Geography
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country, surrounded by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the west, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east and northeast. The north-western border is defined by the Zambezi River. To the south, Zimbabwe is separated from South Africa by the Limpopo River. Zimbabwe also shares a narrow border with Namibia to the west via a narrow land corridor.
Facts and Figures
- Area:
- Total: 409,542 sq km
- Land: 386,670 sq km
- Water: 3,910 sq km
- 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: 8.4%
- Permanent crops: 0.34%
- Permanent pastures: 13%
- Forests and woodland: 18%
- Irrigated land: 1,170 sq km
- Natural hazards:
- Recurring droughts
- Floods and severe storms are rare
- Environmental Issues:
- Deforestation occurring at the rate of 300,000 hectares per annum
- 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 reduced by poaching
- Poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution
