Zimbabwe is located in southern Africa. Much of the pie-shaped and landlocked country is high plateau. The Zambezi River forms Zimbabwe's northern border with Zambia, and the Limpopo River forms the southern border with South Africa. A mountainous region runs along the eastern border with Mozambique. On Zimbabwe's western border lies Botswana. The land is mostly tropical savannah, although average temperatures are more temperate in areas of high altitude. By land area, Zimbabwe is 386,670 square kilometers (149,250 square miles)—slightly smaller than the state of California.

Country Description

Zimbabwe has a population of approximately 12.5 million people. Although nineteen languages are spoken in the country, the two major Bantu ethno-linguistic groups are the Shona and the Ndebele. Shonas represent approximately 70 percent of Zimbabwe's total population. Ndebeles comprise about 15 percent and are located primarily in the southwest of the country. The small but very influential European and Indian groups together form...