The Things you Want to Know about Zimbabwe

Created by Marcus M. and Emma L.

 

On this page we will overview fact's of Zimbabwe dealing with culture, health, and all the things you want to know.  There are also pictures and video included giving you a visual of the country.  Enjoy!

 

Zimbabwe is having a very tough time right now. A cholera epidemic has struck, leaving the water dirty and diseased. Also many people are starving, and some homeless. The people there are unhappy with their president because they consider him as very unreliable. Many are dying and suffering terribly. The government is in a state of collapse, too. Although the enconomy isn't the best, it is still standing. Zimbabwe also has a lot of environmental problems such as erosion, extinction, and pollution.

 

Here are some facts you need to know about Zimbabwe:

 

Official name:

Republic of Zimbabwe

 

Population:

Approximately 11,392,629

 

Languages Spoken:

The main language spoken is English.  Others include Ndebele, Shona, Kalanga, Tongo, and many other tribal languages.  

 

Colonization:

Britain colonized in 1890.

 

Government type:

Parliamentary Democracy. 

 

Religions Practiced:

The main religion praticed is Christianity.  Others include Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

 

Major Tribes:

The main African tribe is the Shona at 82% of tribes.

 

Independence:

A Rhodesian Prime Minister issued a unilateral declaration of independence from Britain.  After a long war, the country gained independence in 1980.

 

Climate:

Tropical 

 

Capital:

Harare

 

Healthcare:

Very Poor. There is few hospitals and not much medical care.

 

Area: 

 

Life expectency in Zimbabwe one of the lowest in the world:

The average life of a women is only 34 years.  And men aren't much higher with only 37 years.  This site gives information and reasons why this is such a low number.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/17/opinion/17herbert.html

 

 

Here are some links that can take you to websites with more details about Zimbawe's problems

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html

 http://www.indexmundi.com/zimbabwe/environment_current_issues.html

 http://newsdesk.org/2008/07/zimbabwe_troubl/

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7764200.stm

 

Some cool pictures of Zimbabwe

 

 

Here is a map of Zimbabwe

 

                              A picture of the great Victoria Falls 

 

                        Zimbabwe's flag 

 

             Overhead veiw of Victoria Falls

Here are some other cool sites and links about Zimbabwe:

CIA World Factbook- https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html

 

This is a video of the Zimbabwe national anthem: 

 

 

 

 

Marcus' Zimbabwe Mask 

 

 

Artist’s Statement

By Marcus M.

            “Wow, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be.”  That is what everybody was saying as we started painting our masks.  My country is Zimbabwe and I have tried to put as many symbols representing it as possible.  The brown and white face represents that there is about 98% African and only 2% white in Zimbabwe.  Next, starting from the bottom, are the handcuffs that symbolize the crime and insecurity of the country.  The three pipe cleaners show that the country is a democracy and everyone has a voice, which is why they are placed by the mouth.  The tears underneath the eye represent that Zimbabwe has the lowest life expectancy in the world and all the sadness that comes from it.  The question mark beneath the other eye shows that you can see there is a lot of uncertainty with nearly 70% of the country unemployed.  Finally, the red lines represent the expanding health care and acknowledge of Zimbabwe.  So after an hours worth of painting, that is my mask.  So, what would yours look like?

 

Zimbabwe Defined

By Marcus M.

I am a country who is losing people faster than anywhere else

I wonder why I can’t support my people with their health issues and needs

I feel defeated and injured by the problems that I have

I understand that seventy percent of my people don’t have a job

I hear argument and bickering among my people over the different opinions on how to live

I want stillness and triumph from my poor and disturbed country

I am a country who is losing its people faster than anywhere else

 

I see the great Victoria Falls bringing tourists in from all over the world

I smell the sweat of the intense work of the minors below

I cry for all the young deaths because of the horrible living conditions for everyone

I am a country that is losing its people faster than anywhere else

 

I worry about the security of my government

I say that people should work hard for a chance of success

I dream of peace and unity

I try to get things on track, even though I haven’t had much success

I hope I will be perfect some day or, at least close to it

I am Zimbabwe

 

               Emma's Zimbabwe Mask         

 

                                                                                                                                 My Artist Statement

by Emma L.

My country is Zimbabwe. The reason the majority of the mask is blue is because of Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls is a very large waterfall that attracts many tourists. The palm tree going up the side of the mask represents the tropical climate. I put the red ribbon the middle of the mask to draw attention to it. It represents AIDS because they are a big problem in Zimbabwe. I drew the mouth with an American flag because the main language is English. Zimbabwe is still struggling, but they are trying to make changes for the better.

 

A Proud and Independent Country

I am Zimbabwe, crumbling under the burden of cholera and AIDS.

I wonder how long we will have to wait before our voices are heard.

I hear thousands of gallons of water going over Victoria Falls and smacking the rocks below.

I want my water to be fresh and clean.

I see a sea of black and white stripes moving swiftly through the long grass.

I am Zimbabwe, crumbling under the burden of cholera and AIDS

 

I feel raging anger when the government turns a deaf ear to our needs.

I worry the tourists who hold up our economy will stop coming.

I touch the steamy tropical air that seems to stick to my people's dark skin.

I smell the dry dust that coats my throat, making it hard to breath.

I cry when I hear the haunting moans of those held tightly in the grip of sickness.

 

I am Zimbabwe, crumbling under the burden of cholera and AIDS

I understand that my people live forty-eight years less than the average American.

I say no matter how many problems my people have, we are independent and intend to stay that way.

I dream of having a new leader, full of trust and determination.

I try not to watch the oil and toxins being pulled from the earth.

I hope someday the environment will be beautiful again-the way it used to be.

I am Zimbabwe.

 

Further Questions for Research:

-How many hospitals are there in Zimbabwe?

 

Respond to the questions if you want your voice heard!