http://www.mapsofworld.com/africa/
Zimbabwe was the last stop on the main part of our trip. Annually, nearly 1 million people visit Victoria Falls, the country's most popular attraction which borders Zimbabwe and Zambia.
- Population: 13 million
- Area: 150,873 sq. miles
- Official language: English
- Major religion: Christianity
- Life expectancy: 54 (men), 53 (women)
- Currency: US dollar and South African rand predominate
History:
- 1200-1600 Era of the Monomotapa Empire marked by international trade, gold mining and construction of Great Zimbabwe, a World Heritage Site
- 1889-1923 Cecil Rhodes and his British South Africa Company colonize the area which becomes Southern Rhodesia
- 1965 Prime Minister Ian Smith declares independence from Britain under white-minority rule, leading to international isolation
- 1980 Robert Mugabe becomes Prime Minister
- 2000's Land redistribution under Mugabe. Whiter farmers forced off their land
- 2002-present Mugabe dominates the political scene
***Once the Bread Basket of the region, Zimbabwe struggles to feed its own people due to severe droughts and the effects of land reforms. Unemployment hovers around 90% and many Zimbabweans have left to seek work in South Africa.
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| Wildlife find relief from the drought at a watering hole where water is being pumped in for them |
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