Zimbabwe (2002) | Kuwait (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands | 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 37.9% (male 2,178,073; female 2,128,287)
15-64 years: 58.4% (male 3,376,850; female 3,268,315) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 213,286; female 211,865) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
28.76% (male 299,080; female 288,125) 15-64 years: 68.82% (male 897,839; female 507,527) 65 years and over: 2.42% (male 31,843; female 17,547) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs | practically no crops; fish |
Airports | 454 (2001) | 8 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 17
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002) |
total:
4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 413
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 197 under 914 m: 212 (2002) |
total:
4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 390,580 sq km
land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km |
total:
17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Montana | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
Background | The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. His misguided land redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to have himself reelected. | Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that completely liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait has spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. |
Birth rate | 24.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 21.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.5 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues:
$11.5 billion expenditures: $17.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02) |
Capital | Harare | Kuwait |
Climate | tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March) | dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 499 km |
Constitution | 21 December 1979 | approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia |
conventional long form:
State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt |
Currency | Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD) | Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) |
Death rate | 24.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $5 billion (2001 est.) | $6.9 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN
embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796488 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador James A. LAROCCO embassy: Bayan, near the Bayan palace, Kuwait City mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait Unit 69000, APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 539-5307 FAX: [965] 538-0282 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO
chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517 |
Disputes - international | none | in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands |
Economic aid - recipient | $200 million (2000 est.) | $27.6 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier moves to develop a market-oriented economy. Its involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, has already drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999, to 60% in 2000, and to 100% by yearend 2001. The economy is being steadily weakened by excessive government deficits, AIDS, and rampant inflation. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has derailed the commercial sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs. Distribution of income is extremely unequal. | Kuwait is a small, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and 75% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Higher oil prices put the FY99/00 budget into a $2 billion surplus. The FY00/01 budget covers only nine months because of a change in the fiscal year. The budget for FY01/02, which begins 1 April, contains higher expenditures for salaries, construction, and other general categories. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country. |
Electricity - consumption | 10.475 billion kWh (2000) | 29.357 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 4.5 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 6.425 billion kWh (2000) | 31.567 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 53%
hydro: 47% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m |
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; 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 | limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to:
Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping |
Ethnic groups | African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1% | Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% |
Exchange rates | Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 54.9451 (December 2001), 54.9451 (2001), 43.2900 (2000), 38.3142 (1999), 21.4133 (1998), 11.8906 (1997) | Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.3057 (January 2001), 0.3067 (2000), 0.3044 (1999), 0.3047 (1998), 0.3033 (1997), 0.2994 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9% |
chief of state:
Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamud Al Sabah (since NA) and MUHAMMAD KHALID al-Hamed Al Sabah (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $2.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $23.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | tobacco 30%, gold 11%, ferroalloys 9%, textile/clothing 3% (2000) | oil and refined products, fertilizers |
Exports - partners | South Africa 12.1%, UK 8.5%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 6.1%, China 5.4% (2000) | Japan 23%, US 12%, Singapore 8%, Netherlands 7% (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 January - 31 December | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $28 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $29.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11%
industry: 14% services: 75% (2000 est.) |
agriculture:
0% industry: 55% services: 45% (1996) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -6.5% (2001 est.) | 6% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 30 00 E | 29 30 N, 45 45 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water | strategic location at head of Persian Gulf |
Heliports | - | 3 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total: 18,338 km
paved: 8,692 km unpaved: 9,646 km (2002) |
total:
4,450 km paved: 3,590 km unpaved: 860 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 47% (1990) (1990) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets | - |
Imports | $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 34%, other manufactures 18%, chemicals 17%, fuels 11% (1999) | food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing |
Imports - partners | South Africa 46.3%, UK 7.2%, Germany 2.5%, US 2.8%, Japan 2.5% (2000 est.) | US 15%, Japan 10%, UK 7%, Germany 7% (1999) |
Independence | 18 April 1980 (from UK) | 19 June 1961 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | -10% (2001 est.) | 1% (1997 est.) |
Industries | mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages | petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials |
Infant mortality rate | 62.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 100% (2001) | 3% (2000) |
International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2000) | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 1,170 sq km (1998 est.) | 20 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; High Court | High Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 5.5 million (2000 est.) | 1.3 million (1998 est.)
note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996 est.) | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
Land boundaries | total: 3,066 km
border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km |
total:
464 km border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
Land use | arable land: 8.4%
permanent crops: 0.34% other: 91.26% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects | Arabic (official), English widely spoken |
Legal system | mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law | civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president)
elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 47.2%, MDC 45.6%, ZANU-Ndonga 0.7%, United Parties 0.7%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 63, MDC 56, ZANU-Ndonga 1 |
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 July 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 36.5 years
male: 37.87 years female: 35.1 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
76.27 years male: 75.42 years female: 77.15 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.6% male: 82.2% female: 74.9% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Africa | Middle East |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea:
12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,461,072 GRT/3,966,645 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 6, container 6, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 20 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police) | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $350.6 million (FY01) | $1.9 billion (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.8% (FY01) | 8.7% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 3,057,381 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
780,559 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,898,383 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
466,521 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
18,309 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 18 April (1980) | National Day, 25 February (1950) |
Nationality | noun: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective: Zimbabwean |
noun:
Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti |
Natural hazards | recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare | sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August |
Natural resources | coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals | petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas |
Net migration rate | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment (2002 est.) |
14.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products 212 km | crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km |
Political parties and leaders | Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA] | none; formation of political parties is illegal |
Political pressure groups and leaders | National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU] | several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists |
Population | 11,376,676
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.) |
2,041,961
note: includes 1,159,913 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 60% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.05% (2002 est.) | 3.38% (2001 est.)
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates |
Ports and harbors | Binga, Kariba | Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 1.14 million (1997) | 1.175 million (1997) |
Railways | total: 3,077 km
narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double-tracked) note: includes the 318 km Bulawaya-Beitbridge Railway Company line (2001) |
0 km |
Religions | syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1% | Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.51 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time |
Telephone system | general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru) |
general assessment:
the quality of service is excellent domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, open wire, and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 212,000 (in addition, there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997) | 412,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 111,000 (2001) | 210,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 16 (1997) | 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east | flat to slightly undulating desert plain |
Total fertility rate | 3.21 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.2 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 60% (2001 est.) | 1.8% (official 1996 est.) |
Waterways | chrome ore is transported from Harare - by way of the Mazoe River - to the Zambezi River in Mozambique | none |