Zimbabwe - Economic Indicators

Economic Overview

Zimbabwe's economy depends heavily on its mining and agriculture sectors. Following a decade of contraction from 1998 to 2008, the economy recorded real growth of more than 10% per year in the period 2010-13, before falling below 3% in the period 2014-17, due to poor harvests, low diamond revenues, and decreased investment. Lower mineral prices, infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies, a poor investment climate, a large public and external debt burden, and extremely high government wage expenses impede the country’s economic performance. Until early 2009, the Reserve...

Continue reading View Factbook for Zimbabwe

GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Private Consumption 2022 9,625,377,342,679 2,394,826,178,945 ZWD Annual
Investment 2022 1,442,954,768,064 395,535,819,054 ZWD Annual
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2022 12,428,157,261,248 3,189,937,242,139 ZWD Annual
Real Private Consumption 2017 8,733,698,400 10,598,260,900 NCU Annual
Real Government Consumption 2017 4,913,915,800 3,833,720,500 NCU Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2017 2,998,285,700 2,015,381,300 NCU Annual
Real Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2017 2,904,249,800 1,901,229,500 NCU Annual
Real Investment 2017 2,914,457,900 1,911,437,500 NCU Annual
Government Consumption 2005 5,414 5,015 Mil. ZWC Annual
Real Gross Domestic Product 2004 80.08 83.47 Index 2000=100 Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Aug 2023 23,599 25,147 2010=100, NSA Monthly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 5,560,767 5,318,484 # Annual
Unemployment Rate 2017 5.01 5.05 % of total labor force Annual
Labor Force 2016 7,887,375 7,686,883 # Annual
Wage & Salaries 2012 2,172,981,281 1,544,092,603 NCU Annual
Total Employment 2002 1,071 1,183 Ths. Annual
Labor Force Employment 2002 1,071 1,183 Ths. Annual
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Exports of Goods and Services 2022 3,463,218,242,912 810,609,186,826 ZWD Annual
Imports of Goods and Services 2022 4,583,894,830,403 985,729,966,381 ZWD Annual
Current Account Balance 2020 Q4 408,069,305 379,247,849 USD, NSA Quarterly
Imports of Goods 2020 Q4 1,425,219,007 1,144,960,110 USD, NSA Quarterly
Balance of Goods 2020 Q4 106,360,839 146,136,903 USD, NSA Quarterly
Exports of Goods 2020 Q4 1,531,579,846 1,291,097,013 USD, NSA Quarterly
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2017 4,011,191,600 3,803,088,700 NCU Annual
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2017 5,901,884,500 5,964,012,700 NCU Annual
Government Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Government Expenditures 2017 20,214,457,800 18,948,528,700 NCU Annual
Government Budget Balance 2011 -302,361,074 -185,006,953 current LCU Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Treasury Bills (over 31 days) Jan 2008 340 340 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Lending Rate Jan 2008 975 975 % - End of period Monthly
Money Market Rate Sep 2005 132.5 132.5 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Average Long-term Government Bond Dec 1992 17.4 17.4 % Monthly
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Change in Inventories 2016 11,000,000 8,000,000 NCU Annual
Real Change in Inventories 2016 10,208,100 7,584,400 NCU Annual
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Population 2020 14,862,927 14,645,473 # Annual
Net Migration 2017 -99,998 # Annual
Birth Rate 2016 33.14 33.94 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Death Rate 2016 8.08 8.4 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the former British South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land redistribution campaign, which began in 1997 and intensified after 2000, caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection.
In 2005, the capital city of Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition. MUGABE in 2007 instituted price controls on all basic commodities causing panic buying and leaving store shelves empty for months. General elections held in March 2008 contained irregularities but still amounted to a censure of the ZANU-PF-led government with the opposition winning a majority of seats in parliament. Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai opposition leader Morgan TSVANGIRAI won the most votes in the presidential poll, but not enough to win outright. In the lead up to a run-off election in June 2008, considerable violence against opposition party members led to the withdrawal of TSVANGIRAI from the ballot. Extensive evidence of violence and intimidation resulted in international condemnation of the process. Difficult negotiations over a power-sharing "government of national unity," in which MUGABE remained president and TSVANGIRAI became prime minister, were finally settled in February 2009, although the leaders failed to agree upon many key outstanding governmental issues. MUGABE was reelected president in 2013 in balloting that was severely flawed and internationally condemned. As a prerequisite to holding the election, Zimbabwe enacted a new constitution by referendum, although many provisions in the new constitution have yet to be codified in law. In November 2017, Vice President Emmerson MNANGAGWA took over following a military intervention that forced MUGABE to resign. MNANGAGWA was inaugurated president days later, promising to hold presidential elections in 2018.

Geography

Location:
Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 390,757 sq km
land: 386,847 sq km
water: 3,910 sq km
country comparison to the world: 62
Area - comparative:
about four times the size of Indiana; slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 3,229 km
border countries (4): Botswana 834 km, Mozambique 1,402 km, South Africa 230 km, Zambia 763 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain:
mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Elevation:
mean elevation: 961 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Natural resources:
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use:
agricultural land: 42.5%
arable land 10.9%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 31.3%
forest: 39.5%
other: 18% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
1,740 sq km (2012)
Population - distribution:
Aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half
Natural hazards:
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)

People & Society

Population:
13,805,084
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Nationality:
noun: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups:
African 99.4% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group), other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2% (2012 est.)
Languages:
Shona (official; most widely spoken), Ndebele (official, second most widely spoken), English (official; traditionally used for official business), 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa)
Religions:
Protestant 74.8% (includes Apostolic 37.5%, Pentecostal 21.8%, other 15.5%), Roman Catholic 7.3%, other Christian 5.3%, traditional 1.5%, Muslim 0.5%, other 0.1%, none 10.5% (2015 est.)
Demographic profile:
Zimbabwe’s progress in reproductive, maternal, and child health has stagnated in recent years. According to a 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, contraceptive use, the number of births attended by skilled practitioners, and child mortality have either stalled or somewhat deteriorated since the mid-2000s. Zimbabwe’s total fertility rate has remained fairly stable at about 4 children per woman for the last two decades, although an uptick in the urban birth rate in recent years has caused a slight rise in the country’s overall fertility rate. Zimbabwe’s HIV prevalence rate dropped from approximately 29% to 15% since 1997 but remains among the world’s highest and continues to suppress the country’s life expectancy rate. The proliferation of HIV/AIDS information and prevention programs and personal experience with those suffering or dying from the disease have helped to change sexual behavior and reduce the epidemic.
Historically, the vast majority of Zimbabwe’s migration has been internal – a rural-urban flow. In terms of international migration, over the last 40 years Zimbabwe has gradually shifted from being a destination country to one of emigration and, to a lesser degree, one of transit (for East African illegal migrants traveling to South Africa). As a British colony, Zimbabwe attracted significant numbers of permanent immigrants from the UK and other European countries, as well as temporary economic migrants from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Although Zimbabweans have migrated to South Africa since the beginning of the 20th century to work as miners, the first major exodus from the country occurred in the years before and after independence in 1980. The outward migration was politically and racially influenced; a large share of the white population of European origin chose to leave rather than live under a new black-majority government.
In the 1990s and 2000s, economic mismanagement and hyperinflation sparked a second, more diverse wave of emigration. This massive out migration – primarily to other southern African countries, the UK, and the US – has created a variety of challenges, including brain drain, illegal migration, and human smuggling and trafficking. Several factors have pushed highly skilled workers to go abroad, including unemployment, lower wages, a lack of resources, and few opportunities for career growth.
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.9% (male 2,658,563/female 2,711,017)
15-24 years: 20.47% (male 1,383,337/female 1,442,738)
25-54 years: 31.9% (male 2,207,012/female 2,196,996)
55-64 years: 4.27% (male 233,771/female 355,738)
65 years and over: 4.46% (male 251,968/female 363,944) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 79.5
youth dependency ratio: 74.4
elderly dependency ratio: 5.1
potential support ratio: 19.7 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 20 years
male: 19.6 years
female: 20.4 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
Population growth rate:
1.56% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Birth rate:
34.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Death rate:
10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Net migration rate:
-8.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
Population distribution:
Aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half
Urbanization:
urban population: 32.2% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 2.44% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
HARARE (capital) 1.501 million (2015)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.58 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
20 years
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2015 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
443 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 36.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 28.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.4 years
male: 58.3 years
female: 62.5 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
Total fertility rate:
3.98 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
66.8% (2015)
Health expenditures:
6.4% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 98
Physicians density:
0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Hospital bed density:
1.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 97% of population
rural: 67.3% of population
total: 76.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 3% of population
rural: 32.7% of population
total: 23.1% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 49.3% of population
rural: 30.8% of population
total: 36.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 50.7% of population
rural: 69.2% of population
total: 63.2% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
13.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.3 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
30,000 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
15.5% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 126
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
11.2% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 69
Education expenditures:
8.4% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 155
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 86.5%
male: 88.5%
female: 84.6% (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 10 years (2013)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 16.5%
male: 11.7%
female: 21.1% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
conventional short form: Zimbabwe
former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia
etymology: takes its name from the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (13th-15th century) and its capital of Great Zimbabwe, the largest stone structure in pre-colonial southern Africa
Government type:
semi-presidential republic
Capital:
name: Harare
geographic coordinates: 17 49 S, 31 02 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
Independence:
18 April 1980 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution:
history: previous 1965 (at Rhodesian independence), 1979 (Lancaster House Agreement), 1980 (at Zimbabwean independence); latest final draft completed January 2013, approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013, effective 22 May 2013
amendments: proposed by the Senate or by the National-Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament and assent by the president of the republic; amendments to constitutional chapters on fundamental human rights and freedoms and on agricultural lands also require approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2017 (2017)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law, and customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Zimbabwe; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 24 November 2017); note - Robert Gabriel MUGABE resigned on 21 November 2017, after ruling for 37 years
head of government: President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 24 November 2017)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to National Assembly
elections/appointments: each presidential candidate nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least 1 candidate from each province) and directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 31 July 2013 (next to be held in 2018); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership
election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE (ZANU-PF) 61.1%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI (MDC-T) 34.4%, Welshman NCUBE (MDC-N) 2.7%, other 1.8%; note - the election process was considered flawed and roundly criticized by election monitors and international bodies; both the African Union and the South African Development Community endorsed the results of the election with some concerns
Legislative branch:
description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (80 seats; 60 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 6 seats in each of the 10 provinces - by proportional representation vote, 16 indirectly elected by the regional governing councils, 2 reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities; members serve 5-year terms) and the National Assembly (270 seats; 210 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 seats reserved for women directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 31 July 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 37, MDC-T 21, MDC-N 2, chiefs 18, people with disabilities 2; House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 62.4%, MDC-T 30.3%, MDC-N 4.7%, other 0.7%, independent 1.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 196, MDC-T 70, MDC-N 2, independent 2
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body consisting of the chief justice, Public Service Commission chairman, attorney general, and 2-3 members appointed by the president; judges normally serve until age 65 but can elect to serve until age 70; Constitutional Court judge appointment NA; judges serve nonrenewable 15-year terms
subordinate courts: High Court; Labor Court; Administrative Court; regional magistrate courts; customary law courts; special courts
Political parties and leaders:
Freedom Front [Cosmas MPONDA]
Movement for Democratic Change - Ncube or MDC-N [Welshman NCUBE]
Movement for Democratic Change - MDC-T (acting leader Nelson CHAMISA)
National People's Party or NPP [Joyce MUJURU] formerly Zimbabwe People First or ZimPF)
New Patriotic Front or NPF [Ambrose MUTINHIRI]
Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Tendai BITI]
Transform Zimbabwe or TZ [Jacob NGARIVHUME]
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA]
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Dumiso DABENGWA]
Zimbabwe People First or ZimFirst [Maxwell SHUMBA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]
Women of Zimbabwe Arise or WOZA [Jenni WILLIAMS]
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Peter MUTASA]
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association or ZimRights [Okay MACHISA]
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum [Jestina MUKOKO]
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights or ZLHR [Roselyn HANZI]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ammon MUTEMBWA (since 18 November 2014)
chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100
FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jennifer L. SAVAGE (since 25 March 2018)
embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
mailing address: P.O. Box 3340, Harare
telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 through 250-594
FAX: [263] (4) 796-488
Flag description:
seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green represents agriculture, yellow mineral wealth, red the blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people
National symbol(s):
Zimbabwe bird symbol, African fish eagle, flame lily; national colors: green, yellow, red, black, white
National anthem:
name: "Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe" [Northern Ndebele language] "Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe" [Shona] (Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe)
lyrics/music: Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA
note: adopted 1994

Economy

Economy - overview:
Zimbabwe's economy depends heavily on its mining and agriculture sectors. Following a decade of contraction from 1998 to 2008, the economy recorded real growth of more than 10% per year in the period 2010-13, before falling below 3% in the period 2014-17, due to poor harvests, low diamond revenues, and decreased investment. Lower mineral prices, infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies, a poor investment climate, a large public and external debt burden, and extremely high government wage expenses impede the country’s economic performance.
Until early 2009, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) routinely printed money to fund the budget deficit, causing hyperinflation. Adoption of a multi-currency basket in early 2009 - which allowed currencies such as the Botswana pula, the South Africa rand, and the US dollar to be used locally - reduced inflation below 10% per year. In January 2015, as part of the government’s effort to boost trade and attract foreign investment, the RBZ announced that the Chinese renmimbi, Indian rupee, Australian dollar, and Japanese yen would be accepted as legal tender in Zimbabwe, though transactions were predominantly carried out in US dollars and South African rand until 2016, when the rand’s devaluation and instability led to near-exclusive use of the US dollar. The government in November 2016 began releasing bond notes, a parallel currency legal only in Zimbabwe which the government claims will have a one-to-one exchange ratio with the US dollar, to ease cash shortages. Bond notes began trading at a discount of up to 10% in the black market by the end of 2016.
Zimbabwe’s government entered a second Staff Monitored Program with the IMF in 2014 and undertook other measures to reengage with international financial institutions. Zimbabwe repaid roughly $108 million in arrears to the IMF in October 2016, but financial observers note that Zimbabwe is unlikely to gain new financing because the government has not disclosed how it plans to repay more than $1.7 billion in arrears to the World Bank and African Development Bank. International financial institutions want Zimbabwe to implement significant fiscal and structural reforms before granting new loans. Foreign and domestic investment continues to be hindered by the lack of land tenure and titling, the inability to repatriate dividends to investors overseas, and the lack of clarity regarding the government’s Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$33.87 billion (2017 est.)
$32.94 billion (2016 est.)
$32.73 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 128
GDP (official exchange rate):
$17.11 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2017 est.)
0.7% (2016 est.)
1.4% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2017 est.)
$2,300 (2016 est.)
$2,300 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 200
Gross national saving:
15.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
15.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
4.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 84%
government consumption: 20.5%
investment in fixed capital: 13.8%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 26.4%
imports of goods and services: -44.9% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 12.5%
industry: 26.9%
services: 60.6% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
tobacco, corn, cotton, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs
Industries:
mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, diamonds, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
2.1% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Labor force:
7.907 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 66%
industry: 10%
services: 24% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate:
95% (2014 est.)
80% (2005 est.)
note: data include both unemployment and underemployment; true unemployment is unknown and, under current economic conditions, unknowable
country comparison to the world: 218
Population below poverty line:
72.3% (2012 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 40.4% (1995 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.1 (2011 est.)
50.1 (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Budget:
revenues: $3.6 billion
expenditures: $4.8 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
21% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-7% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
Public debt:
75.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
69.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2017 est.)
-1.6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Central bank discount rate:
7.17% (31 December 2010 est.)
975% (31 December 2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
18% (31 December 2017 est.)
15% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Stock of narrow money:
$2.395 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.274 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
note: Zimbabwe's central bank no longer publishes data on monetary aggregates, except for bank deposits, which amounted to $2.1 billion in November 2010; the Zimbabwe dollar stopped circulating in early 2009; since then, the US dollar and South African rand have been the most frequently used currencies; there are no reliable estimates of the amount of foreign currency circulating in Zimbabwe
country comparison to the world: 128
Stock of broad money:
$3.753 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$3.949 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.68 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.398 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.073 billion (13 April 2015 est.)
$11.82 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$10.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Current account balance:
$-617 million (2017 est.)
$-662 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Exports:
$3.763 billion (2017 est.)
$3.366 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Exports - commodities:
platinum, cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing
Exports - partners:
South Africa 79.5%, Mozambique 9.5%, UAE 4.1% (2016)
Imports:
$5.605 billion (2017 est.)
$5.351 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels, food products
Imports - partners:
South Africa 46.6%, Zambia 24% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$374 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$407.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Debt - external:
$10.97 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$10.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$3.918 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$3.518 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$294.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$271.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Exchange rates:
Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar -
1 (2017 est.)
1 (2016 est.)
NA (2013)
234.25 (2010)
note: the dollar was adopted as a legal currency in 2009; since then the Zimbabwean dollar has experienced hyperinflation and is essentially worthless

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 8,500,000
electrification - total population: 40%
electrification - urban areas: 80%
electrification - rural areas: 21% (2013)
Electricity - production:
9.384 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Electricity - consumption:
7.63 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Electricity - exports:
1.239 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Electricity - imports:
1.139 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
2.129 million kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
58% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
37.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Refined petroleum products - imports:
26,390 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
11 million Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 305,720
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 12,878,926
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 93 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Telephone system:
general assessment: competition has driven rapid expansion of telecommunications, particularly cellular voice and mobile broadband, in recent years; continued economic instability and infrastructure limitations, such as reliable power, hinder progress
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, fiber-optic cable, VSAT terminals, and a substantial mobile-cellular network; Internet connection is most readily available in Harare and major towns; two government owned and two private cellular providers; 3G and VoIP services are widely available with 4G/LTE service being deployed
international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; 5 international digital gateway exchanges; fiber-optic connections to neighboring states provide access to international networks via undersea cable (2017)
Broadcast media:
government owns all local radio and TV stations; foreign shortwave broadcasts and satellite TV are available to those who can afford antennas and receivers; in rural areas, access to TV broadcasts is extremely limited; analog TV only, no digital service (2017)
Internet country code:
.zw
Internet users:
total: 3,363,256
percent of population: 23.1% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 2
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 4
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 370,164
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 962,642 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
Z (2016)
Airports:
196 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 29
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 179
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 104
under 914 m: 72 (2013)
Pipelines:
refined products 270 km (2013)
Railways:
total: 3,427 km
narrow gauge: 3,427 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2014)
country comparison to the world: 56
Roadways:
total: 97,267 km
paved: 18,481 km
unpaved: 78,786 km (2002)
country comparison to the world: 49
Waterways:
(some navigation possible on Lake Kariba) (2011)
Ports and terminals:
river port(s): Binga, Kariba (Zambezi)

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
2.2% of GDP (2016)
2.34% of GDP (2015)
2.32% of GDP (2014)
2.34% of GDP (2013)
2.26% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 45
Military branches:
Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) (2012)
Military service age and obligation:
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women are eligible to serve (2012)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 9,189 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2018)
IDPs: undetermined (political violence, violence in association with the 2008 election, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2015)
stateless persons: 300,000 (2016)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Zimbabwean women and girls from towns bordering South Africa, Mozambique, and Zambia are subjected to forced labor, including domestic servitude, and prostitution catering to long-distance truck drivers; Zimbabwean men, women, and children experience forced labor in agriculture and domestic servitude in rural areas; family members may recruit children and other relatives from rural areas with promises of work or education in cities and towns where they end up in domestic servitude and sex trafficking; Zimbabwean women and men are lured into exploitative labor situations in South Africa and other neighboring countries
tier rating: Tier 3 - Zimbabwe does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government passed an anti-trafficking law in 2014 defining trafficking in persons as a crime of transportation and failing to capture the key element of the international definition of human trafficking – the purpose of exploitation – which prevents the law from being comprehensive or consistent with the 2000 UN TIP Protocol that Zimbabwe acceded to in 2013; the government did not report on anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts during 2014, and corruption in law enforcement and the judiciary remain a concern; authorities made minimal efforts to identify and protect trafficking victims, relying on NGOs to identify and assist victims; Zimbabwe’s 2014 anti-trafficking law required the opening of 10 centers for trafficking victims, but none were established during the year; five existing shelters for vulnerable children and orphans may have accommodated child victims; in January 2015, an inter-ministerial anti-trafficking committee was established, but it is unclear if the committee ever met or initiated any activities (2015)
Illicit drugs:
transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines en route to South Africa

Economic Indicators for Zimbabwe including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Zimbabwe economy.