People and Society of Zimbabwe

Nationality

Zimbabwean(s)

Ethnic Groups

African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%

Population

16,665,409

Population in Major Urban Areas

HARARE (capital) 1.542 million

The public medical infrastructure is subpar and medical facilities are limited. Most serious illnesses or accidents require medical evacuation to South Africa. All travelers are strongly urged to obtain medical evacuation insurance coverage prior to arriving in Zimbabwe. Doctors, hospitals and air ambulance medical evacuation services often expect immediate, upfront cash payment for health services. We urge you to bring a sufficient supply of your medications with required prescriptions for your entire trip, as many common medications are unavailable in Zimbabwe. Provincial hospitals in rural areas have rudimentary staffing, equipment, and supplies, and are not equipped to care for victims of serious accidents. The fuel shortage further diminishes emergency response capabilities. Emergency patients often must arrange their own transportation to medical facilities. Diseases from food and water are the leading cause of illness in travelers. Malaria is also prevalent throughout Zimbabwe, except in Harare, due to the capital’s high altitude. The CDC strongly recommends that malaria prophylaxis and preventive measures be taken when traveling outside of Harare. Due to Schistosomiasis, travelers are advised to avoid fresh water exposure.

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in Zimbabwe has undergone significant fluctuations over the past several decades, reflecting the country's turbulent social, economic, and public health history. As of the most recent available data, life expectancy in Zimbabwe stands at approximately 60 to 61 years overall, with women living slightly longer than men — roughly 62 to 63 years for females compared to around 58 to 59 years for males. Zimbabwe experienced one of the most dramatic collapses in life expectancy ever recorded for a country not at war. During the 1990s and early 2000s, a devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic, compounded by a severe economic crisis, caused life expectancy to plummet from a high of around 62 years in the late 1980s to a historic low of approximately 44 years by the mid-2000s. At its peak, Zimbabwe had one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world, with adult infection rates exceeding 20 percent. The subsequent recovery has been notable. Increased access to antiretroviral therapy, international health assistance, and public health initiatives contributed to a meaningful rebound in life expectancy from the late 2000s onward. The HIV prevalence rate among adults has since dropped to approximately 11 to 12 percent, a significant improvement, though the disease remains a major public health challenge. Beyond HIV/AIDS, life expectancy in Zimbabwe continues to be shaped by factors including access to clean water and sanitation, maternal and child mortality rates, malnutrition, and an underfunded healthcare system. Infant mortality remains a concern, with rates estimated at roughly 35 to 38 deaths per 1,000 live births, which pulls down overall life expectancy figures. Recurring cholera outbreaks, including a significant outbreak in 2023 and 2024, highlight the ongoing vulnerabilities in public health infrastructure. Despite these challenges, Zimbabwe has made measurable progress over the past two decades. Continued investment in healthcare infrastructure, disease prevention programs, and economic stabilization will be critical to sustaining and improving life expectancy gains in the coming decades.

Infant Mortality Rate

Zimbabwe's infant mortality rate has undergone significant fluctuations over recent decades, reflecting the country's broader public health challenges and economic instability. As of the most recent available data, Zimbabwe's infant mortality rate stands at approximately 35 to 40 deaths per 1,000 live births, a figure that, while still elevated compared to high-income nations, represents a marked improvement from the crisis years of the late 2000s when the rate exceeded 60 deaths per 1,000 live births. The primary causes of infant death in Zimbabwe include neonatal complications, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, malaria, and HIV/AIDS-related conditions. Malnutrition is also a significant contributing factor, weakening immune responses in newborns and young infants. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has had a particularly pronounced impact, as mother-to-child transmission of the virus remains a persistent concern despite progress in prevention programs. Access to skilled healthcare workers at birth varies widely between urban and rural areas. In cities such as Harare and Bulawayo, hospital delivery rates are considerably higher, while rural communities often rely on traditional birth attendants with limited medical training and supplies. This geographic disparity plays a direct role in infant survival outcomes. Zimbabwe has made measurable strides through partnerships with UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and other international health bodies. Expanded vaccination campaigns targeting measles, polio, and rotavirus have helped reduce preventable infant deaths. Oral rehydration therapy programs and improved access to antiretroviral treatment for HIV-positive mothers have also contributed positively to declining infant mortality figures. Nevertheless, Zimbabwe's healthcare system continues to face serious structural challenges, including chronic underfunding, a shortage of trained medical personnel due to emigration, and deteriorating infrastructure at many public health facilities. Economic hardship limits many families' ability to afford transportation to clinics or purchase essential medicines. The country's infant mortality rate, while improving, remains a key indicator of the ongoing development work needed to bring Zimbabwe's health outcomes in line with regional and global targets established under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Major Infectious Diseases

very high

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write English

Classroom

An average primary level school in is approximately 41 years old. Students typically enrolled in each classroom ranges from 30 to 40 children though sometimes it can be higher. Classrooms are equipped with tables, benches or chairs, and a few textbooks. Each classroom has long tables that may accommodate 8 to 10 students depending on the student density. Zimbabwe’s public education system reform become worse in recent years and the government was forced to further cut costs. This resulted in general shortage of books, science equipment and other essential learning facilities. Additionally, there are no computer or audio visual equipment in some schools.

Learning

The academic year in Zimbabwe runs from January to December, with three, three month terms broken up by a month inbetween each term. About 40 weeks of school per year. The first meal of their day for many students is eaten at 10:30 a.m. when classes break for 30 minutes. This will be food from home which includes roasted or cooked maize, sadza (home made bread), peanuts, maheu (quick brew). The schools do not provide any meals unless it is donor funded. At 11:00 a.m. students go back to classes. Classes break again for lunch which is an hour long at 1:00 p.m. Kids usually eat the same food for lunch. For donor funded food, students will be given sadza and beans or maheu. The kids who live close to school go home for lunch and have to be back at school at 2 p.m. when classes resume for afternoon session which is 2 hours long. At 4 p.m. the kids return home. The children do not speak English as the primary language at home. The reason is that parents or guardians at home are used to indigenous languages which are Shona and Ndebele. Schools give available textbooks to students to help them learn English. The subjects taught in primary schools are Mathematics, English, Shona and Ndebele (indigenous languages), social studies, environmental science and religious Education (mainly based on Christianity). Less than 70% of children move on to secondary education. Secondary education starts in form 1 (grade 8) and parents have options to send their children to private or public government schools, boarding or day. All boarding schools are usually very expensive, so the majority of students go to day secondary schools because they are the cheapest. If a student breaks a school rule, the disciplinary measures taken are very stiff. One of the measures is canning using sticks, usually on the back. Other measures include punishment which varies from cleaning classes and grounds; fetching water or moulding bricks depending on the broken rule. The headmaster is the controller of the school and has power over anyone at school. He can actually make his own decision without consulting other staff members. However in urban schools the authority will be limited due to the involvement of learned school development association members. Most teachers operate by taking orders from the headmaster who in most cases operates as a kind of dictatorship. The children are supposed to wear uniforms, but many times they do not. Parents have trouble paying fees ranging from US $5 to US $20 so they find it difficult to buy uniforms. Children end up wearing any kind of clothes at school.

To School

Most children tend to go to school on foot. Because of the limited number of schools, some kids walk long distances ranging from 5km to 15km. In rural areas most parents cannot afford to buy bicycles for kids to use and usually there are no vehicles at all and the roads are poor.

• syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs)50.0%
• Christian25.0%
• indigenous beliefs24.0%
• Muslim and other1.0%

English (official), Shona, Sindebele

English is the official language of the republic and is spoken by most educated people. In rural areas English is less commonly spoken. Ndebele and Shona and are commonly spoken. People often speak more than one language and many mix parts of several languages in daily speech.

• English

Crime Information

Crime is a serious problem in Zimbabwe, driven by the country's depressed economy. U.S. citizens and other foreigners are perceived to be wealthy and are frequently targeted by criminals who operate in the vicinity of hotels, restaurants, and shopping areas of major cities and tourist areas such as Victoria Falls. Although the majority of crimes in Zimbabwe are non-violent, perpetrators are generally armed with weapons, which can include firearms. The downtown sectors of Harare, and its high density residential suburbs, are particularly high-crime areas and a number of U.S. citizen visitors have been assaulted or robbed. Travelers should always secure their luggage, particularly in public areas such as airports and bus stops. Purse-snatchers will often work in teams of two, with one person acting as a diversion. A typical mugging involves a group of young males who surround and overwhelm their victim in a public area. Avoid displaying or carrying unnecessary valuables, such as expensive jewelry, and do not carry large sums of money. Cell phones are of particular interest to local thieves. Always secure items such as passports, money, jewelry, and credit cards in hotel safety deposit boxes or safes when not being used. Avoid driving at night. You should be alert for “smash and grabs,” where thieves break the windows of cars stopped at intersections and take visible items from inside the car. Car doors should always be locked and the windows rolled up. Handbags, wallets, and other items should be placed out of sight under car seats or in the trunk of the car. While stopped in traffic, always be aware and look around to identify potential trouble. Drivers should always leave sufficient maneuver room between their vehicle and the one in front so they can drive away from danger. If you suspect your vehicle is being followed you should drive to the nearest police station or other protected public area for assistance. Reducing even the shortest amount of idle times at traffic lights at night by slowing in advance to anticipate the changing of the light is an effective deterrent. Be cautious of people using ploys to lure you out of your car. In one ploy, an assailant will puncture a tire, follow the car, and then offer to help with the flat, particularly on the road to Harare International Airport. (NOTE: “Smash and grabs” are also very common on the Airport Road in Harare) Beware of drivers in vehicles without license plates who stop to render aid or who cause minor accidents. Always drive to a well-lit and populated area before making repairs or exchanging information. Travelers are encouraged to make two photocopies of the biographic/identification page and visa stamped page of their passport. Leave one copy at home with friends or relatives and carry the second copy with you for identification purposes. Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. Although Zimbabwean authorities are required to notify the nearest U.S. embassy when a U.S. citizen has been arrested, the U.S. Embassy in Harare does not always receive notification from Zimbabwean police. Further, the Government of Zimbabwe does not always grant immediate or repeated visits to detained or incarcerated U.S. citizens by Embassy consular officers. Individuals may be detained for up to 48 hours without due process, and detainees accused or suspected of political offenses have been repeatedly remanded in 14-day increments. U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry a copy of their U.S. passports with them at all times to be able to provide proof of identity and citizenship if questioned by local officials. U.S. citizens arrested or detained in Zimbabwe are advised to demand immediate contact with a U.S. consular official from the U.S. Embassy in Harare.