Factbook
Histoire de Zimbabwe — Chronologie
Dates clés de l'histoire de Zimbabwe, d'après le Factbook Magna et l'Encyclopédie universelle.
1838The Rozwi Empire expelled Portuguese colonists from the Zimbabwean plateau, but the Ndebele clan of Zulu King MZILIKAZI eventually conquered the area in 1838 during the era of conflict and population displacement known as the Mfecane.
1893The BSAC annexed Mashonaland and then conquered Matabeleland during the First Matabele War of 1893-1894, establishing company rule over the territory.
1923In 1923, the UK annexed BSAC holdings south of the Zambezi River, which became the British colony of Southern Rhodesia.
1930The 1930 Land Apportionment Act restricted Black land ownership and established rules that would favor the White minority for decades.
1961A new constitution in 1961 further cemented White minority rule.
1965In 1965, the government under White Prime Minister Ian SMITH unilaterally declared its independence from the UK.
1979International diplomacy and an uprising by Black Zimbabweans led to biracial elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980.
1980Independence: 18 April 1980 (from the UK).
1987Robert 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 2017.
2002General elections in 2002, 2008, and 2013 were severely flawed and widely condemned but allowed MUGABE to remain president.
2017In 2017, Vice President Emmerson MNANGAGWA became president after a military intervention that forced MUGABE to resign, and MNANGAGWA cemented power by sidelining rival Grace MUGABE (Robert MUGABE’s wife).
2018In 2018, MNANGAGWA won the presidential election, and he has maintained the government's longstanding practice of violently disrupting protests and politicizing institutions.
2022Languages: Shona (official, most widely spoken) 80.9%, Ndebele (official, second most widely spoken) 11.5%, English (official, traditionally used for official business) 0.3%, 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, S Religions: Apostolic Sect 40.3%, Pentecostal 17%, Protestant 13.8%, other Christian 7.8%, Roman Catholic 6.4%, African traditionalist 5%, other 1.5% (includes Muslim, Jewish, Hindu), none 8.3% (2022 est.) Urban population: 32.5% of total population (2023).
2023Generation mix — fossil fuels: 32.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 65.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) Energy use: 10.855 million Btu/person (2023 est.).
2023Industries: 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 Agriculture: sugarcane, beef, maize, cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, milk, onions, bananas, wheat (2023) Electricity access: 50.1% (2022 est.).
2023Major urban areas: 1.578 million HARARE (capital) (2023) low income Sub-Saharan economy; political instability and endemic corruption have prevented reforms and stalled debt restructuring; new Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency latest effort to combat ongoing hyperinflation; reliant on natural resource extraction, agriculture and remittances Inflation: 104.7% (2022 est.).
2024Military spending: 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.).
2025Population: 17.5 million (2025 estimate).
