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Geography & People
Most of Zimbabwe is a large, open, flat plateau, ranging in height from 1000-2000 metres. In the north the land slopes down to the Zambezi valley and in the south to the valley of the Limpopo. The good climate on the plateau has encouraged settlement from the earliest times, in spite of the poor quality of the soils found there. Zimbabwe is rich in wildlife, especially in the eastern highlands and has a number of national parks including the famous Hwange park.
The largest tribe are the Shona who account for two thirds of the population, while the Ndebele peoples account for one fifth. The white population totals approximately 200,000. English is the official language although most Africans speak either Cishona or Sindebele.
The capital city, Harare (formerly Salisbury), has a population of 900,000. The other major city is Bulawayo.
History & Politics
The massive stone fortress near the Victoria Falls which gave the nation its name dates from the ninth century and indicates that this part of southern Africa was an important trading and commercial centre for at least 1000 years. First contact with Europeans came in the 16th century along the Zambezi valley. The Portuguese arrived in large numbers in the 17th century. By the 19th century, after a series of intertribal wars, the Ndebele became the dominant tribe until they were defeated in 1893 by white settlers sent in from South Africa by Cecil Rhodes.
The settlers established several forts, including Fort Salisbury, and began to take land for farming and to exploit the country's mineral wealth. From 1898 the country, named Rhodesia, was a British protectorate ruled by the settlers. A self-governing British colony was established in 1923. Increasingly, black advancement was prevented and segregation between races applied. Efforts by black people to organise themselves were vigorously suppressed and their leaders imprisoned.
In 1965, when Britain refused to grant Rhodesia independence without a guarantee of majority rule, the government under lan Smith made a unilateral declaration of independence (UDI). However, independence was not recognised by the world community, and black freedom fighters increasingly harassed the white community and its military forces. The Shona-dominated Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) under Robert Mugabe and the largely Ndebele Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) under Joshua Nkomo formed a popular front in 1976 to fight the Smith regime which eventually was forced into talks leading to the setting up of the independent republic of Zimbabwe in 1980, with Robert Mugabe as its Prime Minister. Though ideologically committed to establishing a one party socialist state, Robert Mugabe has in fact taken a pragmatic approach in many areas.
| Zimbabwe | UK equivalent | |
| Population | 12 million | 59 million |
| Area | 390,759 sq km | 245,000 sq km |
| Urban population | 27 % | 90 % |
| Life expectancy | 54 years | 75 years |
| Christians % pop´n | 72 | 68 |
Economy
The majority of the African population are subsistence farmers. The main products are maize, tobacco, sugar and cotton. Mining for gold, asbestos, copper and coal is also important. The huge Kariba dam on the Zambezi is a major source of power.
Religion & Church Life
Traditional African religions are still practised by over 40% of the population. About half of the population is at least nominally Christian. The London Missionary Society pioneered Protestant work in the area, setting up a station at Inyati in 1859. The Anglicans followed in 1888, working first among the settlers and then among the Africans. In recent years, African Independent Churches have grown rapidly and now account for over 10% of the Christian population.
Crosslinks Involvement
Crosslinks has been involved in Zimbabwe since 1985, and has sent teachers and clergy. Depending on local agreement, there continue to be openings for graduate teachers on two year contracts to work in secondary schools, for which enrolments since independence have far outstripped the supply of qualified staff. There are also opportunities for clergy, both in urban and rural settings.