Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Zambia
Disputes - international:
in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and
Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto
recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia
boundary in the river
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 88,842 (Angola) 66,248 (Democratic
Republic of the Congo) 5,791 (Rwanda) (2005)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small
amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and
possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled
with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it
an unattractive venue for money launderers
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Zimbabwe
Introduction Zimbabwe
Background:
The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] 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. His chaotic land
redistribution campaign, which began in 2000, caused an exodus of
white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread
shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation,
MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his
reelection. Opposition and labor strikes in 2003 were unsuccessful
in pressuring MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued
their brutal repression of regime opponents. The ruling ZANU-PF
party used fraud and intimidation to win a two-thirds majority in
the March 2005 parliamentary election, allowing it to amend the
constitution at will and recreate the Senate, which had been
abolished in the late 1980s. In April 2005, Harare embarked on
Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization
program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or
businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition,
according to UN estimates.