Zimbabwe Country Guide
More than a million travellers head to Zimbabwe each year and make their way to famous sights like the Victoria Falls as well as to lesser known wonders like the rocky National Park or the Zimbabwe Ruins that date back to the medieval times. Nature lovers, however, must not leave without visiting the Hwange (Wankie) Game Reserve. The city of Bulawayo is Zimbabwe's second largest and is a pleasing mix of the old and the new. The people are friendly and the city welcomes visitors to its verdant avenues that are dotted with cafes. Old shops jostle for space alongside modern structures, making the city a traveller's delight.
The romantics will be mesmerized by the lush greenery that drapes the slopes of the Eastern Highlands while animal lovers will be wonderstruck by the sheer variety of wildlife they can get up close with on a holiday to Zimbabwe. For a spot of history and culture, there are several ancient ruins to be explored, and the vibrant capital city of Harare, with its urban delights, is not to be missed.
This Zimbabwe Country Guide gives some useful background information about this wonderful country. A great way to see the local highlights of Zimbabwe and experience the local culture is by taking a Zimbabwe tour.
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Zimbabwe Country Guide
Useful information on this page includes:
Climate/Weather
Communication
What was once hailed as one of Africa's leading telecommunications systems is today a poor shadow of itself. Zimbabwe's phone system has fallen into a state of disrepair, with thousands of unfulfilled requests for new lines and an equal number of unused old ones.
Domestic: The internet is available in the capital city of Harare, but access in other towns and cities remains largely a dream, though plans are in the pipeline to network the country. Phone systems include fairly reasonable mobile cellular network coverage as well as open wire lines, microwave radio relay links, fixed wireless local loop installations and radiotelephone communication stations.
Currency
Electricity
Embassy Locations
General Information
Total Area: 390,757 sq km (150,872 sq miles).
Capital: Harare (1.5 million people)
Time Zone: GMT + 2.
For current time in Harare, click on this link to TimeAndDate.com.
Geography
The Middle Veld plateau region with its deep river valleys is shorter, at between 610 m and 1220 m, while the lowest part of the plateau or the Low Veld measures under 610 m at its highest point. Other low lying regions include the sandy plains that surround the Limpopo and Zambezi basins.
The eastern plains bordering the Indian Ocean are separated from Zimbabwe by steep mountains. Much of the country's water supply owes its origin to the High Veld, which feeds streams that flow into the Sabi and Limpopo as well as the Zambezi. Many rivers here have waterfalls and rapids, and the bigger ones have a flow of water all year round.
Health
History
The first Europeans to make an attempt to colonize the south central African region were the Portuguese in the 16th century. However, much of the heartland of the country remained free of European influence until explorers, ivory hunters, traders and missionaries arrived almost 300 years afterwards.
Language
Location
Passport / Visas
Note: To apply for a visa, all visitors must necessarily hold a passport that is valid for at least six months past the proposed departure date from Zimbabwe. Travellers must also hold return tickets or sufficient funds to pay for their return ticket as well as funds to sustain them during their stay. Do remember, a visa does not assure you entry into the country.
Visas
Visas must be obtained by all foreign nationals visiting Zimbabwe unless one of the following applies:
You plan to only transit in the country for 6 hours and will catch the same or a connecting flight to a third country after that. During this time, you will not be allowed to leave the transit lounge of the airport and must have valid documents and confirmed reservations for your onward journey.
If you are a national of one of the countries listed below, then you can apply for a visa upon arrival in Zimbabwe: UK, USA, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Poland, Netherlands, Malta, Luxembourg, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Germany, France, Finland, Denmark, Cyprus, Canada, Belgium, Austria and Australia.
This visa will allow you to stay for up to 90 days in the country, but you must possess tickets and documents for your onward or return journey and adequate funds to support you during your visit.
Types of Visa and Cost
The cost of your visa to Zimbabwe depends on your nationality as well as where you get your visa from. For instance, a British national will have to pay £40 for a single entry visa and £50 for a double entry visa if obtained at an embassy in their country. If the same visas are obtained on arrival at the port of entry, then they would cost £35 and £45, respectively.
Validity
All visas are valid for up to six months from the date of issue.
People/Culture
Christianity is the dominant religion but people have mixed beliefs that include faith in witchcraft, ancestor worship and spiritual doctors. Many also use totems in their worship. Roman Catholicism is the main religion, while 1% of the population is Muslim.
Public Holidays
Religion
Aside from Christianity, the Mwari cult has a huge following. This non Christian religion involves the interplay of spirits and the worship of ancestors. The Mwari is said to be a higher power that interacts with human followers via an oracle called the Voice of Mwari, who lives in a cave.
