Zimbabwe: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Dec 25, 2025

News •

Mohamed Salah claims Africa Cup of Nations record as Egypt beat Zimbabwe • Dec. 23, 2025, 9:13 PM ET (ABC News (Australia))

Egypt vs Zimbabwe — latest • Dec. 23, 2025, 3:03 AM ET (New York Times)

How late Mohamed Salah winner gave Egypt a dramatic AFCON win against Zimbabwe - The Athletic • Dec. 22, 2025, 11:43 AM ET (New York Times)

Egypt 2 Zimbabwe 1: Salah scores late winner as Pharaohs fight back to avoid upset - The Athletic • Dec. 22, 2025, 11:11 AM ET (New York Times)

Macauley Bonne: Maldon striker set to face Salah at Afcon • Dec. 21, 2025, 6:05 PM ET (BBC)

Facts

Also Known As	Rhodesia • Southern Rhodesia • Republic of Zimbabwe • Zimbabwe Rhodesia
Head Of State And Government	President: Emmerson Mnangagwa
Capital	Harare
Population	(2025 est.) 15,952,000
Form Of Government	unitary republic with two legislative houses (Senate [80¹]; National Assembly [270²])
Official Languages	See footnote 3.
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Republic of Zimbabwe
Total Area (Sq Km)	390,757
Total Area (Sq Mi)	150,871
Monetary Unit	See footnotes 4, 5.
Population Rank	(2025) 74
Population Projection 2030	18,138,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 105.7
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 40.8
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2022) 38.8% • Rural: (2022) 61.2%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 61.2 years • Female: (2022) 68 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2022) 88% • Female: (2022) 91%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 33,687
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 2,060
¹Includes 60 members elected by a party-list system of proportional representation, with men and women being listed alternately on every list; 16 traditional chiefs are elected by the provincial assemblies of chiefs; 2 seats are reserved for the president and deputy president of the National Council of Chiefs; and 2 seats are reserved for representatives of people with disabilities.²Includes 210 directly elected seats and, for the first two assemblies elected after the promulgation of the 2013 constitution, 60 indirectly elected seats reserved for women.³There are 16 official languages: Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangaan (Shangani), Shona, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa.⁴The use of the Zimbabwe dollar (Z$) as legal currency was suspended indefinitely on April 12, 2009, because of long-term hyperinflation.⁵Multiple foreign currencies (including the U.S. dollar and South African rand) became legal tender in January 2009.