Natural conditions of Zimbabwe. Economic and geographical characteristics of Zimbabwe. Supreme executive body

Introduction

3 History of the country

4 Population

5 Agriculture

6 Mining industry

7 Manufacturing industry

8 Energy

9 Transport

10 "Chinese influx"

11 Recreational management

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

Somewhere in these parts, according to Korney Chukovsky, the good doctor Aibolit was a healer. It is here that some of the most amazing animals in the world come to drink at the famous Limpopo River. In Zimbabwe large quantities individuals are represented by the “big five” of the largest animals: their “leader” is the lion, buffalo, leopard, elephant and rhinoceros. It is no coincidence that hunting them is considered the most dangerous in the world. Finally, on the territory of this country there is the fourth widest stream and one of the largest water flows and power on the planet, Victoria Falls - favorite place honeymoons for newlyweds from all over the world.

But meanwhile, various kinds of fables are circulating in the “white information light” regarding this country and its leader Robert Gabriel Mugabe. The most innocent of them is that it is better for a white man to never show his face in this country. And if, they say, such a misfortune happens, then move only by car. In reality, all these rumors are similar to horror stories that frighten naughty children.

1 Economic and geographical location

The Republic of Zimbabwe (English: Republic of Zimbabwe, until 1980 Southern Rhodesia) is a state located in the southern part of the African continent, between Victoria Falls, the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It borders South Africa to the south, Botswana to the west, Zambia to the north and Mozambique to the east.

The name of the country indicates its continuity with respect to the first state on its territory - the Monomotapa Empire, whose capital was Great Zimbabwe, and the main population was the Gokomere people, the ancestors of the now dominant Shona.

Most of Zimbabwe's territory is located at an altitude of 1000-1500 m within the vast Precambrian basement plateaus of Mashona and Matabele, which step down to the high stratified sandy plains of the middle reaches of the Zambezi River (in the north) and the interfluve of the Limpopo and Sabi (in the south). The country's highest point is Mount Inyangani (2592 m) in the Inyanga Mountains in eastern Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is one of the most economically developed countries in Africa. The country is rich in mineral resources and has a developed industrial sector, thriving commercial agricultural production, modern well-developed basic manufacturing infrastructure and a fairly skilled workforce.

Led since 1980 first by ZANU and then by ZANU-PF, the government of Zimbabwe has maintained and strengthened the system of strict government regulation created during the period of white minority rule. The process of economic centralization, which continued until 1998, was aimed at creating favorable economic conditions for the black majority. However, the system of state regulation of the Zimbabwean economy became the main reason for its rollback in terms of macroeconomic indicators; in the 1990s, the country constantly disrupted the implementation of economic restructuring programs agreed upon with the IMF. Overstaffing of state-owned enterprises and institutions, lack of competition with the dominance of the public sector, poor management and corruption, and the cost of sending troops to the DRC in 1998 contributed to the exacerbation of a chronic economic crisis. In 1997-1998, the Zimbabwean dollar depreciated, hard currency reserves fell significantly, inflation soared, domestic interest rates rose, and trade unions began to oppose government policies.

2 Natural resource potential

In the depths of the country there is gold, diamonds, chromites, asbestos, copper, tin and lithium. Most of the minerals are concentrated in the High Veldt and, as a rule, are confined to the same intrusions of deep rocks on which the red loamy soils were formed. Thus, gold deposits are found mainly in the western and northern parts of the country from the watershed. They were discovered a long time ago, their development is carried out at a shallow depth - not below the constant groundwater level. In the Middle Veld, coal deposits are concentrated (Wenki and Lubinbi), formed in an area covered in the Tertiary period by tropical rainforests.

The country's most important mineral resources are platinum group metals and chromites, for which Zimbabwe ranks third in the world. There are also numerous deposits of iron ores, gold, rare metals, copper, nickel, cobalt, bauxite, coal and precious stones (diamonds, rubies, emeralds).

In 1981, the industry's production value reached Zimba 104 million. The sugar industry began in 1936 with the construction of the first refinery in Bulawayo. In 1951, the Salisbury plant was also launched. The total productivity of these two factories is over 60 thousand tons. At first, the factories worked on imported raw materials from Mozambique, South Africa and the island of Mauritius, but later switched to local raw materials from sugar plantations. Molasses from the Triangle distilleries to the country's largest distillery in Harare. Sugar production in Zimbabwe ranges from 200 thousand tons in 1972 to 391 thousand tons in 1981. Sugar production enterprises located in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare produce about 2 thousand tons of products.

The cheese is produced in the same towns as well as in Masvingo. A refined oil plant is located in Bulawayo. The plant processes cotton, peanut and sunflower seeds. In the future, it is planned to build a plant for bottling vegetable oils and a soap factory.

The dense river network belongs to the Indian Ocean basin, with the exception of a small area of ​​internal drainage in the west. The Zambezi River, which flows along the northwestern border of the country, collects tributaries from half of Zimbabwe's territory (Gwai, Sengwa, Sanyati, Hunyani...). The Shashe, Umzingwani, Bubye, and Mwenezi rivers flow into the Limpopo, which flows along the southern border. In the southeast, the Save River receives the tributaries Runde and Sabie. In the west, the Nata River and its tributaries dry up on their way to the Kalahari. The rivers of Zimbabwe are shallow, drying up in the dry season, with numerous rapids and waterfalls, the most famous of which is Victoria on the Zambezi River. Reservoirs have been built on many rivers, the largest of which is the Kariba. Only parts of the Zambezi and Limpopo are navigable.

Due to the catastrophic rate of deforestation, woody vegetation now occupies less than half of the country's territory. Relict moist evergreen forests are preserved only on the slopes of the Inyanga Mountains in the east of the country. In the west there are dry deciduous teak forests. The Mashona Plateau is home to dry, sparse miombo and mopane forests. The Matabele Plateau is occupied by tree and shrub savannas. Flooded savannas are developed in the Zambezi Valley.

Of the large animals in Zimbabwe, elephants, antelopes, zebras, giraffes, lions, and crocodiles are still numerous. Rhinoceroses, cheetahs, oryxes, and pythons are rare.

10% of the country's territory is occupied by nature reserves and National parks.

Zimbabwe's climate varies from subequatorial in the north to tropical in the south. There are three seasons in the year: warm humid summer (from November to March, 21-27˚С), cool dry winter (April-June, 13-17˚С, there are frosts in the mountains) and hot dry spring (August-October, 30-40˚С). Precipitation ranges from 400 mm per year in the southern plain to 2000 mm in the mountains in the east.

Agricultural areas (at the teacher's choice). 1. Metallurgy is one of the basic industries and... provides humanity with construction materials, ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The geography of ferrous metallurgy is influenced by fuel and resource factors - coal and iron ore basins. The richest countries in iron ore are China, Brazil, Australia, ...

Fossils mean natural mineral substances. earth's crust, which, at a certain level of technological development, can be extracted and used in the national economy in their natural form or after preliminary processing with a positive economic effect. The scale of use of mineral resources is constantly growing. While in the Middle Ages only 18...

The southern African country of Zimbabwe attracts tourists with its nature, which has almost completely retained its exoticism and naturalness. At the same time, economic development is seriously hampered, as can be seen from the current situation.

Despite this, tourists willingly visit because they know that they will definitely be satisfied and full of indescribable sensations. This is facilitated by thoughtful policies aimed at protecting the natural environment in this country, thanks to which numerous preserved animals live in their familiar environment.

It is worth noting that wild inhabitants can not only be viewed and photographed, it is also allowed to hunt them here, which is for African countries rarely seen.

Also on these lands there are the best golf courses on the Dark Continent, so this type of leisure is also developed here.

The republic's neighbors are:

• Zambia;
• Mozambique;
• Botswana;

Located in the African south, it has two important rivers on its territory:

• Zambezi (north);
• Limpopo (south).

Another water body is known to many, so travelers often visit it - Victoria Falls. This attraction stands out for its size; the waterfall has a huge:

• flow width;
• water consumption;
• power.

Lake Kariba is also amazing, created by people and at the same time having a significant size. Foreigners come to him for a pleasant pastime:

• fishing;
• beach;
• water skiing;
• yachts and boats;
• casino.

The capital of Zimbabwe, Harare, also has a variety of tourist destinations .

The local climate is changing, in the north it is characterized as subequatorial, in the south it is typical - tropical.

We can confidently say that Zimbabwe has pleasant conditions for any tourists, because there is almost always sun, and the night gives freshness and coolness.

There are three seasons:

• November-March - summer, humid and warm, 21-27 degrees Celsius;
• April-July - winter, dry and cool, 13-17 degrees;
• August-October - spring, dry and hot, 30-40 degrees.

Each time is suitable for a specific holiday, which should be taken into account by visitors when choosing a travel date:

• August - for rafting, when the rivers are low and calm;
• May-October - for safari, studying wild animals.

• platinoids;
• chromites;
• iron ore;
• copper;
• gold;
• cobalt;
• coal;
• nickel;
• bauxite;
• diamonds;
• emeralds;
• rubies.

The history of the republic is interesting, often tragic. For a long time, different tribes ruled here, changing each other by force. At one time, Zimbabwe was a British city where foreigners were attracted by the gold deposits they found.

Zimbabwe became an independent republic in 1980, before which the territory was part of various organizations.

Capital of Zimbabwe

The capital city of Harare is called the "city of blooming flowers", this locality amazing, because numerous huge concrete structures are strewn with flowers and greenery. There is vegetation everywhere along the streets, so buildings are constantly buried in it.

It will be interesting to wander through the old streets of the capital of Zimbabwe, because they are lined with houses built a long time ago, so they appearance and the architecture is colorful and amazing.

There are many shops and trading stalls in the city, where travelers will find the necessary souvenirs and goods.

Almost 2 million citizens live in Harare, making it one of the largest cities in the country. It is also boldly called the center of culture and economy.

There is a variety of transport available:

• cars;
• minibuses;
• railway connections;
• international Airport.

It should be understood that the large size and huge number of residents mean that foreigners need to travel by car; it will be difficult to reach many objects on foot.

The capital of Zimbabwe has the following attractions:

• Botanical Garden;
• Anglican Cathedral;
• Queen Victoria Modern Museum;
• Harare Gardens Park;
• museums;
• parks;
• galleries.

You can see miniatures in the Harare Gardens amazing places national scale, for example, the Zambezi Gorge and Victoria Falls.

Capital parks are often full of a huge amount birds and African animals, and all kinds of plants characteristic of the local nature are found here.

Popular places like this include:

• Cheetah Park;
• Lviv Park;
• Larvon Bird Gardens;
• Mukivisi Gardens;
• National Park Hwange.

Despite such natural wealth, the country is almost in ruins:

• huge inflation;
• high unemployment;
• demographic boom.

However, the development of tourism and other areas can significantly restore the economy, which will also have a beneficial effect in many industries.

The central part of Zimbabwe is an open plateau with altitudes of 1100–1850 m above sea level. Almost all the best agricultural land and most cities are located in higher areas, characterized by a more equable climate with abundant rainfall and fertile land. The peripheral regions of the country, except one in the east and another along the border with Botswana in the west, are predominantly flat: in the north is the Zambezi River basin, in the south is the Limpopo River basin and in the southeast is the Sabie River basin. The lowest part of the country, characterized by the hottest climate, is located in the southeast, in the basins of the Sabie and its tributary, the Runde, and in the basin of the Mwenezi River, a tributary of the Limpopo. Rivers, as a rule, have rapids and low water. Many of them dry out during the dry season. Located north of Mutare, the Eastern Highlands reaches an altitude of 2592 m above sea level. (Mount Inyangani, highest point Zimbabwe), and in the Chimanimani Mountains, located south of Mutare along the border with Mozambique, the peak of Binga reaches 2436 m above sea level. The country's main watershed crosses the plateau from southwest to northeast and separates the catchment basins of the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers, which flow into Indian Ocean. In Zimbabwe there is one large Kariba reservoir on the Zambezi river along the border with Zambia, and many small ones - Kyle on the river. Mtilikwe, Robertson and McIlwain on the Gwebi River, Shangani-Tiyabenzi on the Tiyabenzi River, etc. In the north-east of the country on the Zambezi River there is the famous Victoria Falls, 107 m high and approx. 1500 m.

The Matabele Plateau is the watershed between the Zambezi and Limpopo basins, to which most of Zimbabwe's rivers belong. The exceptions are the Sabi river system, which flows into the Indian Ocean, and the Nata river system, which flows into the Makgadikgadi lowlands. Much of the country is home to low-water, non-navigable tributaries of the Zambezi. Navigation is supported only in certain areas of the Zambezi.

The Matabele Plateau has brown-red soils typical of tropical dry forests. Alluvial soils predominate in the Zambezi Valley, while the rest of the territory is dominated by red-brown soils of dry savannas.

Climate The northern part of the country is subequatorial, and the southern part is tropical. Pleasantly warm weather characterizes the central plateau, although evenings can be chilly and there are occasional frosts during the winter season, from May to August. Even in summer season from November to March temperatures do not exceed 27 C during the day and 16 C at night. average temperature in winter it is 18 C. In July, the air temperature sometimes drops to 10 C. Most of the year the humidity is low. Precipitation occurs in the warm months (November to April) and is particularly intense in the mountains. Agricultural areas on the plateau receive up to 900 mm of precipitation annually, and in the Eastern Highlands - up to 2500 mm. In some areas there is a deficit of precipitation, for example, in the Limpopo River basin, the average annual precipitation does not exceed 250 mm.

Vegetation and fauna. The vegetation cover in most of Zimbabwe is represented by savannah woodland. There are small areas of dry deciduous forests in the north-west and acacia thickets in the south-west. In the south of the country, large areas are covered with forests of African ironwood - mopani.
Animal world Zimbabwe is rich and diverse. Elephants, antelopes, zebras, giraffes and lions live in the north-west and south-east of the country; leopards remain in the Eastern Highlands. The largest nature reserves are the Hwange national parks in the north-west of the country and Gona-re-Zhou in the south-east.

Zimbabwe on the map of Africa
(all pictures are clickable)

Various sources place Zimbabwe in southern, eastern or central Africa. This is explained by the fact that the state is located at the junction of three subcontinents. It has no access to the sea: it is “propped up” in the south by South Africa, and in the southwest by Botswana. Northern border(including the water one passing through Lake Kariba) - common with Zambia, and the eastern one - with Mozambique.

Geographical position

The territory of Zimbabwe is a continuous rocky plateau located between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. They are cut by numerous tributaries, but in the heat water arteries They become shallow and dry, and during the rainy season they become stormy and dangerous due to the abundance of rapids. In the south and north there are lower areas; in these places the rivers are considered conditionally accessible for navigation.

From west to east it stretches across the entire country Mountain chain, which divides Zimbabwe by two climatic zones: to the south are the tropics, and the northern half of the territory belongs to the subequatorial region. The higher you are above sea level, the cooler it is.

Like many other countries in Africa, Zimbabwe is in the grip of three seasons. Summer begins in November - at this time the most precipitation falls, daily temperatures range from +20 to +28 °C.

The wet period is replaced by winter - dry and cooler, it lasts from March to June. In August, the heat intensifies and reaches its maximum by October, at which time the thermometer often crosses +40 °C.

Flora and fauna

The main part of Zimbabwe's territory is occupied by savannas, which acquire desert features during the hot season. There are quite a lot of open forests and shrubs, but evergreen thickets of relict trees are rapidly declining.

The animal world has suffered from irrational use natural resources, but it is still diverse: in this part of the African continent there are elephants and antelopes, giraffes and rhinoceroses, small and large predators(including leopards and lions). There are a lot of snakes and various insects. In low-lying areas near rivers you can find hippos and crocodiles.

State structure

Zimbabwe Map

Zimbabwe is a presidential republic with a bicameral parliament. The Senate contains not only deputies elected by popular vote, but also those appointed by the president, as well as governors and leaders of local tribes.

The state is divided into provinces, there are eight in total, plus two have a similar status largest cities: Harare (capital) and Bulawayo. Provinces are made up of individual districts, which in turn are made up of municipalities. The country officially has a multi-party system, but the opposition does not have a noticeable influence on political life and the economy.

Population

Currently, the country's population exceeds 13 million people. At the same time, mortality in Zimbabwe is extremely high: both women and men rarely reach the age of half a century, and every sixth local is a carrier of HIV infection.

The rural population prevails over the urban population. Ethnically, the Shona and Ndebele peoples predominate, while Europeans and Asians make up no more than 1%. English is spoken in the country, as well as a dozen local dialects. Despite official statistics that declared Zimbabwe a “Christian state,” most of the aborigines adhere to pagan beliefs and cults.

Economy

The state is capable of exporting no less goods than the entire list of East African countries: the subsoil is rich in gold, diamonds, silver, tin, coal and copper. And yet Zimbabwe is on the list of the poorest countries on the planet. IN Lately There has been some progress (increased mining and agricultural production), but unemployment and poverty levels still remain at record highs.

The entire history of the state is a chronicle of constant struggle: against uninvited visitors from Portugal, British rule, racial discrimination. However, it was during the era of colonization (at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries) that the economy of the country, then known as Southern Rhodesia, was on the rise: it was actively developing Agriculture, processing and mining industries.

After gaining long-awaited independence in 1980, a number of reforms were carried out that undermined investor confidence (primarily the nationalization of foreign property). Sanctions imposed by the US and EU after accusing the local government of deviating from the principles of democracy played a big role. A series of internal conflicts have also contributed to Zimbabwe's plight.

Attractions

This country is attractive first of all natural beauties— a tenth of its area is occupied by national parks. Visitors dream of looking at Victoria Falls, and extreme sports enthusiasts are delighted by risky rafting on the rapids of the Zambezi. The Chirorodziva cave is worthy of attention, where rock paintings of ancient people are preserved.

• Foreign relations of Zimbabwe
• Armed Forces of Zimbabwe
• Political negotiations in Zimbabwe 2008
• Transport in Zimbabwe
• Zimbabwean cuisine

Animal world

The fauna of 3imbabwe is quite diverse. In sparsely populated areas of the country there are antelopes (impala, stenbok, etc.), buffalos, giraffes, zebras, elephants, rhinoceroses, lions, hippopotamuses, leopards, hyenas, and aardwolves. Many birds, lizards, snakes (including the African python); There are crocodiles in the rivers. Various species of ants and termites are common; in the North - tsetse fly. Nine species of birds and mammals (including black rhinoceroses, half of the world's population of which live in Zimbabwe), as well as 73 species of plants, are considered endangered. To protect the animal and raise it. a number of nature reserves and national reserves have been created around the world. parks (approx. 10% of territory 3.), max. large ones - Hwange, Matusadona, Victoria Falls, Mana Pools.

Current events

According to WHO data for January 2009, in Zimbabwe the number of people infected with cholera reached 60 thousand 400 people. 3,200 people have already died as a result of this epidemic. International pressure is mounting on President Robert Mugabe to resign from office. A Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a South African priest called on Mugabe to resign voluntarily and, if he refuses, considers it necessary to further increase international pressure, even to the point of armed intervention to overthrow Mugabe.

The total number of Zimbabwean officials who do not have the right to enter the EU has reached 200 people. 40 companies' assets in the European Union were frozen.

On 6 March 2009, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's car crashed on the Harare-Masvingo highway, killing his wife Susan and leaving him hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Morgan Tsvangirai and Susan have been married since 1978 and have 6 children from this marriage. A debate has flared up in the country about whether the accident was an accident or a planned action to eliminate the opposition leader Robert Mugabe disliked.

State structure

Republic. The head of state is the president. Elected by the population for a 5-year term, the number of terms is not limited. Since 1987 - Robert Mugabe.

Parliament is bicameral. The Senate consists of 93 members (60 are elected by the population, 10 provincial governors are ex officio, 16 local chiefs are elected by the council of chiefs, 5 senators are appointed by the president, and the senate also includes the chairman and deputy of the council of chiefs). House of Assembly - 210 deputies, elected by the population once every 5 years.

Political parties:

Movement for Democratic Change (Morgan Tsvangirai) - 30 seats in the Senate, 109 seats in the House of Assembly;

ZANU-PF (Robert Mugabe) - 30 seats in the Senate, 97 seats in the House of Assembly.

More than 20 parties are registered, of which the most influential are: Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) - Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, the ruling political party. party of the country, main in 1963;

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC, actually two organizations) - Movement for Democratic Change; National Alliance for Good Governance (NAGG);

United Party (UP) - United Party; Zimbabwe African National Union - Ndonga (ZANU-Ndonga) - Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga; Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) - Zimbabwe African People Union.

Congress of Trade Unions of Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), main. in 1981; Federation of Trade Unions of Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe Trade Unions Federation (ZTUF).

Armed forces

Army size: 39 thousand people, of which ground forces - 35 thousand, aviation - 4 thousand. Commander-in-Chief - President. The number of police is 19.5 thousand people. In addition, there is a paramilitary police force - 2.3 thousand people. (2000) Military spending -3.7% of GDP (2006 estimate).