Welcome to Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 — a remarkable landlocked destination in Eastern Africa. Its official name is Republic of Zimbabwe, and today around 16.6 million people call this Africa nation home, spread across roughly 390,757 km² of territory.
Below is your complete country profile for Zimbabwe: key statistics, an introduction to Harare, an interactive map, cultural notes and answers to the questions people most often ask about this corner of Africa.
Geography of Zimbabwe
Geographically, Zimbabwe belongs to Eastern Africa within Africa. Its territory spans approximately 390,757 km², which makes it the 62nd largest country or territory on Earth.
As a landlocked country, Zimbabwe has no direct access to the open ocean, which has shaped its trade routes, cuisine and history in distinctive ways. It shares land borders with Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia.
The capital city is Harare, the political and cultural heart of the country and usually the first stop for visitors who want to understand how zimbabwean life really works.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
People, language and culture
Around 16.6 million people live in Zimbabwe, making it the 74th most populous country or territory in the world. A person from Zimbabwe is called a Zimbabwean.
Zimbabwe is multilingual: the languages spoken include Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language. This linguistic variety reflects the country's layered history and the many communities that shaped it.
Beyond the numbers, everyday culture in Zimbabwe — from markets and music to family traditions — is what makes discovering it through a random spin so rewarding.
Currency, travel and practical facts
The official currency is the Botswana pula (BWP, symbol P). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Zimbabwe is +263. Websites from the country typically use the .zw internet domain.
Quiz tip: the three facts most worth memorising about Zimbabwe are its flag, its capital Harare, and its approximate population of 16.6 million.
Neighbouring countries
Zimbabwe shares borders with 4 countries:
Fun facts about Zimbabwe
- Zimbabwe's flag emoji is 🇿🇼 — its two-letter country code is ZW and its three-letter code is ZWE.
- Zimbabwe covers 390,757 km², ranking 62nd in the world by area.
- With about 16.6 million people, Zimbabwe holds the 74th spot in the world population ranking.
- Zimbabwe is a member state of the United Nations.
- Zimbabwe is one of the world's landlocked countries — it has no sea coastline.
Zimbabwe — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Zimbabwe?
- The capital of Zimbabwe is Harare.
- What is the population of Zimbabwe?
- Zimbabwe has a population of approximately 16,634,373 people, ranking 74th in the world.
- Where is Zimbabwe located?
- Zimbabwe is located in Eastern Africa, part of the Africa region. It is a landlocked country.
- What language is spoken in Zimbabwe?
- The languages spoken in Zimbabwe include Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language.
- What currency is used in Zimbabwe?
- Zimbabwe uses the Botswana pula (BWP).
