Zimbabwe

Lore & Background

The region was long inhabited by the San, and was settled by Bantu peoples around 2,000 years ago. Beginning in the 11th century the Shona people constructed the city of Great Zimbabwe, which became one of the major African trade centres by the 13th century. From there, the Kingdom of Zimbabwe was established, followed by the Mutapa and Rozvi empires. The British Empire began to consolidate control of the area following the 1890 British Ultimatum against the Portuguese, who had claimed the area between Angola and Mozambique in the 1885 Pink Map. The British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes demarcated the Rhodesia region in 1890 when they conquered Mashonaland and later in 1893 Matabeleland after the First Matabele War. Company rule ended in 1923 with the establishment of Southern Rhodesia as a self-governing British colony. In 1965, the white minority government unilaterally declared independence as Rhodesia. The state endured international isolation and a 15-year guerrilla war with black rebel forces; this culminated in a peace agreement that established de jure sovereignty as Zimbabwe in April 1980. Robert Mugabe became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe in 1980; he was the President of Zimbabwe from 1987, after converting the country's initial parliamentary system into a presidential one, until his resignation in 2017 following a coup. Under Mugabe's authoritarian regime, the state security apparatus dominated the country and was responsible for widespread human rights violations, which received worldwide condemnation. From 1997 to 2008, the economy experienced consistent decline (and in the latter years, hyperinflation), though it has since seen rapid growth after the use of currencies other than the Zimbabwean dollar was permitted. In 2017, in the wake of over a year of protests against his government as well as Zimbabwe's rapidly declining economy, a coup d'état resulted in Mugabe's resignation. Emmerson Mnangagwa has since served as Zimbabwe's president.

In Their Own Story

The dust of the savanna settles as the sun dips below the horizon, casting long shadows over the dry-stone walls of the Great Zimbabwe. An elder sits by a fire, his voice low and rhythmic, recounting stories of the Mwari spirit that once walked these hills. Nearby, the distant roar of Victoria Falls vibrates through the earth, a constant reminder of the thunderous power that has shaped this land for millennia. Here, in the quiet heart of Southern Africa, the past does not fade; it breathes alongside the present.

Reader's Guide

The name 'Zimbabwe' stems from a Shona term for Great Zimbabwe, a medieval city (Masvingo) in the country's south-east. Two different theories address the origin of the word. Many sources hold that 'Zimbabwe' derives from dzimba-dza-mabwe, translated from the Karanga dialect of Shona as 'houses of stones'. The Karanga-speaking Shona people live around Great Zimbabwe in the modern-day Masvingo province. Archaeologist Peter Garlake claims that 'Zimbabwe' represents a contracted form of dzimba-hwe, which means 'venerated houses' in the Zezuru dialect of Shona and usually references chiefs' houses or graves. Zimbabwe was formerly known as Southern Rhodesia (1898), Rhodesia (1965), and Zimbabwe Rhodesia (1979). The first recorded use of 'Zimbabwe' as a term of national reference dates from 1960 as a coinage by the black nationalist Michael Mawema, whose Zimbabwe National Party became the first to officially use the name in 1961. The term 'Rhodesia'—derived from the surname of Cecil Rhodes—was perceived by African nationalists as inappropriate because of its colonial origin and connotations. According to Mawema, black nationalists held a meeting in 1960 to choose an alternative name for the country, proposing names such as 'Matshobana' and 'Monomotapa' before his suggestion, 'Zimbabwe', prevailed. It was initially unclear how the chosen term was to be used—a letter written by Mawema in 1961 refers to 'Zimbabweland'—but 'Zimbabwe' was sufficiently established by 1962 to become the generally preferred term of the black nationalist movement. Like those of many African countries that gained independence during the Cold War, Zimbabwe is an ethnically neutral name. It is debatable to what extent Zimbabwe, being over 80% Shona and dominated by them in various ways, can be described as a nation state. The constitution acknowledges 16 languages, but only embraces two of them nationally, Shona and English. Shona is taught widely in schools, unlike Ndebele. Zimbabwe has never had a non-Shona head of the government.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Zimbabwe' stems from a Shona term for Great Zimbabwe, a medieval city in the country's south-east.
• Zimbabwe was formerly known as Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, and Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
• The first recorded use of 'Zimbabwe' as a national term dates from 1960, coined by black nationalist Michael Mawema.
• Zimbabwe has 16 official languages, with English, Shona, and Ndebele the most common.