Zimbabwe

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About Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe (zɪmˈbɑːbweɪ), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, and formerly Southern Rhodesia, the Republic of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe Rhodesia, is a landlocked country in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It borders South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique to the east. The official language of Zimbabwe is English, however the majority of the population speaks Shona which is the native language of the Shona people, it is one of the native languages of Zimbabwe along with Sindebele which is spoken by the Matabele people.

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From circa 1250–1629, the area that is known as Zimbabwe today was ruled under the Mutapa Empire, also known as Mwene Mutapa, Monomotapa or the Empire of Great Zimbabwe, which was renowned for its gold trade routes with Arabs. However, Portuguese settlers destroyed the trade and began a series of wars which left the empire near collapse in the early 17th century. In 1834, the Matabele people arrived while fleeing from the Zulu leader Shaka, making the area their new empire, Matabeleland. In the 1880s, the British arrived with Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company. In 1898, the name Southern Rhodesia was adopted.

As colonial rule was ending throughout the continent, and as African-majority governments assumed control in neighbouring Northern Rhodesia and in Nyasaland, the white-minority Rhodesia government led by Ian Smith declared unilateral independence on November 11, 1965. The United Kingdom deemed this an act of rebellion, but did not re-establish control by force. The white-minority regime declared itself a "republic" in 1970. It was not recognised by the UK or any other state, other than white minority-led South Africa.

A civil war ensued, led by Robert Mugabe and assisted by African National Congress forces from South Africa.

On 18 April 1980, the country attained independence and along with it a new name, Zimbabwe, new flag, and government led by Robert Mugabe of ZANU. Canaan Banana served as the first president with Mugabe as Prime Minister. In 1987, the government amended the Constitution to provide for an Executive President and abolished the office of Prime Minister. The constitutional changes went into effect on 1 January 1988, establishing Robert Mugabe as President.

Under the leadership of Mugabe, land issues, which the liberation movement promised to solve, reemerged as the vital issue in the 1990s. Despite majority-rule, whites made up less than one percent of the population but held 70% of the country's commercially viable arable land because of the colour line arising from British colonialism. Beginning in 2000, Mugabe began an effort to redistribute land from white holders (predominantly large farms) to black people.

Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a hard currency shortage, which has led to hyperinflation and chronic shortages in imported fuel and consumer goods. Mugabe's critics blame his programme of land reform. Zimbabwe's current economic and food crisis, described by some observers as the country's worst humanitarian crisis since independence, has been attributed, in varying degrees, to a drought affecting the entire region, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the government's price controls and land reforms.

  1. Mentioned In 10 Articles

  2. Saudi asked to ensure no Israeli jet is shot down

    Explore Article Zimbabwe Star (Jun 12 2010)

    Saudi asked to ensure no Israeli jet is shot down ...n Christen ,Indian Muslims !? living in INDIA ... Saudi asked to ensure no Israeli jet is shot down Zimbabwe Star Sunday 13th June, 2010 A report in the Times on the weekend said that Saudi Arabia had agreed ... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   Gujarat   London Times   Teheran

  3. Tyrants Shouldn't Dictate Human Rights Policy

    Explore Article huffingtonpost.com (Apr 9 2010) Human Rights

    ...anda. Missing from the Council's resolutions are the cruel dictatorships in Vietnam, Belarus, Zimbabwe, and Eritrea, and the brutality of Iran's government against its own people. Undoubtedly there are ... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   U.N. Human Rights Council   Burma   Bahrain

  4. Revered Muslim leader condemns terrorists

    Explore Article Zimbabwe Star (Mar 2 2010)

    ...traveling in Asia, I was honored enough to meet many. ... Revered Muslim leader condemns terrorists Zimbabwe Star Tuesday 2nd March, 2010 A Muslim leader in the UK has announced a special religious ruling,... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   Westminster   Zimbabwe   London

  5. Fiji suspended from Commonwealth

    Explore Article BBC NEWS (Sep 2 2009)

    Fiji suspended from Commonwealth ...nwealth after democratic rule was restored. Pakistan was twice suspended from council meetings, and Zimbabwe was on course to be suspended when President Robert Mugabe pre-empted the move by walking out himse... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   Pakistan   Nigeria   Frank Bainimarama

  6. Indian Court Overturns Gay Sex Ban

    Explore Article The New York Times (Jul 2 2009)

    Indian Court Overturns Gay Sex Ban ...d homosexuality in England and Wales in 1967, but many of its former colonies, including Singapore, Zimbabwe and Malaysia, still retain strict laws against same-sex relations. India’s society is generally unw... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   Malaysia   England   Wales

  7. China fuels Sri Lankan war

    Explore Article search.japantimes.co.jp (Mar 10 2009)

    ... another brother the president's top adviser. Chinese military and financial support — as in Sudan, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uzbekistan, North Korea, Burma and elsewhere — has directly aided government excesses and ... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   Brahma Chellaney   Pakistan   Mahinda Rajapaksa

  8. House of Lords briefing on Hindraf

    Explore Article Malaysia (Dec 12 2008) Human Rights

    ... are !!! report abuse disagree 1 agree 32 ... written by Joelim, December 13, 2008 15:25:35 This is Zimbabwe. There is no law here. report abuse disagree 1 agree 21 ... written by cheekhiaw, December 13, 2008... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   London   Wales   Friends of Minority Communities

  9. Indian Diaspora in Malaysia resents ban on Hindraf

    Explore Article Malaysia (Nov 25 2008) Human Rights

    ...is history in the next elections. You better steal as much money as you can and then seek asylum in Zimbabwe after the next election. Mahathir can be your reference for entry. report abuse disagree 0 agree 10... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   R.S. Thanenthiran   Naacp   Zimbabwe

  10. Don’t harass lawyers, Ambiga urges police

    Explore Article Malaysia (Nov 7 2008) Human Rights

    ...ly going to increase going forward) Why don't these dysfunctional lawyers check with the lawyers of Zimbabwe? The only legal mind who decided that he will not support the continuity of this perpetration of fe... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   Zimbabwe   Malaysia   Hindu Rights Action Force

  11. US pushing for Pak F-16 upgrade

    Explore Article The Times of India (Oct 15 2008)

    ...e financial crunch. Pakistan in particular is reported to be at the edge of an abyss -- an Islamist Zimbabwe armed with nuclear weapons. Pakistan's credit rating has been reduced to near-default levels and it... (Read Full Article)

    Comment on Article Mentions:   Asif Ali Zardari   Pakistan   Zimbabwe

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