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Zimbabwe, which holds its first election since the fall of Robert Mugabe on Monday, is a landlocked country in southern Africa whose economy has come to grief after 37 years of undivided rule by the former president.
From Rhodesia to Zimbabwe
Arriving from South Africa in 1890 with British settlers, Cecil Rhodes gives his name to the territory. In 1923, Southern Rhodesia became a British colony.
In 1965, White Segregationist Prime Minister Ian Smith proclaimed independence to prevent the Black majority from coming to power.
From 1972 to 1979, it engages a deadly war (at least 27,000 dead) against the black nationalists, led by Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo
In April 1980, the country gains independence and is renamed Zimbabwe, in jubilation. Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister, holds the power. He became head of state in 1987.
37 years of power
Hero of independence, Mugabe first arouses much hope, reaching out to the white minority and establishing a social policy favorable to the black majority
But in February 2000, his power was shaken by the rejection by referendum of a draft constitution. He leaves the veterans of the war of independence invade the farms run by whites, who flee by the thousands.
In 2002, he was re-elected in a vote marked by violence. In 2008, the opposition took control of Parliament, but Mugabe remained president and will be re-elected in 2013.
In November 2017, he resigned, released by the army and his party after the dismissal of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose first lady Grace Mugabe coveted the place to succeed her husband afterwards
Emmerson Mnangagwa ends the presidential term. He is a favorite for the presidential election against an orphan opposition of his leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, who died in February.
Disaster economy
Southern African countries without access to the sea, surrounded by Mozambique, South Africa South, Botswana and Zambia, Zimbabwe has 16.15 million inhabitants (World Bank, 2016).
Former granary of the region with rich mineral resources (platinum, gold, diamond, nickel), it has seen its agricultural production fall after the agrarian reform and has experienced a deep economic crisis for a decade.
Nearly three quarters of the population lives below the poverty line, unemployment reaches 90% of the active population and inflation is galloping. Public services collapsed, cash is lacking and the government is struggling to pay officials.
Growth did not exceed 0.7% in 2016. It recovered to 3.4% in 2017 but is progressing slower than the population, aggravating poverty according to the World Bank
The country is ranked 157th out of 180 by Transparency International for its level of corruption.
Swimming and Wildlife
Zimbabwe shone in swimming with Kirsty Conventry, two-time Olympic champion and multiple world champion
The country is also known for its wildlife, which attracts important wildlife tourism, including trophy hunters from the United States or South Africa. In 2015, the death of lion Cecil out of his reserve caused a worldwide outcry.
Victoria Falls, on the border with Zambia, is a landmark destination for tourists
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