The Guinness Encyclopedia

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ The Guinness Encyclopedia / The Guinness Encyclopedia - Wayzata Technology (3221-1B) (Disc 2) (1995).iso / countrie / countrie.s / card_53003.xml < prev next >

Wrap

Extensible Markup Language | 1995-06-15 | 5KB | 19 lines

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE card PUBLIC "-//Apple, Inc.//DTD card V 2.0//EN" "" > <card> <id>53003</id> <filler1>0</filler1> <cantDelete> <false /> </cantDelete> <showPict> <true /> </showPict> <dontSearch> <false /> </dontSearch> <owner>5472</owner> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet_3106.css" /> <content> <layer>background</layer> <id>31</id> <text>ZIMBABWEOfficial name: The Republic of ZimbabweMember of: UN, Commonwealth, OAUArea: 390757 km2 (150872 sq mi)Population: 10687000 (1993 est)Capital: Harare (formerly Salisbury) 1184000 (1992 est)Other major cities: Bulawayo 621000, Chitungwiza 274000 (1989 est)Languages: English (official), Chishona, SindebeleReligions: Animist (42%), Anglican (30%), Roman Catholic (15%), PresbyterianGOVERNMENTThe 150-member House of Assembly comprises 120 members elected by universal adult suffrage for six years, 12 nominated members, 10 traditional chiefs and eight appointed provincial governors. The President ΓÇô who is elected by Parliament for six years ΓÇô appoints a Cabinet which is responsible to the Assembly.GEOGRAPHYCentral Zimbabwe comprises the ridge of the Highveld, rising to between 1200 and 1500 m (about 4000 to 5000 ft). The Highveld is bounded on the southwest and northeast by the Middle Veld and the Lowveld plateau. The highest point is Mount Inyangani at 2592 m (8504 ft). Principal river: Zambezi 3540 km (2200 mi). Climate: The climate is tropical in the lowlands and subtropical at altitude. There is a pronounced dry season from June to September.ECONOMYAgriculture involves over 65% of the labor force. Tobacco, sugar cane, cotton, wheat and maize are exported as well as being the basis of processing industries. Natural resources include coal, gold, asbestos and nickel. Currency: Zimbabwe dollar.HISTORYThe region was the location of the ancient Zimbabwe kingdom. The area was gradually penetrated by British and Boer hunters, missionaries and prospectors from the 1830s, and was occupied by the British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes in the 1890s. The highlands of what became Southern Rhodesia were settled by White farmers, who deprived Africans of land and reduced them to a cheap labor force. Britain took over the administration from the Company in 1923 and granted self-government to the White colonists. Immigration from Britain and South Africa increased after World War II, but the Whites remained outnumbered by the Africans by more than 20 to 1. Racial discrimination stimulated African nationalism, initially led by Joshua Nkomo (1917ΓÇô ). When the short-lived Central African Federation of South Rhodesia, North Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi) was dissolved (1963), Britain refused the White South Rhodesian administration independence without progress to majority rule.The White government led by Ian Smith (1919ΓÇô ) unilaterally declared independence in 1965, renaming the country Rhodesia. Internal opposition was crushed and international economic sanctions were overcome, but guerrilla wars, mounted by African nationalists during the 1970s, became increasingly effective. In 1979 Smith had to accept majority rule, but the constitution he introduced was unacceptable either to the Zimbabwe African PeopleΓÇÖs Union (ZAPU) of Joshua Nkomo or to the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) of Robert Mugabe (1928ΓÇô ). All parties agreed to the brief reimposition of British rule to achieve a settlement. ZANU under Mugabe took the country to independence in 1980. In 1987 ZANU and ZAPU finally agreed to unite, effectively introducing a one-party state.</text> </content> <name>Zimbabwe</name> <script></script> </card>