power - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,157,479 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $76 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY97)

@Zambia:Transnational Issues

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for methaqualone, heroin, and
cocaine bound for Southern Africa and Europe; regional
money-laundering center

______________________________________________________________________

ZIMBABWE

@Zimbabwe:Introduction

Background: The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa
Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated to keep whites in
power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence,
but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded 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.

@Zimbabwe:Geography

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
land: 386,670 sq km
water: 3,910 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:
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:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 23%
other: 57% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,930 sq km (1993 est.)

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 redu