Zimbabwe

(Republic of Zimbabwe)

General Information:

Location: Southern Africa
Capital: Harare
Language(s): English, Ndebele, Shona
Population: 15,473,818
Total Area: 390,757 sq km
Currencies: Zimbabwean Dollar, US Dollar, Euro (the Zimbabwean Dollar is actually not in widespread use as a result of an astronomical inflation rate, the highest in the world).
Curious Alcohol Fact: There is a locally-brewed drink called the ‘Scud’. And you will not believe it, it is actually named after the Scud missiles! Guess, that makes it the real brew!
Annual Average Liquor Consumption Per Capita: 5.06 liters
Most Popular Drink(s): Scud (popular local brew), Lagers (Zambezi, Castle and Black Label)

The Country:

The Republic of Zimbabwe is located in Southern Africa and the name is said to come from the Shona word that can be translated as the ‘house of stone’. Roughly circular in shape, Zimbabwe has been known by various names in the past: Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia. That brings to mind the fact that its northern neighbor, the Republic of Zambia was once called Northern Rhodesia. In addition to Zambia, Zimbabwe shares borders with Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana. After years of colonization by Britain and a vicious war for independence, the Zimbabweans finally became free to rule themselves in 1980. Since that year till date, Robert Gabriel Mugabe has been the President and Commander in Chief of the nation’s armed forces.

Zimbabwe Travel Video

Courtesy: Rob Rass

The People:

There is a very tiny proportion of White Zimbabweans and a vast majority of the populace is black. The major and predominant ethnic group in the country is the Shona, which accounts for more than 80% of the entire population. The other large group is the Ndebele accounting for about 10% of the population. In addition to these, there are minorities such as the Sotho, Kalanga and the Venda. Christianity is the most popular faith and more than 80% of the citizens are Christians. Others are either Muslims or traditional worshippers.

Eating In Zimbabwe:

From my observation, the most popular food in the country is sadza. This is made from corn flour and is usually served with meat and vegetables. Like many of the other staple foods in the country, sadza is made from corn, and this food crop is widely cultivated in various parts of the country. Meat is quite common and easy to buy, especially from the local hunters. In the main cities like Harare (the capital), Mutare and Bulawayo, there are numerous hotels, bars and restaurants. Here, you can get all sorts of European food. However, you tend to see more of English meals in such places rather than French, Spanish or German.

Drinking:

Drinking in Zimbabwe is fun, pure fun! There is a local drink named Scud (yes, after the real weapons!), and for those after something stronger, there are various beer brands for them to buy from the numerous bars and restaurants. These include the Castle and Zambezi brands.

Places To Visit:

Zimbabwe is a land of great beauty and enduring charm. There are many sites of attraction that you have to visit when you land there. One place that you must never fail to see is the majestic Victoria Falls, which is on the Zambezi River. You can also check out many of the country’s national parks, one of which is the Hwange National Park.

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Special Thanks To Our Contributors:
Adebayo Ahmed Adebola (Ilorin, Nigeria) for story editing.
Daniel Krasnopolsky (Woodmere, NY, USA) for web admin.