| Zimbabwe | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| Capital | Harare |
|---|---|
| Government | Semi-presidential republic |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) |
| Surface | 390,757 km² |
| Inhabitants | 12.619.600 (2012 estimate) |
| Tongue | English |
| Religion | Christianity (75%), Animism 24% and the rest atheists or minor religions (2007) |
| Electricity | 220V / 50Hz (British plug) |
| Prefix | 263 |
| TLD | .zw |
| Time zone | UTC 2 |
| Website | Official tourism website |
Zimbabwe is a state ofSouthern Africa landlocked that borders to the north with the Zambia, east col Mozambique, south with the South Africa and to the west with the Botswana.
To know
Zimbabwe takes its name from an important archaeological site in the country, Great Zimbabwe, whose name is in turn derived from the expression in the Shona language zimba remabwe ("big stone house"). The previous name "Rhodesia" was instead in honor of Cecil Rhodes, who gave rise to the colony from whose independence modern Zimbabwe was born.
Geographical notes
Zimbabwe belongs to the Southern African region and is a rather uniform territory and consists of a part of the plateau between the Limpopo (south) and Zambezi (north) rivers.
The highest peaks, located to the north and northeast on the Mavuradona and Inyangani ridges, slope down towards Mozambique without ever exceeding 2600 meters of altitude. The territory is divided into three bands based on altitude: low Veld (0-700 meters), medium Veld (700-1200 meters), high Veld (higher altitudes).
The Zambezi feeds the Kariba hydroelectric basin and gives life to the Victoria Falls. Its main tributaries are the Gwayi and the Sanyati. To the south, the Limpopo, which originates in the Upper Veld, marks the border with the South African region of Transvaal.
When to go
To choose when to visit the country it is advisable to keep in mind that the climate is tropical and therefore has two seasons: one dry from April to October (southern winter), the other rainy between November and March (southern summer). The temperature varies according to the altitude range, so there are very low temperature variations in the upper and middle Veld, while there is an accentuation in the difference between winter and summer temperatures in the lower Veld.
Background
The territory has been inhabited since ancient times. Already around the fourth century the settlement of Bantu populations began, in particular of the Karanga group, from which the present-day Shona, the majority ethnic group of the country, descend.
In the 15th century the great empire of Monomotapa was established in the region and in 1837 the territory of the Shona was conquered by the Ndebele.
In the 19th century, Sir Cecil Rhodes colonized a vast African territory in the name of the British Empire, naming it Rhodesia. This territory is now divided into: Southern Rhodesia: the current Zimbabwe and Northern Rhodesia: the current Zambia.
In October 1923 Southern Rhodesia, after the referendum of the previous year, became a colony of UK, subject to the control of the English Crown
On 11 November 1965 the independence of the colony from Great Britain was proclaimed, but recognized by the UN only on 18 April 1980.
Spoken languages
In addition to the official language, the Shona language and the Ndebele language are also spoken.
Culture and traditions
The traditions, to which the various ethnic groups of the country contribute, each with their own needs, are based on a great spirituality given by an animistic substrate on which Christianity then took root. This is expressed not only in feasts, but also in daily activities with particular attention given to meditation, prayer and reflection.
Suggested readings
- Philip Barclay, "Zimbabwe: Years of Hope and Despair", 2010
- Richard Bourne, "Catastrophe: What Went Wrong in Zimbabwe?", 2011
Territories and tourist destinations
The country is divided into eight provinces plus two cities with provincial status (Harare is Bulawayo). In turn, the provinces are divided into 59 districts and 1,200 municipalities made up of different villages.
Zimbabwe: full screen map.Urban centers
- 1 Binga - Port city on the shores of Lake Kariba.
- 2 Bulawayo - The second most populous in the country after the capital Harare.
- 3 Gweru - Capital of the province of Midland (Midlands Province).
- 4 Harare - The capital of Zimbabwe.
- 5 Kariba - Located in the northwestern part of Lake Kariba near the Kariba Dam and the border with Zambia.
- 6 Marondera - Capital of the province of Eastern Mashonaland (Mashonaland East), at the entrance to the eastern plateau chain.
- 7 Masvingo - Capital of the district and of the province of the same name. It is located near the Great Zimbabwe archaeological complex.
- 8 Change - The fourth most populous city in Zimbabwe and capital of the province of Manicaland.
Other destinations
- 1 Victoria Falls - Breathtaking waterfalls located on the border of the Zambia and Zimbabwe, part of the heritage ofUNESCO.
- 2 Great Zimbabwe - This is the name given to the ruins of an ancient city in South Africa once the center of the Monomotapa empire. The site is part of the heritage ofUNESCO.
- 3 Mana Pools
- 4 Hwange National Park - Zimbabwe Reserve, located on the border with the Botswana, in the western corner of the country. It was the hunting reserve of the supreme leader of the Ndebele people.
- 5 Matobo National Park - Area protected byUNESCO composed of granite hills and tree-lined valleys located about 35 kilometers south of Bulawayo.
- 6 Chimanimani National Park - The area of the Chimanimani mountains is protected by a transnational national park which extends from Mozambique to Zimbabwe.
- 7 Nyanga National Park - It includes the highest elevation in Zimbabwe, Mount Inyangani with its 2,592 meters.
How to get
Entry requirements
Passport valid for at least 6 months and vaccination against yellow fever. The visa can be obtained on arrival at a cost of about 50 euros, or in advance at the embassy in Rome.L'Italian embassy is located in Harare.
By plane
To Harare there is the international airport of the same name where the national airline Air Zimbabwe offers direct connections with theEurope (London) and with theAsia (Dubai, Beijing, Canton is Kuala Lumpur). South African Airways instead connects Johannesburg both with the capital and with the Victoria Falls airport.
By bus
There are buses that connect regularly Johannesburg to Harare it's at Bulawayo. Touring buses in South Africa they are mainly operated by Greyhound, Autopax and Intercape and tickets can be bought either in their offices or via the web.
There are also several companies that connect the capital to Blantyre (Malawi).
There is no public transport with Botswana, so you will have to opt for either taxis, or in the case of groups, buses. Both can be arranged by local hotels.
How to get around
On the train
The more adventurous can also decide to travel by train from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls (For more information: seat61 website). The train also passes through the Hwange National Park, one of the largest national parks in Africa.
What see
- Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas heritage UNESCO since 1984
- Great Zimbabwe ruins of an ancient city, heritage UNESCO since 1986
- Ruins of Khami remains of an ancient city abandoned in the sixteenth century, heritage UNESCO since 1986
- Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls bordering on the Zambia, heritage UNESCO since 1989
- Matobo Hills granite hills dating back to 2 billion years ago, heritage UNESCO since 2003
What to do
- Bungee jumping at Victoria Falls - 111m of pure adrenaline!
- Rafting on the Zambezi River - about $ 100 (to be divided between 6 participants) to rent a dinghy with skipper for the whole day, with a canoeist who takes care of video footage and support in case of capsizing and lunch included. It is an unmissable experience! The video on cd can be purchased separately.
- Swim in the "devil's pool", a relatively calm pool of water, located on the edge of the overhang of the Victoria Falls. The approximately 100 USD also includes a meal (breakfast or snack) depending on the time of the excursion, strictly guided.
- Safari - Lots of offers in this regard that can be grouped into two categories:
- Jeep safari: transported by car through the savannah
- Walking safari: a walk in the same places escorted by an armed forest guard
Currency and purchases
The national currency is the U.S. dollar (USD), which in June 2015 replaced the now out of date Zimbabwean dollar (ZWL). Here are the links to find out the current exchange rate with the main world currencies:
| (EN) With Google Finance: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPY |
| With Yahoo! Finance: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPY |
| (EN) With XE.com: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPY |
| (EN) With OANDA.com: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPY |
At the table
Drinks
The best known local beers are: Bohlinger's Lager, Golden Pilsener, Lion Lager, Zambezi Lager is Zambezi Lite; all distributed by SAB Miller.
Tourist infrastructure
Events and parties
National holidays
| Date | Festivity | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | New Year | International holiday. | |
| March April | Good Friday, Easter, Easter Monday | Christian holiday. | |
| April | Independence Day | Independence from UK (1980) | |
| May | Workers Day | International holiday | |
| May | Feast of Africa | Memorial to the founding of the Organization for African Unity (1963) | |
| July | Party of heroes | Memorial to the fallen for the conquest of independence. Celebrated on the first Monday of August. | |
| July | Armed Forces Party | ||
| December | National Unity Day | Memorial of the agreement between the ZANU and ZAPU groups that have divided the country since 1963 (1987). When it falls on a Sunday, it is celebrated on the following Monday. | |
| December | Christmas | Christian holiday that marks the birth of Christ. | |
| December | Saint Stephen | Christian holiday. | |
Safety
Before embarking on the journey consult:
- Safe travel - Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina) (Country safety information).
Petty crime in major cities is widespread, villages and natural parks are safe.
Health situation
The health facilities are not of an adequate standard. The recommended vaccinations are those against meningitis, hepatitis A and B and tuberculosis, then anti-malarial prophylaxis is recommended. The country is warned that it is one of the most affected by AIDS.
Finally, it is advisable to drink bottled mineral water or in any case make sure that it has been boiled and filtered.
Respect the customs
How to keep in touch
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Zimbabwe
Commons contains images or other files on Zimbabwe
Wikinews contains current news on Zimbabwe
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