12 interesting facts about Zimbabwe
- 1 June 1979 - The nation of Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia, was formed.
- Zimbabwe is situated in south-central Africa, between two of the well known African rivers the Limpopo and the mighty Zambezi.
- The name Zimbabwe derives from “Dzimba dza mabwe,” meaning “great houses of stone” in the Shona language.
- Lake Kariba on the River Zambezi is one of the world’s largest manmade lakes.
- Zimbabwe began as a part of the British crown colony of Rhodesia.On 18 April 1980 Zimbabwe became an independent state.
- The official language is English, with Shona and Sindebele dialects.
- Life expectancy is only 40 because of AIDS.
- The Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe are locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, "the smoke that thunders". They were designated as a World Heritage site in 1986.
- The currency in Zimbabwe is the Zimbabwe dollar.
- The country’s natural resources include coal, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, lithium, tin, and platinum.
- Zimbabwe has a tropical type of climate. In winter the annual temperature ranges from 12 degree Celsius to 13 degree Celsius.
- February 2000 - In a referendum held Zimbabwe voters rejected a new constitution which included provisions that called for redistribution of white-owned farmland to blacks.
