Part 837

Description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle edged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle

Geography ---------

Location: Southern Africa, northeast of Botswana

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 390,580 sq km land area: 386,670 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia is in disagreement

Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east lowest point: junction of the Lundi and Savi rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: NEGL (coffee) meadows and pastures: 13% forest and woodland: 49% other: 31%

Irrigated land: 2,250 sq km (1993 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 11,271,314 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 2,513,606; female 2,481,478) 15-64 years: 53% (male 2,935,188; female 3,030,270) 65 years and over: 3% (male 152,244; female 158,528) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.41% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 32.34 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 18.2 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 72.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.85 years male: 41.91 years female: 41.78 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.09 children born/woman (1996 est.)