Zimbabwe - Zimbabue

Introduction Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe (in English: Republic of Zimbabwe), is a country located south of the African continent, between zambezi river, the Victoria Falls and the Limpopo River. It is bordered to the west by Botswana, north with Zambia, to the south with South Africa and to the east with Mozambique. Zimbabwe attracts thousands of tourists a year who want to discover its exotic fauna, but it hides a stark reality, being the country with the lowest level of human development in the world.

Capital Harare Idiom English and 15 others[1] Surface 390 757 km² Population 13 061 239 (2012) Currency no official currency[2] Time zone UTC 2 Telephone prefix 263

Understand

History

Stone cities were built in many places in present-day Zimbabwe. The most impressive structures and the best known of them, Great Zimbabwe, were built in the 15th century, but people had been living on the site since about 400 AD. The Khami Ruins outside Bulawayo are also a wonderful example.

The population consisted mostly of Shona speakers until the 19th century, when the Nguni tribe (in 1839-40) of the Ndebele settled in what is now Matabeleland, and then in 1890 the territory came under the control of the British South African Company. under statute of the British government.

The UK annexed the land, then called Southern Rhodesia, from the British South African Company in 1923, when the country got its own government and Prime Minister. A 1961 constitution was formulated favoring whites in power. In 1965, this white supremacist government unilaterally declared independence as Rhodesia, but the UK did not recognize the law and demanded voting rights for the black majority. UN sanctions and a guerrilla fight finally led to free elections and independence (like Zimbabwe) in 1980.

Robert Mugabe became the first black leader of Zimbabwe. He became a dictator and remained in power from 1980 to 1987 as prime minister and from 1987 to 2017 as president. Starting in 2000, the government expropriated some highly productive farms, which were in the hands of white Zimbabweans, and turned them over to members of Mugabe's ZANU party who had no experience in agriculture, causing a drastic drop in local production of food. In 2005, he started a program that cleared the slums and forced hundreds of thousands of people to take to the streets. The rigged elections and human rights abuses led to the country's exit from the Commonwealth and international sanctions. Ultimately, misrule and sanctions led to massive, uncontrolled inflation and an exodus from the country. Elections were routinely marred by violence, led by the ruling ZANU-PF party against opposition supporters. Following widespread protests, a power-sharing agreement was signed in 2008 between President Mugabe and the leader of the main opposition party, Morgan Tsvangirai. This briefly stabilized the political situation, but continued inflation led to the withdrawal of the Zimbabwean dollar from circulation in 2009; in the end, 100 billion Zimbabwean dollars would not buy a loaf of bread. The defunct Zimbabwe dollar was replaced by a basket of currencies and eventually the adoption of the US dollar. The coalition government ended with Tsvangirai's electoral defeat in 2013. In 2016, currency shortages were common, and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe ordered banks to limit withdrawals to US $ 20-50 / day or US $ $ 150 / week. In November 2016, another toy currency ("bond notes") was introduced at par with the US dollar. American cash is king, however, and bond notes are often traded at a discount if accepted. The usability of credit cards is sporadic, as companies have problems accessing foreign exchange to pay for imports.

Mugabe remained as president until November 2017 when, at the age of 93 with serious unanswered questions about his health, he failed in a blatant attempt to continue the dominance of the family in power by firing the country's vice president as a first step toward putting his wife Grace in the dictator's chair for the 2018 election cycle. This led an enraged army to seize control of the capital, Harare; Most of the original veterans of the 1980 uprising against Rhodesia turned against Mugabe, with his own ZANU-PF party forcing his resignation by calling for a vote in the legislature to impeach him. Mugabe was later replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa, the vice president he had fired.

While the impact of a successor remains uncertain, the military and veterans of the 1980 uprising remain clearly in control of the ZANU-PF political party and the government. However, the current government appears to have started rolling back some of Mugabe's excesses, with a proposal for compensation for white farmers whose land had been confiscated, as well as a proposal to rejoin the Commonwealth.

Weather

Zimbabwe has a tropical climate moderated by altitude. The rainy season is in summer from November to March. Although there are recurring droughts, floods and severe storms are rare. Winter temperatures can drop below 5 ° C, while summers can be very hot, exceeding 35 ° C (95 ° F) in some places.

Ground

Mainly high plateau with highest central plateau (high veld). There is a mountain range in the east that includes the picturesque Chimanimani Mountains. The Lowveld is in the southeast corner.

Lifting ends : lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 meters highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Culture

Zimbabwe has many different cultures with their own beliefs and ceremonies, including the Shona, the largest ethnic group in Zimbabwe. The Shona people have many sculptures and carvings that are made from the best materials available. Shona music is also deservedly famous. Probably the best-known Shona instrument is the mbira dzavadzimu, sometimes misleadingly called "thumb piano" by non-Africans, but which actually means "voice of the ancestors." Mbira's music contains harmony and can be a kind of shifting kaleidoscope of counterpoint and animated polyrhythms. It is very melodious and the mbiras are usually accompanied by a rattle called a hosho. Mbira music is central to Shona culture and identity and is traditionally considered a form of ancestor worship.

Economy

Once known as the africa barnSince 2000, Zimbabwe has suffered an economic collapse and the rule of law has gradually but largely collapsed.

There were some signs of improvement since the formation of a unity government in 2009, but the Zimbabwean economy was still plagued by hyperinflation (in Zimbabwe dollars, before they were abandoned, they were all billionaires, but prices were rising daily or hourly ). Food production had fallen when the Mugabe government took power, as the regime seized agricultural land from settlers (who worked the land as farmers) to give it to local supporters.

A spike in mineral prices allowed GDP to grow more than 5% in 2010 and 2011, but Zimbabwe remains a poor country with levels of official corruption comparable to other equally poor countries. Gross domestic product has halved since 2000; any recovery has been slow (around 1.7% a year before the 2016 currency shortage) and uncertain.

Holidays

• January 1: New Year
• February 21st: National Youth Day or Robert Mugabe Youth Day
• April 18th: Independence Day
• May 1 - Labor Day
• 25 of May - Africa Day
• December 22th - Unity Day
• December 25th - Christmas
• December 26 - Boxing Day

In Zimbabwe, if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the next day (Monday) will automatically be observed as a public day. Therefore, it will be a holiday.

Regions

Matabeleland

It forms the western part of the country with Bulawayo, the second largest city, the impressive Victoria Falls, and Hwange National Park.

Lake Kariba and the Lower Zambezi

A popular vacation area for Zimbabweans at the eastern end of Lake Kariba. Many national parks, such as Mana Pools National Park, are located on the banks of the Zambezi River and provide good opportunities to see wild animals.

Mashonaland

It includes the capital city, Harare, and the surrounding areas, including the northern part of the Midlands province.

Eastern Highlands

The mountainous area of ​​the country tucked along the eastern border where countries peak, is Moutn Inyangani. The main city is Mutare.

Southeastern Zimbabwe

A mixed area with the southern part of the Midlands in the north and Lowveld in the south. Nature is most attractive here, with many national parks and the ruins of Great Zimbabwe.

Cities

Zimbabwe has 3 large cities and several smaller ones.

1. Harare- The capital and largest city of Zimbabwe, Harare is a vibrant city in a larger metropolitan province
2. Bulawayo: the second largest city, both by population and by economic activity
3. Chimanimani - Eastern Highlands
4. Gweru - the capital of the Midlands province
5. Kariba - a lakeside holiday complex on the border with Zambia
6. Masvingo - named (meaning "ruins") after the nearby Great National Monument of Zimbabwe
7. I will mutate- The closest major city to the picturesque Eastern Highlands

Other destinations

1. Victoria Falls It is a popular tourist destination located in the western corner of the country. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the spray from the waterfalls waters a tropical forest.

1. Gonarezhou National Park
2. Great zimbabwe : the archaeological remains of an ancient stone-built city (the largest in southern Africa), which was the capital of a vast empire known as the Munhumutapa Empire (also called the Monomotapa Empire) that covers the modern states of Zimbabwe (which took his name from this city) and Mozambique. The word "Zimbabwe" means "stone house".
3. The Eastern Highlands include some of the most beautiful sights in Zimbabwe. Lush, cloud-covered mountains form the border with Mozambique. The regional capital is Mutare, and Chimanimani is a popular town with tourists and walkers.
4. Kariba - The formidable Lake Kariba on the northern border of Zimbabwe is the result of a large dam project along the Zambezi River. Kariba is a popular tourist destination and offers visitors the opportunity to observe African wildlife in its almost natural environment. It is the largest source of hydroelectric power in Zimbabwe. If you are traveling with friends or family, consider renting a houseboat for a few days to really experience all that the lake and wildlife have to offer.
5. Matobo (formerly Matopos) - This area southwest of Bulawayo in Matabeleland features exquisite rock formations, as if nature has been playing marbles. The rocks are balanced in ways that defy logic, a situation created by the erosive winds that blow the sand in between. The rocks are home to the dassie, a small rodent-like animal known more formally as Rock Hyrax, whose skins are used to make a blanket treasured by the local population. The brightly colored lizards common in Zimbabwe are also present in large numbers. The area has two large dams and many smaller ones that become the scene of family picnics and fishing contests on weekends. A playground is home to herds of sable antelope, an animal not seen further south. The National Park has self-catering chalets with stunning views, as well as camping spots.
6. Matobo is also the view of the tomb of Cecil John Rhodes and some exquisite cave paintings.
7. Mutoroshanga Ethel Mine
8. Chinhoyi Caves

To get

Entry requirements

Category A: no visa required

Passport holders from the following countries do not need a visa to enter Zimbabwe for up to 3 months (unless otherwise noted): Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cayman Islands, Cyprus , Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Hong Kong (6 months), Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique (30 days), Namibia , Nauru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu and Zambia.

Category B - visa on arrival

Passport holders of the following are eligible to obtain a visa on arrival to enter Zimbabwe for up to 3 months (for tourism purposes) or up to 30 days (for business purposes): Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia , Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Republic Czech, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland , Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua , Norway, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Suriname , Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City and Venezuela.

Visa fees as of July 2019 at the port of entry for Category B nationals are as follows: US $ 30 (single entry), US $ 45 (double entry), US $ 55 (multiple entry). Cash only. A valid passport, travel itinerary, and return or continuation ticket must be presented. Please note that Canadian citizens can only get single entry visas on arrival at a cost of US $ 75, while British and Irish citizens pay higher fees for a Zimbabwe visa on arrival (US $ 55 per entry single ticket and US $ 70 for double entry).

Category C - visa before arrival

Passport holders from other countries must obtain a visa before arriving in Zimbabwe.

Category C citizens can apply for a visa (for business, vacation, conference or transit) online through the eVisa system of the Zimbabwe Department of Immigration. The visa fee can be paid online or on arrival. It takes an average of two business days to obtain an e-Visa, however the period may vary due to various factors. The electronic visa is valid for three months from the date of issue.

Visas can be obtained from Zimbabwean embassies / consulates. The fees for a visa vary between US $ 30 and 180 and depend on the nationality of the applicant.

You may be able to apply for a Zimbabwe visa at a British embassy, ​​high commission or consulate in the country where you legally reside if there is no Zimbabwean diplomatic post. For example, the British embassy in Amman accepts visa applications from Zimbabwe (this list is not exhaustive). British diplomatic posts charge £ 50 to process a Zimbabwe visa application and an additional £ 70 if the Zimbabwean authorities require the visa application to be sent to them. The Zimbabwean authorities may also decide to charge an additional fee if they contact you directly.

KAZA universal visa

Zimbabwe and Zambia introduced a universal visa on November 28, 2014 called the KAZA Visa. This visa can be obtained on arrival and is valid for both countries for visits of up to 30 days while within Zambia and Zimbabwe (including day trips to Chobe National Park in Botswana in Kazungula). The fee is US $ 50 and is available at the following Zambian border crossings: Livingstone Airport, Lusaka Airport, Kazungula Land Border (border with Botswana) and Victoria Falls Land Border; in Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls Airport, Harare Airport, Kazungula land border (border with Botswana) and Victoria Falls land border.

Eligible countries are: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Comoros, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia , Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay.

By plane

Harare International Airport has several international flights, mainly to other African countries.

If you are coming from Europe, you can fly via Johannesburg, Nairobi, Dubai, Addis Ababa, Cairo.

From South Africa you can fly with South African Airways, Airlink, British Airways or Air Zimbabwe.

Emirates Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and Egypt Air fly to Harare from Europe.

SAA operates to quite a few European and African airports and has flights from Harare, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls to Johannesburg (South Africa). Air Botswana has flights from Harare and Victoria Falls to Gaborone. Air Namibia has flights from Harare and Victoria Falls to Windhoek. Malawian Airlines has flights from Harare to Lilongwe.

British Airways has stopped direct flights between Harare and Heathrow. but it has flights from Harare via Johannesburg to Heathrow.

Victoria Falls Airport has daily service from South African Airways, South African Airlink and British Airways to and from Johannesburg.

Bulawayo also has an international airport, with flights from Johannesburg operated by SAA and Air Zimbabwe.

For domestic flights within Zimbabwe, Harare to Victoria Falls, there is Air Zimbabwe and Fly Africa. Air Zimbabwe also flies from Harare to Bulawayo and from Harare to Kariba.

• The low-cost airline Fastjet Zimbabwe It has domestic one-way rates from US $ 20 and international rates from US $ 50. Fastjet flies from Harare to Victoria Falls, Bulawayo. Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lusaka, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

There is also the low-cost airline Fly Africa, which goes from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg, from Harare to Johannesburg and from Victoria Falls to Harare.

By car

Zimbabwe is accessible by road from the surrounding countries. Contrary to previous scenarios, the fuel situation has improved and prices are now quoted in US dollars. As fuel has to be imported from Mozambique or South Africa, you can expect to pay more per liter than you would in most other southern African countries.

Zimbabwe's roads are in a very poor condition and due caution should be exercised when driving, especially at night and particularly during the rainy season from November to March. Potholes are a very common occurrence and a serious threat to any vehicle that collides with one.

By bus

Regular luxury bus services operate from Johannesburg to Harare. Several buses also travel from Johannesburg to Bulawayo. Greyhound drives to both destinations. Tickets can be obtained directly from Greyhound or through the Computicket website.

Several bus companies also operate direct buses from Harare to Blantyre, Malawi.

There is no public transportation from Victoria Falls directly to Botswana; a taxi to the border will cost around $ 40, or some hotels in Vic Falls can arrange transfers.

By train

As of 2018, National Railways of Zimbabwe operates an international passenger service, a twice weekly night train from Francistown, Botswana to Bulawayo. Shosholoza Meyl operates a passenger service from Johannesburg to the border town Musina, from where it is possible to cross into Zimbabwe.

In addition, the private company Rovos Rail operates a luxury excursion train from Pretoria, South Africa, to Victoria Falls several times a month. Matching luxury, prices are outrageous with trips costing thousands of dollars.

Travel

To buy

Zimbabwe dollar exchange rates As of July 2020: US $ 1 ≈ ZW $ 72 Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available at https://www.rbz.co.zw/index.php

Money

Since June 2019, the only legal tender in Zimbabwe has been the new "Zimbabwe dollar" (Z $, ISO code ZWL), also known as "LBTR dollar" or "zollar". Includes Zimbabwe bond notes, bond coins, and mobile money such as Ecocash. The new Zimbabwe dollar banknotes were issued in November 2019. The value of the currency is volatile. The exchange rate published on xe.com refers to the old Zimbabwe dollars, so it is completely incorrect.

However, as of December 2019, there is a shortage of Zimbabwe dollar banknotes and cash withdrawals are not possible with an international bank card. It is impossible for foreigners to obtain cash in the country; You must bring cash in foreign currency.

As of January 2020, most retailers and service providers market their products in US dollars or set their prices in Zimbabwe dollars using black market rates in US dollars. Some retailers and public transport operators no longer accept denominations less than the Zimbabwe dollar currency. Articles on Wikivoyage are generally priced in US dollars.

There are many ATMs that accept Visa and MasterCard. But nevertheless, do not You will be able to withdraw money from any ATM, so carry plenty of cash. Try to get Zimbabwean dollars before your arrival, otherwise you will have to exchange your US dollars after your arrival. If you are bringing US dollars, please bring smaller denomination bills, for example US $ 20 or less. Anything bigger is unlikely to be accepted. The change will be in Zimbabwean dollars.

Many banks do not have enough banknotes due to paper shortages, so they will only exchange US dollars for Ecocash. It is recommended to register with Ecocash. You will need your ID to buy an EcoNet SIM card at EcoNet stores or other small phone stores. You can then register with EcoCash, but you will need to present your ID again to activate your account. You can then load your account at a bank and spend money at most stores using your PIN.

A growing number of businesses accept Visa and MasterCard in Zimbabwe, yet store workers are often reluctant to use them. Be careful what currency your card is loaded in, otherwise you may be charged US $ 10 instead of Z $ 10.

Costs

The domestically produced things are very cheap (especially the labor intensive ones) and the curios are especially well made. However, for a tourist who drinks Coca-Cola and eats pizza, the prices are not much lower than in South Africa.

Eat and drink

To eat

For a taste of what Zimbabweans eat (in some form, almost every day), ask for "sadza and stew / seasoning." The stew part will be familiar, served over a large portion of sadza, a thick ground corn paste (vaguely like polenta and the consistency of thick mashed potatoes) that the locals eat for lunch and dinner. It is inexpensive, quite tasty and very abundant. There is a plethora of good Zimbabwean food - "Mbambaira" or sweet potatoes, "chibage" corn on the cob, for example. Fruits native to the country such as "masawu" for example. For foreigners, especially from the West, Zimbabwean meat is very tasty, especially beef, due to the excellent way the animals are raised and fed and no hormones are pumped into them etc.

The restaurant and cafe scene in Harare is excellent, with a wide variety of venues to choose from.

To drink

Mazoe, the local orange squash, is the quintessential Zimbabwean cordial.

In Zimbabwe a variety of domestic beers are made, mainly lagers with some milk stouts. You may even want to try "Chibuku," a local drink popular with working-class men that is based on a traditional beer recipe made from sorghum and / or corn (maize). It is usually sold in a 2-liter plastic bottle called 'skud' or a more popular variety called "Chibuku Super" that comes in a 1.25-liter disposable plastic container and costs $ 1. As with all alcohol, It's definitely an acquired taste! There is also a limited range of local wines, which are generally found within a much larger variety of imported wines. South Africa's creamy liqueur Amarula is a common delicacy.

Imported drinks and locally made franchises are available, as well as local "soft drinks" (carbonated / soft drinks). Bottled water is also available.

Grades

external links

• Wikipedia has an article on Zimbabwe.w: Zimbabwe
• Wikimedia Commons houses multimedia content about Zimbabwe. Commons