slands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London
(UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada),
Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo
(Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil),
Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Transportation - note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two
important waterways; significant domestic commercial and recreational
use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and
Gulf of Mexico coast of US

Transnational Issues Atlantic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Zimbabwe

Introduction

Zimbabwe

Background: The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the 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.

Geography Zimbabwe

Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 390,580 sq km water: 3,910 sq km land: 386,670 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km,
Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 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 extremes: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m highest
point: Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel,
copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 1% other: 91% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,17