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The ZIMBABWE PORTAL Zimbabwe (/zɪmˈbɑːbweɪ/ zim-BAHB-way; officially the Republic of Zimbabwe) is a landlocked country of southern Africa. It shares a 125-mile (200-kilometre) border on the south with the Republic of South Africa and is bounded on the southwest and west by Botswana, on the north by Zambia, and on the northeast and east by Mozambique. The capital is Harare (renamed from Salisbury in 1982). Zimbabwe achieved recognised independence from Britain in April 1980, following a 14-year period as an unrecognised state under the predominantly white minority government of Rhodesia, which unilaterally declared independence in 1965. Rhodesia briefly reconstituted itself as black-majority ruled Zimbabwe Rhodesia in 1979, but this order failed to gain international acceptance. Zimbabwe has three official languages: English, Shona and Ndebele. The country today equivalent to Zimbabwe was first demarcated by the British South Africa Company in the late 19th century; it became the self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia in 1923. President Robert Mugabe is the head of State and Commander in Chief of the armed forces. Morgan Tsvangirai was the Prime Minister from 2009-2013. Mugabe has been in power since the country's internationally recognised independence in 1980. Under his leadership the economy of Zimbabwe has declined from one of the strongest in Africa to the weakest. Read more... 100px Mutare (known as Umtali until 1982) is the fourth largest city in Zimbabwe, with a population of approximately 189,000. It is the capital of Manicaland province. It is located at . Mutare was founded in 1897 as a fort, about 8 km from the border with Mozambique, and is just 290 kilometres from the Mozambican port of Beira, earning Mutare the title of "Zimbabwe's Gateway to the Sea". Sometimes also called "Gateway to the Eastern Highlands". A border railway station on the railway line from Harare to Beira (Mozambique) with a railways mechanical work shop. The view from the top of Christmas Pass down onto Mutare is breathtaking. The town lies north of the Bvumba Mountains and south of the Imbeza Valley. It is home to the Mutare Museum, the Utopia House Museum dedicated to Kingsley Fairbridge, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Murahwa Hill, known for its rock paintings and Iron Age village, Cross Kopje with a memorial to Zimbabweans and Mozambiqueans killed in World War I and a nature reserve. It is also home to the Africa University, a pan-African university of about 1,200 students. Birchenough Bridge is the name for both a bridge across the Save River (pronounced Sa've) and a village next to the bridge. Birchenough Bridge is located 62 km from Chipinge in the Manicaland province of Zimbabwe linking Mutare with Masvingo. The bridge was funded and planned by the Beit Trust, a foundation chaired at the time by Sir Henry Birchenough, it was completed in 1935. At a length of 1080 feet (329 meters) it was the third longest single-arch suspension bridges in the world at the time. The stone-carved Zimbabwe Bird is a national emblem of Zimbabwe, appearing on the national flags and coats of arms of both Zimbabwe and Rhodesia, as well as on banknotes and coins (first on Rhodesian pound and then Rhodesian dollar). It probably represents the bateleur eagle. The famous soapstone bird carvings stood on walls and monoliths of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe built, it is believed, sometime between the 12th and 15th centuries by ancestors of the Shona. The ruins, which gave their name to modern Zimbabwe, cover some 1,800 acres (7.3 km²) and are the largest ancient stone construction in Zimbabwe. From Wikipedia's newest articles: ...that Cornway College was established in 2006? ...that the area of the Zambezi basin is 1,390,000 km²? ...that Lobengula, King of Matabeleland, signed the Rudd Concession on 30 October 1888? ...that Josiah Gumede, the only president of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia died in 1989? ...that Zimbabwean footballer, Bruce Grobbelaar, played for Liverpool F.C.? Jul 7: The UK based Observer newspaper reports that oil giant Royal Dutch Shell is considering pulling out of Zimbabwe. The company holds shares in a joint venture with rival BP, which supplies 74 petrol stations around Zimbabwe. Jul 6: South Africa's Thabo Mbeki holds talks in Zimbabwe with President Mugabe and leaders of a breakaway opposition faction. Jul 5: South Africa’s main labour union the Confederation of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) held a demonstration at the Beitbridge border post Saturday protesting against Robert Mugabe’s regime. Spokesman Jan Tsiane urged continental bodies to intervene in the crisis and help restore democracy in the wake of Mugabe’s one-man election. Jul 4: Robert Mugabe has warned neighbouring countries to ‘think twice’ before launching an attack against his regime. Analysts say this could be viewed as a direct threat to Botswana, who this week deployed an army brigade with artillery to patrol its border with Zimbabwe. Jul 3: The South African president’s shameful role as the so called “mediator” in the Zimbabwe crisis appears to have isolated him from his own countrymen, who are now fans of a free Zimbabwe, rather than fans of Mbeki. Jul 2: Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Tuesday night said South Africa had failed its “Apartheid era friends” by supporting Russia and China in the UN Security Council vote with regards to Zimbabwe. Jul 1: MDC Vice-President Thokozani Khupe said African leaders are aware there is a ‘big problem’ in Zimbabwe that urgently needs to be dealt with. Speaking from Johannesburg on her way back home from the AU summit in Egypt, Khupe said 40 African leaders supported the MDC victory in the March elections. Lobengula Kumalo (d. 1894) was the second and last king of the Ndebele people, now known as the Ndebele (or, linguistically more correctly, the nDebele). Both names, in the sinDebele language, mean "The people of the long shields," a reference to the Matabele warriors' use of the Zulu shield and spear. Mzilikazi (a.k.a., Umsaingaas), the first king of the Matabele nation, died in 1869 and the throne was to go Nkulumani, son of the king and his royal wife. But the young chief was mysteriously missing and this led the izinduna, or chiefs, to give the crown to Lobengula, another of Mzilikazi's sons but from an inferior wife. Several impis (i.e., regiments) disputed Lobengula's assent and the question was ultimately decided by the arbitrament of the assegai, with Lobengula and his impis crushing the rebels. Lobengula's courage in this battle led to his unanimous selection as king. Zimbabwe · Architecture · Communications · Culture · Economy · Education · Environment · Geography · Government · Healthcare · History · Law · Lists · Media · Military · People · Politics · Society · Sport · Transport Zimbabwe stubs · Geography · People Zimbabwe-related tasks You can help! Here are some Zimbabwe related tasks you can do: Requests: Ruwa Scout Park, Central African Jamboree, Lotus Group, Bulawayo Asian Civil Rights League, Rhodesia Bantu Voters Association, Nyasaland Chiefs Conference, Nyasaland African National Congress, Monarchy of Rhodesia, more... Stubs: Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Econet Wireless, Khame Ruins, Wildlife of Zimbabwe Category:Zimbabwe stubs Category sorting: Verify or Factual Accuracy: Update: NPOV : Citations: Copyedit, Style or Cleanup: Expand: Related Wikiprojects: Wikipedia:WikiProject Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe-related topics notice board - Collaboration Project view • • discuss • history • watch Africa Botswana Mozambique Namibia South Africa Zambia WikiProject Zimbabwe Zimbabwean Wikipedians' Notice Board · Wikipedians in Zimbabwe · Zimbabwean Collaboration of the Month · New Zimbabwean articles WikiProject Rhodesia The following Wikimedia sister projects provide more on this subject: What are portals? List of portals Featured portals