page_title: Zimbabwe
section_title: Independence era (1980–present)
hierarchical_section_title: Zimbabwe / History / Independence era (1980–present)
caption_attribution_description: English: Zimbabwe, Trends in the Human Development Index 1970-2010
context_page_description: Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia, is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique. The capital and largest city is Harare. The second largest city is Bulawayo. A country of roughly 14 million people, Zimbabwe has 16 official languages, with English, Shona, and Ndebele the most common.
  Since the 11th century, present-day Zimbabwe has been the site of several organised states and kingdoms like the most notably Rozvi and Mthwakazi kingdoms, as well as a major route for migration and trade. The British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes first demarcated the present territory during the 1890 where they first conquered Mashonaland which was a self Sovereign and later in 1893 they conquered Matabeleland after a fierce resistance by Matabele people through a war known as First Matabele War.
context_section_description: Zimbabwe's first president after its independence was Canaan Banana in what was originally a mainly ceremonial role as Head of State. Robert Mugabe, leader of the ZANU party, was the country's first Prime Minister and Head of Government.
caption: Trends in Zimbabwe's Multidimensional Poverty Index, 1970–2010.
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