ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe—a country with serious social and political problems—has environmental concerns to match. Misguided resettlement programs by the government have resulted in environmental degradation and soil erosion, while reducing agricultural yields. Over-grazing and agriculture, combined with the erosion, are causing desertification in some areas.

Between 1990 and 2005, Zimbabwe lost 21 percent of its forest cover. The country has no primary forests left, and deforestation rates have increased by 16 percent since the end of the 1990s.

Despite this degradation, Zimbabwe has some 1,747 species of trees among its 4,500 species of higher plants. The country is also home to a number of safari animals like elephants, lions, and hippos. In total 270 species of mammals are found in Zimbabwe along with 180 reptiles and 661 birds.

From a tourism standpoint, Zimbabwe is best-known internationally for Victoria Falls and the Zambezi river. On paper, 14.7 percent of the country is under some form of protection.

Zimbabwe has one of the highest rates of AIDS infection on the planet, and population growth rates have fallen significantly in the past decade to 1.1 percent (without AIDS the population growth rate would be 2.5 percent). Today, because of AIDS, life expectancy in Zimbabwe has fallen from 64.9 to 39.2, almost a 40 percent decrease.

Zimbabwe is a major exporter of crocodile skins.

Suggested reading - Books

• The Rough Guide to Zimbabwe
• Culture and Customs of Zimbabwe
• The Battle for Zimbabwe: The Final Countdown

Image copyright Google Earth, MDA EarthSet, DigitalGlobe 2005

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Last updated: 4 Feb 2006