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Provides overview, key facts and events, timelines and leader profiles along with current news about Zimbabwe.The fortunes of Zimbabwe have for almost three decades been tied to President Robert Mugabe, the pro-independence campaigner who wrested control from a small white community and became the country's first black leader.
Until the 2008 parliamentary elections, Zimbabwe was effectively a one-party state, ruled over by Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF. A power-sharing deal has raised hopes that Mr Mugabe might be prepared to relinquish some of his powers, but in the meantime he presides over a nation whose economy is in tatters, where poverty and unemployment are endemic and political strife and repression commonplace.
• Full name: Republic of Zimbabwe
• Population: 12.6 million (UN, 2010)
• Capital: Harare
• Area: 390,759 sq km (150,873 sq miles)
• Major language: English (official), Shona, Sindebele
• Major religions: Christianity, indigenous beliefs
• Life expectancy: 50 years (men), 50 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 Zimbabwe dollar = 100 cents
• Main exports: Tobacco, cotton, agricultural products, gold, minerals
• GNI per capita: Estimated to be low income: $995 or less (World Bank, 2009)
• Internet domain: .zw
• International dialling code: +263
BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1064589.stm)
Provides overview, key facts and events, timelines and leader profiles along with current news about Zimbabwe.
Attribution: CNN, BBC and IOL Africa.