This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.

Topic: Afghanistan$7.187 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.901 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Albania$3.59 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.109 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Algeria$97.89 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$114.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Angola$17.29 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$23.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Anguilla$76.38 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$48.14 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Argentina$55.33 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$38.43 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Armenia$2.314 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.204 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Aruba$921.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$828 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Australia$66.58 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$55.07 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Austria$21.57 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$23.36 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Azerbaijan$6.681 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.142 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Bahamas, The$1.522 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.002 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Bahrain$2.349 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.094 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Bangladesh$33.42 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$32.28 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Barbados$264.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$341.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Belarus$7.315 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.927 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Belgium$26.16 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$24.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Belize$312.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$376.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Benin$698.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$57.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Bhutan$1.206 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.127 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Bolivia$10.26 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$10.08 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Bosnia and Herzegovina$6.474 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.137 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Botswana$7.491 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.189 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Brazil$374 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$367.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Brunei$3.488 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.366 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Bulgaria$28.38 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$25.13 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Burkina Faso$49 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$50.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Burma$4.924 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.63 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Burundi$97.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$95.17 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Cabo Verde$617.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$572.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Cambodia$12.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$9.122 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Cameroon$3.235 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Canada$86.68 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$82.72 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Central African Republic$304.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$252.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Chad$22.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$20.92 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Chile$38.98 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$40.49 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: China$3.236 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.098 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Colombia$47.13 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$46.18 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Comoros$208 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$159.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Congo, Democratic Republic of the$457.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$708.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Congo, Republic of the$505.7 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$727.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Costa Rica$7.15 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.574 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Cote d'Ivoire$6.257 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.935 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Croatia$18.82 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$14.24 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Cuba$11.35 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$12.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Curacao$0 (31 December 2017 est.)

Topic: Cyprus$888.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$817.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Czechia$148 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$85.73 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Denmark$75.25 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$64.25 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Djibouti$547.7 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$398.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Dominica$212.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$221.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Dominican Republic$6.873 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.134 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Ecuador$2.395 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.259 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Egypt$35.89 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$23.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: El Salvador$3.567 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.238 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Equatorial Guinea$45.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$62.31 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Eritrea$236.7 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$218.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Estonia$345 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$352.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Eswatini$563.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$564.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Ethiopia$3.013 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.022 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: European Union$740.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$746.9 billion (31 December 2013)

note: data are for the European Central Bank

Topic: Fiji$1.116 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$908.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Finland$10.51 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$11.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: France$156.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$138.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Gabon$981.6 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$804.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Gambia, The$170 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$87.64 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Gaza Strip$446.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$583 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Georgia$3.039 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.756 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Germany$200.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$173.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Ghana$7.555 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.162 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Greece$7.807 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.026 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Grenada$199.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$198 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Guatemala$11.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$9.156 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Guinea$331.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$383.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Guinea-Bissau$356.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$349.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Guyana$565.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$581 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Haiti$2.361 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.11 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Honduras$4.708 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.814 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Hong Kong$431.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$386.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Hungary$28 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$25.82 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Iceland$6.567 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.226 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: India$409.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$359.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Indonesia$130.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Topic: Iran$120.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$133.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Iraq$48.88 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$45.36 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Ireland$4.412 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.203 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Israel$173.292 billion (2020 est.)

$113 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$95.45 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Italy$151.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$130.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Jamaica$3.781 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.719 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Japan$1.264 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.233 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Jordan$15.56 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$15.54 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Kazakhstan$30.75 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$29.53 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Kenya$7.354 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.256 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Kiribati$0 (31 December 2017 est.)

$8.37 million (31 December 2010 est.)

Topic: Korea, South$389.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$371.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Kosovo$683.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$708.7 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Kuwait$33.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$31.13 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Kyrgyzstan$2.177 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.97 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Laos$1.27 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$940.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Latvia$4.614 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.514 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Lebanon$55.42 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$54.04 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Lesotho$657.7 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$925.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Liberia$459.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$528.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Libya$74.71 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$66.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Lithuania$4.45 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.697 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Luxembourg$878 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$974 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Macau$20.17 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$18.89 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

note: the Fiscal Reserves Act that came into force on 1 January 2012 requires the fiscal reserves to be separated from the foreign exchange reserves and to be managed separately; the transfer of assets took place in February 2012

Topic: Madagascar$1.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.076 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Malawi$780.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$585.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Malaysia$102.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$94.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Maldives$477.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$575.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Mali$647.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$395.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Malta$833 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$677.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Mauritania$875 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$849.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Mauritius$5.984 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.967 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Mexico$175.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$178.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

note: Mexico also maintains access to an $88 million Flexible Credit Line with the IMF

Topic: Micronesia, Federated States of$203.7 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$135.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Moldova$2.803 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.206 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Mongolia$3.016 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.296 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Montenegro$1.077 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$846.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Montserrat$47.58 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$51.47 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Morocco$26.27 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$25.37 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Mozambique$3.361 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.081 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Namibia$2.432 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.834 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Nepal$9.091 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$8.506 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Netherlands$38.44 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$38.21 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: New Zealand$20.68 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$17.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Nicaragua$2.758 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.448 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Niger$1.314 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.186 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Nigeria$38.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$25.84 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: North Macedonia$2.802 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.755 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Norway$65.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$57.46 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Oman$16.09 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$20.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Pakistan$18.46 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$22.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Palau$0 (31 December 2017 est.)

$580.9 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Panama$2.703 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.878 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Papua New Guinea$1.735 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.656 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Paraguay$7.877 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.881 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Peru$63.83 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$61.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Philippines$81.57 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$80.69 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Poland$113.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$114.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Portugal$26.11 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$19.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Qatar$15.01 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$31.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Romania$44.43 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$40 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Russia$432.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$377.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Rwanda$997.6 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.104 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Saint Kitts and Nevis$365.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$320.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Saint Lucia$321.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$320.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines$182.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$192.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Samoa$133 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$122.5 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: San Marino$392 million (2014 est.)

$539.3 million (2013 est.)

Topic: Sao Tome and Principe$58.95 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$61.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Saudi Arabia$496.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$535.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Senegal$1.827 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$116.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Serbia$11.91 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$10.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Seychelles$545.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$523.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Sierra Leone$478 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$497.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Singapore$279.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$271.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Slovakia$3.622 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.892 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Slovenia$889.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$853 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Solomon Islands$0 (31 December 2017 est.)

$421 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Somalia$30.45 million (2014 est.)

Topic: South Africa$50.72 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$47.23 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: South Sudan$73 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Spain$69.41 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$63.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Sri Lanka$7.959 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.019 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Sudan$198 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$168.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Suriname$424.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$381.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Sweden$62.22 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$59.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Switzerland$811.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$679.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Syria$407.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$504.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Taiwan$456.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$439 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Tajikistan$1.292 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$652.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Tanzania$5.301 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.067 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

note: excludes gold

Topic: Thailand$202.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$171.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Timor-Leste$544.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$437.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)

note: excludes assets of approximately $9.7 billion in the Petroleum Fund (31 December 2010)

Topic: Togo$77.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$42.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Tonga$198.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$176.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Trinidad and Tobago$8.892 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$9.995 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Tunisia$5.594 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.941 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Turkey$107.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$106.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Turkmenistan$24.91 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$25.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Uganda$3.654 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.034 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

note: excludes gold

Topic: Ukraine$18.81 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$15.54 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: United Arab Emirates$95.37 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$85.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: United Kingdom$150.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$129.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: United States$123.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$117.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Uruguay$15.96 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$13.47 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Uzbekistan$16 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Vanuatu$395.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$267.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Venezuela$9.661 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$11 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Vietnam$49.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$36.91 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: West Bank$0 (31 December 2017 est.)

$583 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Topic: Yemen$245.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$592.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Zambia$2.082 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.353 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Topic: Zimbabwe$431.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$407.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)


This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.

Topic: Akrotiria special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Topic: American Samoaunincorporated, unorganized Territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Topic: Anguillaoverseas territory of the UK

Topic: Arubaconstituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Topic: Ashmore and Cartier Islandsterritory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport

Topic: Bermudaoverseas territory of the UK

Topic: Bouvet Islandterritory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Oslo Police

Topic: British Indian Ocean Territoryoverseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Topic: British Virgin IslandsOverseas Territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Topic: Cayman Islandsoverseas territory of the UK

Topic: Christmas Islandnon-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development

Topic: Clipperton Islandpossession of France; administered directly by the Minister of Overseas France

Topic: Cocos (Keeling) Islandsnon-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development

Topic: Cook Islandsself-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense in consultation with the Cook Islands

Topic: Coral Sea Islandsterritory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport

Topic: Curacaoconstituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairsconstituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Topic: Dhekeliaa special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Topic: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Topic: Faroe Islandspart of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Topic: French Polynesiaoverseas country of France; note - overseas territory of France from 1946-2003; overseas collectivity of France since 2003, though it is often referred to as an overseas country due to its degree of autonomy

Topic: French Southern and Antarctic Landsoverseas territory of France since 1955

Topic: Gibraltaroverseas territory of the UK

Topic: Greenlandpart of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Topic: Guamunincorporated organized territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the federal government under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Topic: GuernseyBritish crown dependency

Topic: Heard Island and McDonald Islandsterritory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (Australian Antarctic Division)

Topic: Hong Kongspecial administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Topic: Isle of ManBritish crown dependency

Topic: Jan Mayenterritory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service; in 2010, Norway designated the majority of Jan Mayen as a nature reserve

Topic: JerseyBritish crown dependency

Topic: Macauspecial administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Topic: Montserratoverseas territory of the UK

Topic: Navassa Islandunorganized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of the Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern side of the island; Haiti has claimed the island since the 19th century

Topic: New Caledoniaspecial collectivity (or a sui generis collectivity) of France since 1998; note - independence referenda took place on 4 November 2018, 4 October 2020, and 12 December 2021 with a majority voting in each case to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo; an 18-month transition period is now in place (ending 30 June 2023), during which a referendum on the new status of New Caledonia within France will take place

Topic: Niueself-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue

Topic: Norfolk Islandself-governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development

Topic: Northern Mariana Islandscommonwealth in political union with and under the sovereignty of the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Topic: Pitcairn Islandsoverseas territory of the UK

Topic: Puerto Ricounincorporated organized territory of the US with commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President

Topic: Saint Barthelemyoverseas collectivity of France

Topic: Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da CunhaOverseas Territory of the UK

Topic: Saint Martinoverseas collectivity of France

note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU

Topic: Saint Pierre and Miquelonoverseas collectivity of France

Topic: Sint Maartenconstituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairsconstituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Topic: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islandsoverseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II

Topic: Svalbardterritory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920), sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Topic: Tokelauself-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN-sponsored referendum on self governance in October 2007 did not meet the two-thirds majority vote necessary for changing the political status

Topic: Turks and Caicos Islandsoverseas territory of the UK

Topic: United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refugeswith the exception of Palmyra Atoll, the constituent islands are unincorporated, unorganized territories of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System

note: Palmyra Atoll is partly privately owned and partly federally owned; the federally owned portion is administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as an incorporated, unorganized territory of the US; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm territorial sea or within the lagoon

Topic: Virgin Islandsunincorporated organized territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the federal government under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Topic: Wake Islandunincorporated unorganized territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities in the atoll are currently conducted by the 11th US Air Force and managed from Pacific Air Force Support Center

Topic: Wallis and Futunaoverseas collectivity of France


Topic: Photos of Zimbabwe

Topic: Introduction
Background: The hunter-gatherer San people first inhabited the area that eventually became Zimbabwe. Farming communities migrated to the area around A.D. 500 during the Bantu expansion, and Shona-speaking societies began to develop in the Limpopo valley and Zimbabwean highlands around the 9th century. These societies traded with Arab merchants on the Indian Ocean coast and organized under the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in the 11th century. A series of powerful trade-oriented Shona states succeeded Mapungubwe, including the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (ca. 1220-1450), Kingdom of Mutapa (ca. 1450-1760), and the Rozwi Empire. The Rozwi Empire expelled Portuguese colonists from the Zimbabwean plateau but was eventually conquered in 1838 by the Ndebele clan of Zulu general MZILIKAZI during the era of conflict and population displacement known as the Mfecane. In the 1880s, colonists arrived with the British South Africa Company (BSAC) and obtained a written concession for mining rights from Ndebele King LOBENGULA. The king later disavowed the concession and accused the BSAC agents of deceit. The BSAC annexed Mashonaland and subsequently conquered Matabeleland by force during the First Matabele War of 1893-1894 to establish company rule over the territory. BSAC holdings south of the Zambezi River were annexed by the UK in 1923 and became the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. The 1930 Land Apportionment Act restricted Black land ownership and established structural racial inequalities that would favor the White minority for decades. A new constitution in 1961 further cemented White minority rule.

In 1965, the government under White Prime Minister Ian SMITH unilaterally declared its independence from the UK. London did not recognize Rhodesia’s independence and demanded more voting rights for the Black majority in the country. International diplomacy and a liberation struggle by Black Zimbabweans finally led to biracial elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, who led the uprising and became the nation's first prime minister, was the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) from independence until his forced resignation in November 2017. In the mid-1980s, the government tortured and killed thousands of civilians in a crackdown on dissent known as the Gukurahundi campaign. Economic mismanagement and chaotic land redistribution policies following independence periodically crippled the economy and resulted in widespread shortages of basic commodities. General elections in 2002, 2008, and 2013 were severely flawed and widely condemned but allowed MUGABE to remain president. In November 2017, Vice President Emmerson MNANGAGWA became president following a military intervention that forced MUGABE to resign, and MNANGAGWA cemented power by sidelining rivals Grace MUGABE (Robert MUGABE’s wife) and Jonathan MOYO of the G40 faction of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party. In July 2018, MNANGAGWA won the presidential election after a close contest with opposition candidate Nelson CHAMISA. MNANGAGWA has resorted to the government's longstanding practice of violently disrupting protests and opposition rallies. Economic conditions remained dire under MNANGAGWA, with inflation soaring in 2019 and the country’s export revenues declining dramatically in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The hunter-gatherer San people first inhabited the area that eventually became Zimbabwe. Farming communities migrated to the area around A.D. 500 during the Bantu expansion, and Shona-speaking societies began to develop in the Limpopo valley and Zimbabwean highlands around the 9th century. These societies traded with Arab merchants on the Indian Ocean coast and organized under the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in the 11th century. A series of powerful trade-oriented Shona states succeeded Mapungubwe, including the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (ca. 1220-1450), Kingdom of Mutapa (ca. 1450-1760), and the Rozwi Empire. The Rozwi Empire expelled Portuguese colonists from the Zimbabwean plateau but was eventually conquered in 1838 by the Ndebele clan of Zulu general MZILIKAZI during the era of conflict and population displacement known as the Mfecane. In the 1880s, colonists arrived with the British South Africa Company (BSAC) and obtained a written concession for mining rights from Ndebele King LOBENGULA. The king later disavowed the concession and accused the BSAC agents of deceit. The BSAC annexed Mashonaland and subsequently conquered Matabeleland by force during the First Matabele War of 1893-1894 to establish company rule over the territory. BSAC holdings south of the Zambezi River were annexed by the UK in 1923 and became the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. The 1930 Land Apportionment Act restricted Black land ownership and established structural racial inequalities that would favor the White minority for decades. A new constitution in 1961 further cemented White minority rule.

In 1965, the government under White Prime Minister Ian SMITH unilaterally declared its independence from the UK. London did not recognize Rhodesia’s independence and demanded more voting rights for the Black majority in the country. International diplomacy and a liberation struggle by Black Zimbabweans finally led to biracial elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, who led the uprising and became the nation's first prime minister, was the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) from independence until his forced resignation in November 2017. In the mid-1980s, the government tortured and killed thousands of civilians in a crackdown on dissent known as the Gukurahundi campaign. Economic mismanagement and chaotic land redistribution policies following independence periodically crippled the economy and resulted in widespread shortages of basic commodities. General elections in 2002, 2008, and 2013 were severely flawed and widely condemned but allowed MUGABE to remain president. In November 2017, Vice President Emmerson MNANGAGWA became president following a military intervention that forced MUGABE to resign, and MNANGAGWA cemented power by sidelining rivals Grace MUGABE (Robert MUGABE’s wife) and Jonathan MOYO of the G40 faction of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party. In July 2018, MNANGAGWA won the presidential election after a close contest with opposition candidate Nelson CHAMISA. MNANGAGWA has resorted to the government's longstanding practice of violently disrupting protests and opposition rallies. Economic conditions remained dire under MNANGAGWA, with inflation soaring in 2019 and the country’s export revenues declining dramatically in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 390,757 sq km

land: 386,847 sq km

water: 3,910 sq km
Area - comparative: about four times the size of Indiana; slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries: total: 3,229 km

border countries (4): Botswana 834 km; Mozambique 1,402 km; South Africa 230 km; Zambia 763 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Elevation: highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m

mean elevation: 961 m
Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use: agricultural land: 42.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 10.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 31.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 39.5% (2018 est.)

other: 18% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,740 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km): Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouthZambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)
Major aquifers: Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin
Population distribution: Aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
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; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)
Map description: Zimbabwe map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries.Zimbabwe map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 15,121,004 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
Nationality: noun: Zimbabwean(s)

adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups: African 99.4% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group), other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2% (2012 est.)
Languages: Shona (official; most widely spoken), Ndebele (official, second most widely spoken), English (official; traditionally used for official business), 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa)
Religions: Protestant 74.8% (includes Apostolic 37.5%, Pentecostal 21.8%, other 15.5%), Roman Catholic 7.3%, other Christian 5.3%, traditional 1.5%, Muslim 0.5%, other 0.1%, none 10.5% (2015 est.)
Demographic profile: Zimbabwe’s progress in reproductive, maternal, and child health has stagnated in recent years. According to a 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, contraceptive use, the number of births attended by skilled practitioners, and child mortality have either stalled or somewhat deteriorated since the mid-2000s. Zimbabwe’s total fertility rate has remained fairly stable at about 4 children per woman for the last two decades, although an uptick in the urban birth rate in recent years has caused a slight rise in the country’s overall fertility rate. Zimbabwe’s HIV prevalence rate dropped from approximately 29% to 15% since 1997 but remains among the world’s highest and continues to suppress the country’s life expectancy rate. The proliferation of HIV/AIDS information and prevention programs and personal experience with those suffering or dying from the disease have helped to change sexual behavior and reduce the epidemic.Historically, the vast majority of Zimbabwe’s migration has been internal – a rural-urban flow. In terms of international migration, over the last 40 years Zimbabwe has gradually shifted from being a destination country to one of emigration and, to a lesser degree, one of transit (for East African illegal migrants traveling to South Africa). As a British colony, Zimbabwe attracted significant numbers of permanent immigrants from the UK and other European countries, as well as temporary economic migrants from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Although Zimbabweans have migrated to South Africa since the beginning of the 20th century to work as miners, the first major exodus from the country occurred in the years before and after independence in 1980. The outward migration was politically and racially influenced; a large share of the white population of European origin chose to leave rather than live under a new black-majority government.In the 1990s and 2000s, economic mismanagement and hyperinflation sparked a second, more diverse wave of emigration. This massive out migration – primarily to other southern African countries, the UK, and the US – has created a variety of challenges, including brain drain, illegal migration, and human smuggling and trafficking. Several factors have pushed highly skilled workers to go abroad, including unemployment, lower wages, a lack of resources, and few opportunities for career growth.Zimbabwe’s progress in reproductive, maternal, and child health has stagnated in recent years. According to a 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, contraceptive use, the number of births attended by skilled practitioners, and child mortality have either stalled or somewhat deteriorated since the mid-2000s. Zimbabwe’s total fertility rate has remained fairly stable at about 4 children per woman for the last two decades, although an uptick in the urban birth rate in recent years has caused a slight rise in the country’s overall fertility rate. Zimbabwe’s HIV prevalence rate dropped from approximately 29% to 15% since 1997 but remains among the world’s highest and continues to suppress the country’s life expectancy rate. The proliferation of HIV/AIDS information and prevention programs and personal experience with those suffering or dying from the disease have helped to change sexual behavior and reduce the epidemic.Historically, the vast majority of Zimbabwe’s migration has been internal – a rural-urban flow. In terms of international migration, over the last 40 years Zimbabwe has gradually shifted from being a destination country to one of emigration and, to a lesser degree, one of transit (for East African illegal migrants traveling to South Africa). As a British colony, Zimbabwe attracted significant numbers of permanent immigrants from the UK and other European countries, as well as temporary economic migrants from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Although Zimbabweans have migrated to South Africa since the beginning of the 20th century to work as miners, the first major exodus from the country occurred in the years before and after independence in 1980. The outward migration was politically and racially influenced; a large share of the white population of European origin chose to leave rather than live under a new black-majority government.In the 1990s and 2000s, economic mismanagement and hyperinflation sparked a second, more diverse wave of emigration. This massive out migration – primarily to other southern African countries, the UK, and the US – has created a variety of challenges, including brain drain, illegal migration, and human smuggling and trafficking. Several factors have pushed highly skilled workers to go abroad, including unemployment, lower wages, a lack of resources, and few opportunities for career growth.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.32% (male 2,759,155/female 2,814,462)

15-24 years: 20.16% (male 1,436,710/female 1,495,440)

25-54 years: 32.94% (male 2,456,392/female 2,334,973)

55-64 years: 4.07% (male 227,506/female 363,824)

65 years and over: 4.52% (2020 est.) (male 261,456/female 396,396)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 81.6

youth dependency ratio: 76.1

elderly dependency ratio: 5.5

potential support ratio: 18.3 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 20.5 years

male: 20.3 years

female: 20.6 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.95% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 33.07 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 8.76 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: Aside from major urban agglomerations in Harare and Bulawayo, population distribution is fairly even, with slightly greater overall numbers in the eastern half as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 32.4% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.558 million HARARE (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.62 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.3 years (2015 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 458 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 28.53 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 32.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.32 years

male: 61.18 years

female: 65.52 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.89 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 66.8% (2015)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 97.9% of population

rural: 66.9% of population

total: 76.9% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.1% of population

rural: 33.1% of population

total: 23.1% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 7.7% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 96.1% of population

rural: 49% of population

total: 64.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 3.9% of population

rural: 51% of population

total: 35.8% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 11.9% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.3 million (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 22,000 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 15.5% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 11.7% (2020 est.)

male: 21.8% (2020 est.)

female: 1.5% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 9.7% (2019)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 5.4%

women married by age 18: 33.7%

men married by age 18: 1.9% (2019 est.)
Education expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2018 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 86.5%

male: 88.5%

female: 84.6% (2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years

male: 12 years

female: 11 years (2013)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 27.5%

male: 25%

female: 31.4% (2019 est.)

Topic: Environment
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
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 19.35 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 10.98 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 12.1 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Land use: agricultural land: 42.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 10.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 31.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 39.5% (2018 est.)

other: 18% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 32.4% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 2.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 1.61% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0.4% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies
Food insecurity: widespread lack of access: due to high food prices and economic downturn - an estimated 3 million people are projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance between January and March 2022, largely on account of poor food access due to prevailing high food prices and reduced incomes owing to the effects of an economic downturn; below-average rainfall and extreme weather events in 2021/22 are likely to result in a decrease in cereal production and heighten food insecurity later in 2022 (2022)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,449,752 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 231,960 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16% (2005 est.)
Major rivers (by length in km): Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouthZambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Botswana, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)
Major aquifers: Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 487.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 81.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 2.77 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 20 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form: Zimbabwe

former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia

etymology: takes its name from the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (13th-15th century) and its capital of Great Zimbabwe, the largest stone structure in pre-colonial southern Africa
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Harare

geographic coordinates: 17 49 S, 31 02 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: named after a village of Harare at the site of the present capital; the village name derived from a Shona chieftain, Ne-harawa, whose name meant "he who does not sleep"
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
Independence: 18 April 1980 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution: history: previous 1965 (at Rhodesian independence), 1979 (Lancaster House Agreement), 1980 (at Zimbabwean independence); latest final draft completed January 2013, approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013, effective 22 May 2013

amendments: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; amendments to constitutional chapters on fundamental human rights and freedoms and on agricultural lands also require approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2017
Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law, and customary law
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Zimbabwe; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 24 November 2017); First Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 28 December 2017); note - Robert Gabriel MUGABE resigned on 21 November 2017, after ruling for 37 years

head of government: President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 24 November 2017); Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 28 December 2017);

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to National Assembly

elections/appointments: each presidential candidate nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least 1 candidate from each province) and directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 3 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership

election results: Emmerson MNANGAGWA reelected president in 1st round of voting; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 50.8%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44.3%, Thokozani KHUPE (MDC-N) 0.9%, other 3%
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (80 seats; 60 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 6 seats in each of the 10 provinces - by proportional representation vote, 16 indirectly elected by the regional governing councils, 2 reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities; members serve 5-year terms)
National Assembly (270 seats; 210 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 seats reserved for women directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held for elected member on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
 National Assembly - last held on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 34, MDC Alliance 25, Chiefs 18, people with disabilities 2, MDC-T 1; composition - men 45, women 35, percent of women 43.8%
 National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 179, MDC Alliance 88, MDC-T 1, NPF 1, independent 1; composition - men 185, women 25, percent of women 31.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 34.3%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body consisting of the chief justice, Public Service Commission chairman, attorney general, and 2-3 members appointed by the president; judges normally serve until age 65 but can elect to serve until age 70; Constitutional Court judge appointment NA; judges serve nonrenewable 15-year terms

subordinate courts: High Court; Labor Court; Administrative Court; regional magistrate courts; customary law courts; special courts
Political parties and leaders: MDC Alliance [Nelson CHAMISA]
Movement for Democratic Change - MDC-T [Douglas MWONZORA]
National People's Party or NPP [Joyce MUJURU] (formerly Zimbabwe People First or ZimPF)
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA]
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Sibangalizwe NKOMO]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tadeous Tafirenyika CHIFAMBA (since 7 July 2021);

chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100

FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

email address and website:
general@zimembassydc.org

https://zimembassydc.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Thomas R. HASTINGS (since August 2021)

embassy: 2 Lorraine Drive, Bluffhill, Harare

mailing address: 2180 Harare Place, Washington DC  20521-2180

telephone: [263] 867-701-1000

FAX: [263] 24-233-4320

email address and website:
consularharare@state.gov

https://zw.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: seven equal horizontal bands of green (top), 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 representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green represents agriculture, yellow mineral wealth, red the blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people
National symbol(s): Zimbabwe bird symbol, African fish eagle, flame lily; national colors: green, yellow, red, black, white
National anthem: name: "Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe" [Northern Ndebele language] "Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe" [Shona] (Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe)

lyrics/music: Solomon MUTSWAIRO/Fred Lecture CHANGUNDEGA

note: adopted 1994
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Mana Pools National Park, Sapi, and Chewore Safari Areas (n); Great Zimbabwe National Monument (c); Khami Ruins National Monument (c); Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls (n); Matobo Hills (c)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Zimbabwe's economy depends heavily on its mining and agriculture sectors. Following a contraction from 1998 to 2008, the economy recorded real growth of more than 10% per year in the period 2010-13, before falling below 3% in the period 2014-17, due to poor harvests, low diamond revenues, and decreased investment. Lower mineral prices, infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies, a poor investment climate, a large public and external debt burden, and extremely high government wage expenses impede the country’s economic performance.   Until early 2009, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) routinely printed money to fund the budget deficit, causing hyperinflation. Adoption of a multi-currency basket in early 2009 - which allowed currencies such as the Botswana pula, the South Africa rand, and the US dollar to be used locally - reduced inflation below 10% per year. In January 2015, as part of the government’s effort to boost trade and attract foreign investment, the RBZ announced that the Chinese renmimbi, Indian rupee, Australian dollar, and Japanese yen would be accepted as legal tender in Zimbabwe, though transactions were predominantly carried out in US dollars and South African rand until 2016, when the rand’s devaluation and instability led to near-exclusive use of the US dollar. The government in November 2016 began releasing bond notes, a parallel currency legal only in Zimbabwe which the government claims will have a one-to-one exchange ratio with the US dollar, to ease cash shortages. Bond notes began trading at a discount of up to 10% in the black market by the end of 2016.   Zimbabwe’s government entered a second Staff Monitored Program with the IMF in 2014 and undertook other measures to reengage with international financial institutions. Zimbabwe repaid roughly $108 million in arrears to the IMF in October 2016, but financial observers note that Zimbabwe is unlikely to gain new financing because the government has not disclosed how it plans to repay more than $1.7 billion in arrears to the World Bank and African Development Bank. International financial institutions want Zimbabwe to implement significant fiscal and structural reforms before granting new loans. Foreign and domestic investment continues to be hindered by the lack of land tenure and titling, the inability to repatriate dividends to investors overseas, and the lack of clarity regarding the government’s Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act.Zimbabwe's economy depends heavily on its mining and agriculture sectors. Following a contraction from 1998 to 2008, the economy recorded real growth of more than 10% per year in the period 2010-13, before falling below 3% in the period 2014-17, due to poor harvests, low diamond revenues, and decreased investment. Lower mineral prices, infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies, a poor investment climate, a large public and external debt burden, and extremely high government wage expenses impede the country’s economic performance. Until early 2009, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) routinely printed money to fund the budget deficit, causing hyperinflation. Adoption of a multi-currency basket in early 2009 - which allowed currencies such as the Botswana pula, the South Africa rand, and the US dollar to be used locally - reduced inflation below 10% per year. In January 2015, as part of the government’s effort to boost trade and attract foreign investment, the RBZ announced that the Chinese renmimbi, Indian rupee, Australian dollar, and Japanese yen would be accepted as legal tender in Zimbabwe, though transactions were predominantly carried out in US dollars and South African rand until 2016, when the rand’s devaluation and instability led to near-exclusive use of the US dollar. The government in November 2016 began releasing bond notes, a parallel currency legal only in Zimbabwe which the government claims will have a one-to-one exchange ratio with the US dollar, to ease cash shortages. Bond notes began trading at a discount of up to 10% in the black market by the end of 2016. Zimbabwe’s government entered a second Staff Monitored Program with the IMF in 2014 and undertook other measures to reengage with international financial institutions. Zimbabwe repaid roughly $108 million in arrears to the IMF in October 2016, but financial observers note that Zimbabwe is unlikely to gain new financing because the government has not disclosed how it plans to repay more than $1.7 billion in arrears to the World Bank and African Development Bank. International financial institutions want Zimbabwe to implement significant fiscal and structural reforms before granting new loans. Foreign and domestic investment continues to be hindered by the lack of land tenure and titling, the inability to repatriate dividends to investors overseas, and the lack of clarity regarding the government’s Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $40.79 billion (2020 est.)

$44.34 billion (2019 est.)

$48.25 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 3.7% (2017 est.)

0.7% (2016 est.)

1.4% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $2,700 (2020 est.)

$3,000 (2019 est.)

$3,300 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $21.441 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 241.7% (2019 est.)

10.6% (2018 est.)

0.9% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 12% (2017 est.)

industry: 22.2% (2017 est.)

services: 65.8% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 77.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 24% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 12.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 25.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -39.9% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: sugar cane, maize, milk, tobacco, cassava, vegetables, bananas, beef, cotton, oranges
Industries: mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, diamonds, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: 0.3% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 7.907 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 67.5%

industry: 7.3%

services: 25.2% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate: 11.3% (2014 est.)

80% (2005 est.)

note: data include both unemployment and underemployment; true unemployment is unknown and, under current economic conditions, unknowable
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 27.5%

male: 25%

female: 31.4% (2019 est.)
Population below poverty line: 38.3% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 44.3 (2017 est.)

50.1 (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 40.4% (1995)
Budget: revenues: 3.8 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 5.5 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -9.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 82.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

69.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 21.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$716 million (2017 est.)

-$553 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $4.422 billion (2018 est.)

$6.252 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - partners: United Arab Emirates 40%, South Africa 23%, Mozambique 9% (2019)
Exports - commodities: gold, tobacco, iron alloys, nickel, diamonds, jewelry (2019)
Imports: $7.215 billion (2018 est.)

$9.658 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - partners: South Africa 41%, Singapore 23%, China 8% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, delivery trucks, packaged medicines, fertilizers, tractors (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $431.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$407.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $9.357 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$10.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar -

82.3138 (2020 est.)

16.44579 (2019 est.)

322.355 (2018 est.)

234.25 (2010)

note: the dollar was adopted as a legal currency in 2009; since then the Zimbabwean dollar has experienced hyperinflation and is essentially worthless

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 53% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 89% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 36% (2019)
Electricity: Installed generating capacity: 2.473 million kW (2020 est.)

Consumption: 10,928,240,000 kWh (2019 est.)

Exports: 504 million kWh (2019 est.)

Imports: 1.612 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 1.491 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: Fossil fuels: 32.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Hydroelectricity: 65.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Biomass and waste: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: Production: 3.888 million metric tons (2020 est.)

Consumption: 3.579 million metric tons (2020 est.)

Exports: 327,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

Imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

Proven reserves: 502 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: Total petroleum production: 800 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 27,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)

Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 26,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.902 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

From coal and metallurgical coke: 3.963 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 3.94 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 11.516 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 252,067 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 13,195,900 (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 90.1 (2019)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: the pandemic, drought, and rising hyperinflation have devastated the economy and hindered foreign investment; regulator extended tax exemption for Huawei, raising concerns of independence; mobile tariffs were increased three times since mid-2019, raising consumer prices; Internet is limited, exacerbated by inadequate electricity; mobile Internet connections make up almost all Internet connections; competition has driven some expansion of the telecommunications sector, though operators warn that lack of government investment will cause further deterioration, especially in rural areas; mobile network operators continue to invest in e-commerce and e-banking; slow progress on national and international fiber backbone network, as well as 3G and LTE mobile-broadband services; international bandwidth through submarine cables via neighboring countries (2020)

domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, fiber-optic cable, VSAT terminals, and a substantial mobile-cellular network; Internet connection is most readily available in Harare and major towns; two government owned and two private cellular providers; fixed-line teledensity at nearly 2 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 89 per 100 (2020)

international: country code - 263; fiber-optic connections to neighboring states provide access to international networks via undersea cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; 5 international digital gateway exchanges

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: government owns all local radio and TV stations; foreign shortwave broadcasts and satellite TV are available to those who can afford antennas and receivers; in rural areas, access to TV broadcasts is extremely limited; analog TV only, no digital service (2017)
Internet country code: .zw
Internet users: total: 4,310,249 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 29% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 203,461 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 285,539 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 670,000 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: Z
Airports: total: 196 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 17

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 179

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 104

under 914 m: 72 (2021)
Pipelines: 270 km refined products (2013)
Railways: total: 3,427 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 3,427 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified)
Roadways: total: 97,267 km (2019)

paved: 18,481 km (2019)

unpaved: 78,786 km (2019)
Waterways: 223 km (2022) some navigation possible on Lake Kariba (223 km)
Ports and terminals: river port(s): Binga, Kariba (Zambezi)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) (2022)
Military expenditures: 2.6% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $650 million)

1.7% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $510 million)

1.5% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $450 million)

1.8% of GDP (2016 est.) (approximately $480 million)

1.9% of GDP (2015 est.) (approximately $490 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: information varies; approximately 30,000 active duty troops, including about 4,000 Air Force personnel (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the ZDF inventory is comprised mostly of older Chinese- and Russian-origin equipment; since the early 2000s, Zimbabwe has been under an arms embargo from the European Union, as well as targeted sanctions from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18-22 years of age for voluntary military service (18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel); no conscription; women are eligible to serve (2021)
Military - note: the ZDF was formed after independence from the former Rhodesian Army and the two guerrilla forces that opposed it during the Rhodesian Civil War (aka "Bush War") of the 1970s, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA); internal security is a key current responsibility, and the military continues to play an active role in the country’s politics since the coup of 2017 (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Zimbabwe-Mozambique: none identified

Zimbabwe-South Africa: South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

Zimbabwe-Zambia: in 2004, Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; in May 2021, Botswana and Zambia agreed in principle to let Zimbabwe be a partner in the bridge project as it enters its lasts phaseZimbabwe-Mozambique: none identified

Zimbabwe-South Africa: South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

Zimbabwe-Zambia: in 2004, Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; in May 2021, Botswana and Zambia agreed in principle to let Zimbabwe be a partner in the bridge project as it enters its lasts phase
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 11,458 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,266 (Mozambique) (2022)
Trafficking in persons: current situation: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Zimbabwean women and girls from towns bordering South Africa, Mozambique, and Zambia are subjected to forced labor, including domestic servitude, and prostitution catering to long-distance truck drivers; Zimbabwean men, women, and children experience forced labor in agriculture and domestic servitude in rural areas; family members may recruit children and other relatives from rural areas with promises of work or education in cities and towns where they end up in domestic servitude and sex trafficking; Zimbabwean women and men are lured into exploitative labor situations in South Africa and other neighboring countries

tier rating: Tier 3 - Zimbabwe does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government passed an anti-trafficking law in 2014 defining trafficking in persons as a crime of transportation and failing to capture the key element of the international definition of human trafficking – the purpose of exploitation – which prevents the law from being comprehensive or consistent with the 2000 UN TIP Protocol that Zimbabwe acceded to in 2013; the government did not report on anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts during 2014, and corruption in law enforcement and the judiciary remain a concern; authorities made minimal efforts to identify and protect trafficking victims, relying on NGOs to identify and assist victims; Zimbabwe’s 2014 anti-trafficking law required the opening of 10 centers for trafficking victims, but none were established during the year; five existing shelters for vulnerable children and orphans may have accommodated child victims; in January 2015, an inter-ministerial anti-trafficking committee was established, but it is unclear if the committee ever met or initiated any activities (2015)
Illicit drugs: transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, methaqualone, and methamphetamines en route to South Africatransit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, methaqualone, and methamphetamines en route to South Africa


Topic: Photos of Svalbard

Topic: Introduction
Background: The archipelago may have been first discovered by Norse explorers in the 12th century; the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was internationally recognized by treaty in 1920, and five years later it officially took over the territory. In the 20th century coal mining started and today a Norwegian and a Russian company are still functioning. Travel between the settlements is accomplished with snowmobiles, aircraft, and boats.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
Geographic coordinates: 78 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 62,045 sq km

land: 62,045 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 3,587 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: extends to depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year
Terrain: rugged mountains; much of the upland areas are ice covered; west coast clear of ice about half the year; fjords along west and north coasts
Elevation: highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
Natural resources: coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish
Land use: agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)
Population distribution: the small population is primarily concentrated on the island of Spitsbergen in a handful of settlements on the south side of the Isfjorden, with Longyearbyen being the largest
Natural hazards: ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic
Geography - note: northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area; Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a seed repository established by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government
Map description: Svalbard map showing the major population centers and islands of this Norwegian territory in the Arctic Ocean.  Svalbard map showing the major population centers and islands of this Norwegian territory in the Arctic Ocean.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 2,926 (January 2021 est.)
Ethnic groups: Norwegian 61.1%, foreign population 38.9% (consists primarily of Russians, Thais, Swedes, Filipinos, and Ukrainians) (2021 est.)

note: foreigners account for almost one third of the population of the Norwegian settlements, Longyearbyen and Ny-Alesund (where the majority of Svalbard's resident population lives), as of mid-2021
Languages: Norwegian, Russian

major-language sample(s):
Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA

15-24 years: NA

25-54 years: NA

55-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: NA

youth dependency ratio: NA

elderly dependency ratio: NA

potential support ratio: NA
Population growth rate: -0.03% (2019 est.)
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: (2021 est.) NA
Net migration rate: -5.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population distribution: the small population is primarily concentrated on the island of Spitsbergen in a handful of settlements on the south side of the Isfjorden, with Longyearbyen being the largest
Sex ratio: NA
Infant mortality rate: total: NA

male: NA

female: NA
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA
Total fertility rate: (2021 est.) NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA
Current Health Expenditure: NA
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: NA

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: ice floes are a maritime hazard; past exploitation of mammal species (whale, seal, walrus, and polar bear) severely depleted the populations, but a gradual recovery seems to be occurring
Climate: arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year
Land use: agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago)

etymology: 12th century Norse accounts speak of the discovery of a "Svalbard" - literally "cold shores" - but they may have referred to Jan Mayen Island or eastern Greenland; the archipelago was traditionally known as Spitsbergen, but Norway renamed it Svalbard in the 1920s when it assumed sovereignty of the islands
Government type: non-self-governing territory of Norway
Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920), sovereignty was awarded to Norway
Capital: name: Longyearbyen

geographic coordinates: 78 13 N, 15 38 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: the name in Norwegian means Longyear Town; the site was established by and named after John LONGYEAR, whose Arctic Coal Company began mining operations there in 1906
Independence: none (territory of Norway)
Legal system: the laws of Norway where applicable apply; only the laws of Norway made explicitly applicable to Svalbard have effect there; the Svalbard Act and the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, and certain regulations, apply only to Svalbard; the Spitsbergen Treaty and the Svalbard Treaty grant certain rights to citizens and corporations of signatory nations; as of June 2017, 45 nations had ratified the Svalbard Treaty
Citizenship: see Norway
Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince Haakon MAGNUS (son of the king, born 20 July 1973)

head of government: Governor Lars FAUSE (since 24 June 2021); Vice Governor Solvi ELVEDAHL (since 1 May 2020)

elections/appointments: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Longyearbyen Community Council (15 seats; members directly elected by majority vote to serve 4-year-terms); note - the Council acts very much like a Norwegian municipality, responsible for infrastructure and utilities, including power, land-use and community planning, education, and child welfare; however, healthcare services are provided by the state

elections: last held on 7 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)

election results: seats by party - Labor Party 5, Liberals 4, Conservatives 3, Progress Party 2, Green Party 1
Judicial branch: highest courts: none; note - Svalbard is subordinate to Norway's Nord-Troms District Court and Halogaland Court of Appeal, both located in Tromso
Political parties and leaders: Svalbard Conservative Party [Kjetil FIGENSCHOU]
Svalbard Green Party [Pal BERG]
Svalbard Labor Party [Arild OLSEN]
Svalbard Liberal Party [Terie AUVENIK]
Svalbard Progress Party [Jorn DYBDAHL]
International organization participation: none
Flag description: the flag of Norway is used
National anthem: note: as a territory of Norway, "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" is official (see Norway)note: as a territory of Norway, "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" is official (see Norway)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Coal mining, tourism, and international research are Svalbard's major industries. Coal mining has historically been the dominant economic activity, and the Spitzbergen Treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 45 countries that so far have ratified the treaty equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still engaging in this are Norwegian and Russian. Low coal prices have forced the Norwegian coal company, Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, to close one of its two mines and to considerably reduce the activity of the other. Since the 1990s, the tourism and hospitality industry has grown rapidly, and Svalbard now receives 60,000 visitors annually.   The settlements on Svalbard were established as company towns, and at their height in the 1950s, the Norwegian state-owned coal company supported nearly 1,000 jobs. Today, only about 300 people work in the mining industry.   Goods such as alcohol, tobacco, and vehicles, normally highly taxed on mainland Norway, are considerably cheaper in Svalbard in an effort by the Norwegian Government to entice more people to live on the Arctic archipelago. By law, Norway collects only enough taxes to pay for the needs of the local government; none of tax proceeds go to the central government.Coal mining, tourism, and international research are Svalbard's major industries. Coal mining has historically been the dominant economic activity, and the Spitzbergen Treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 45 countries that so far have ratified the treaty equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still engaging in this are Norwegian and Russian. Low coal prices have forced the Norwegian coal company, Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, to close one of its two mines and to considerably reduce the activity of the other. Since the 1990s, the tourism and hospitality industry has grown rapidly, and Svalbard now receives 60,000 visitors annually. The settlements on Svalbard were established as company towns, and at their height in the 1950s, the Norwegian state-owned coal company supported nearly 1,000 jobs. Today, only about 300 people work in the mining industry. Goods such as alcohol, tobacco, and vehicles, normally highly taxed on mainland Norway, are considerably cheaper in Svalbard in an effort by the Norwegian Government to entice more people to live on the Arctic archipelago. By law, Norway collects only enough taxes to pay for the needs of the local government; none of tax proceeds go to the central government.
Real GDP growth rate: NANA
Labor force: 1,590 (2013)
Budget: revenues: NA

expenditures: NA
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): NA
Taxes and other revenues: NA
Exports: NANA
Imports: $NA$NA
Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar -

8.308 (2017 est.)

8.0646 (2016 est.)

8.0646 (2015)

8.0646 (2014 est.)

6.3021 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Crude oil - production: 194,300 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 16,070 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 80,250 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 4,488 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 18,600 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2013 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2013 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2013 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2013 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: modern, well-developed (2018)

domestic: the Svalbard Satellite Station - connected to the mainland via the Svalbard Undersea Cable System - is the only Arctic ground station that can see low-altitude, polar-orbiting satellites; it provides ground services to more satellites than any other facility in the world (2018)

international: country code - 47-790; the Svalbard Undersea Cable System is a twin communications cable that connects Svalbard to mainland Norway; the system is the sole telecommunications link to the archipelago (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) began direct TV transmission to Svalbard via satellite in 1984; Longyearbyen households have access to 3 NRK radio and 2 TV stations
Internet country code: .sj

Topic: Transportation
Airports: total: 4 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Roadways: total: 40 km (2020)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: no regular military forces
Military - note: Svalbard is a territory of Norway, demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920; Norwegian military activity is limited to fisheries surveillance by the Norwegian Coast Guard (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Norway-Russia: after 40 years of on-again, off-again negotiations, the two countries signed an agreement in September 2010, defining their maritime boundaries in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean; the border extends the countries’ land border northward beyond the islands in the Barents Sea and into the Arctic Ocean, but the exact distance northward was not specified; because the area is considered the high seas, the passage of naval and commercial vessels will be unaffected; once their legislatures ratify the agreement, both countries will have the green light for oil and natural gas exploration in their newly defined maritime areas; Russia objects to Norway’s establishment in 1977 of the Fishery Protection Zone around the Svalbard Islands, extending Norwegian sovereignty to the shelf around the archipelago; Svalbard is strategically important – as a gateway from the Berents Sea to the North Atlantic – and its waters provide rich fishing groundsNorway-Russia: after 40 years of on-again, off-again negotiations, the two countries signed an agreement in September 2010, defining their maritime boundaries in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean; the border extends the countries’ land border northward beyond the islands in the Barents Sea and into the Arctic Ocean, but the exact distance northward was not specified; because the area is considered the high seas, the passage of naval and commercial vessels will be unaffected; once their legislatures ratify the agreement, both countries will have the green light for oil and natural gas exploration in their newly defined maritime areas; Russia objects to Norway’s establishment in 1977 of the Fishery Protection Zone around the Svalbard Islands, extending Norwegian sovereignty to the shelf around the archipelago; Svalbard is strategically important – as a gateway from the Berents Sea to the North Atlantic – and its waters provide rich fishing grounds