II.

Land and Resources

Zimbabwe is an upland country with a relatively temperate climate and a diversity of agricultural and mineral resources. The country occupies part of the great plateau of southern Africa. The most prominent physical feature is a broad upland that runs south-west to north-east across the country, and is most extensive in the north-east. It has an average elevation of about 1,525 m (5,000 ft) and is known as the Highveld. On either side of the Highveld the land slopes downward, in the north towards the River Zambezi and in the south towards the River Limpopo. These areas have average elevations of about 1,065 m (3,500 ft) and are known as the Middle Veld. The basins of the Zambezi, and the Limpopo, and, in the south-east, the Sabi-Lundi system are known as the Lowveld.

Along the eastern border is a mountainous range, the Eastern Highlands, which rises to a maximum elevation of 2,592 m (8,504 ft) at Inyangani. Apart from the Eastern Highlands, Zimbabwe’s terrain is predominantly gently undulating, except for a narrow belt of rugged hills associated with fault lines along the Zambezi valley. There is also the Great Dyke, made up of hard, intrusive rocks, which runs some 480 km (298 mi) roughly north-south through the centre of Zimbabwe, and gives rise to prominent ranges of hills; the Great Dyke contains many of Zimbabwe’s rich mineral deposits.

A.

Rivers and Lakes

A number of short rivers rise in the Highveld. Of these rivers the Shangani and Sanyati flow north, and the Sabi and Lundi flow south. Just downstream from the Victoria Falls on the Zambezi is Lake Kariba, which was formed behind the Kariba Dam. It is one of the world’s largest artificial lakes and lies astride the country’s north-western border with Zambia.

B.

Climate

Although Zimbabwe lies in the tropics, its climate is considerably moderated by both altitude and distance from the sea. The average temperature is 15.6° C (60° F) in July (winter), and 21.1° C (70° F) in January (summer). The average annual rainfall is about 890 mm (35 in) in the Highveld and less than 610 mm (24 in) in most parts of the Middle Veld. Most rainfall occurs between October and March. There is a tendency towards drought, though in 1997 rainfall in Zimbabwe was the highest for ten years.

C.

Plants and Animals

The land of Zimbabwe is primarily covered with savannah; a particularly lush grass grows during the moist summers. Forests are found only in limited areas along the eastern border and in the wettest areas of the Highveld. A rich variety of wildlife includes elephant, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, lion, hyena, crocodile, antelope, impala, giraffe, zebra, and baboon. Zimbabwe has taken a lead in wildlife conservation in Africa, and especially in the protection of the rhinoceros and elephant. It has helped pioneer new approaches to conservation, including giving local people an economic stake in the preservation of endangered species, and the development of wildlife ranching.

D.

Natural Resources

Zimbabwe is rich in mineral resources. Most minerals are found in the Great Dyke, including chromium ores, copper, asbestos, nickel, gold, silver, and iron ore. Large coal reserves are found in the north-west near Hwange. Other mineral resources include cobalt and tin.

E.

Environmental Concerns

Zimbabwe is mostly arid, with biomes ranging from dry woodland to grassland and dunes. Woodland covers about 22.5 per cent (1995) of the country, although the rate of deforestation is becoming serious. Reforestation programmes are under way to counteract the effects of firewood collection and pasture clearing. State forests make up slightly more than 2 per cent of the country, a small portion of which is moist forest. Wetlands are few, and some of the major ones are in or near protected areas.

Zimbabwe was among the first African nations to formulate a coherent conservation strategy, introduced in 1987. About 7.9 per cent (1997) of the country’s land is protected in a system that includes national parks, wildlife reserves, safari parks, and other areas. The government officially views the promotion of wildlife management as an economic form of sustainable resource use, and the country has a strong record of involving local people in the management of national parks, wildlife reserves, and other protected areas. Wildlife and game parks produce millions of pounds in tourist revenue, a large proportion of which remains in the local communities.

Zimbabwe’s rich biodiversity is important to its ecology and economy. Of about 192 endemic species, more than 40 per cent are endangered. Poaching is a serious threat, especially to valuable endangered species, such as the black rhinoceros and African elephant. The government protects some animal reserves with armed wardens.

Explosive population growth in the 1980s put significant pressure on agriculture and land use in Zimbabwe, yet per capita agricultural output did not increase between 1980 and 1990. Water availability is a major problem, and the nation is subject to periodic droughts that can be devastating to agriculture and the economy. Overcropping and overgrazing have led to soil erosion. Widespread pesticide contamination—especially from the dieldrin and DDT used in tsetse fly control—has significantly affected wildlife and human health. Zimbabwe participates in the World Heritage Convention, and three official sites have been designated. The country has also signed international environmental agreements on biodiversity, climate change, endangered species, law of the sea, and the ozone layer. Zimbabwe shares several cross-border protected areas with its neighbours Botswana and Zambia.