Forex Trading Business

Since 1987, Robert MUGABE has ruled Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia. Rhodesia became sovereign in 1965, but was not recognized by the United Kingdom. The constitution that had been formed in 1961 had given lots of voting rights to the whites and the United Kingdom demanded that more rights be given to the black African population. In 1980, the state changed its name to Zimbabwe and became sovereign after the 1979 free elections. As prime minister, MUGABE’s 2000 plan for the reorganization of land caused the economy to worsen and a scarcity of basic supplies and provisions. MUGABE also manipulated the elections in 2002 so he could remain in power. Since 2005, the ZANU-PF party has dominated and has changed the constitution and revived the senate.

Main Airports

Bulawayo (BUQ), Harare (HRE), Victoria Falls (VFA)

U.S. Embassy

172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
Tel: 263-4-250-593

Statistics

GDP: purchasing power parity:

$28.37 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-7% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity:

2,300 (2005 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

266.8% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

3.94 million (2005 est.)

Exports:

$1.644 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - partners:

South Africa 33.3%, China 7.5%, Japan 6.4%, Netherlands 4.9%, US 4.7%, Italy 4.3%, Zambia 4.2%, Germany 4.1% (2005)

Imports:

$2.059 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - partners:

South Africa 43%, China 4.6%, Botswana 3.3% (2005)

Population:

12,236,805 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.62% (2006 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line:

80% (2004 est.)

Major Industries:

mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Employing Workers: 122*

Registering Property: 80*

Enforcing Contracts: 93*

Closing a Business: 150*

*2006 World Bank rank out of 175 countries