mhoro • I’m fine - ndiripo • Greetings – Tikukwaziwai (said respectably to an older person) • Friend, mate, pal – Shamwari (used a lot) • Good morning – Mangwanani • Good afternoon – Masikati • Good night - Tonana mangwana (we’ll see each other tommorrow) • Go well (said by person staying) - Fambai zvakanaka • Stay well (said by person going) - Sarai zvakanaka • Thank you – Tatenda (there isn’t really a word for please)