Part 916

Elevation extremes: 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: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 23% other: 57% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,930 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

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

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geography - note: landlocked

@Zimbabwe:People

Population: 11,423,175 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 2,507,219; female 2,471,357) 15-64 years: 54% (male 3,020,632; female 3,106,729) 65 years and over : 3% (male 154,231; female 163,007) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.26% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 31.65 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 19.02 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population 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 : 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 72.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.84 years male: 40.85 years female : 40.83 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.94 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%

Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write in English total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80% (1995 est.)

@Zimbabwe:Government

Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia

Data code: ZI

Government type: parliamentary democracy