Former Name: Southern Rhodesia

Capital: Harare (population 2 000 000)

Size: 390 759 sq km / 150 873 sq miles

Population: 12 627 000

Ethnic Groups: Shona, Ndebele, (Ba)Tonga, Shangaan / Hlengwe, Venda, Mixed, Asian, White, others

Languages: English, Shona, Ndebele or Sindebele, other native languages

Local time: GMT +2

System: metric

Driving: Vehicles travel on the left hand side of the road as opposed to the right hand side in Europe and America; you can use your country's driving license for up to 90 days; if it's not issued in English, carry a translation.

Zimbabwe's territory is mostly a high plateau (from 305 m / 1 000 ft to 1 220 m / 4 000 ft) consisting of the Low- and the Middleveld. An even higher central plateau called the Highveld runs diagonally across the county from southwest to northeast at an altitude between 1 220 m / 4 000 ft and 1 676 m / 5 500 ft. To the east, Zimbabwe's highest mountain, Mount Inyangani (2 596 m / 8 517 ft) can be found in the Inyanga Mountains. The two most important rivers are the Limpopo and the Zambezi, which also forms the natural border with Zambia and feeds the Victoria Falls.

With its tropical location, Zimbabwe gets hot in the lower regions like the valleys of the Zambezi and the Limpopo. However, since over 75% of the country lies raised on a plateau, it generally sees a temperate climate. There are three seasons: May to August is cool and dry, September and October generally is hot and dry, and between November and April, Zimbabwe gets a summer rainy season. Temperatures vary from 24° to 38°C / 75° to 100°F in the summer months, and from 12° to 23°C / 54° to 74°F in winter. The amount of rainfall increases from west to east.

Depending on how much water they are carrying, the Victoria Falls appear in different ways. In the time after the rainy season, the water masses are the biggest, whereas in the months of October and November, the water is low and the cliffs, gorges and rock formations are revealed.

All nationalities need a visa in order to enter Zimbabwe, which can be obtained upon arrival in most cases. Fees vary for different nationalities (with citizens of the UK having to pay the most whereas Scandinavians get it for free) and types of visa (single entry visa are valid for 90 days, double entry for 180 days, extensions are possible; note that multiple entry visa need to be applied for from abroad). To pay for your visa, you can use various currencies. Children ID's are accepted.

Diplomatic Embassies and High Commissions of Zimbabwe
 

Germany Kommandantenstr. 80 (cnr. Leipziger Str.) 10117 Berlin Germany .	Tel. ++49 30 2 06 22 63 Fax ++49 30 2 04 55 062 . . .
United Kingdom Zimbabwe House 429 The Strand London WC2R 0QE United Kingdom .	Tel. ++44 20 7836 7755 Fax ++44 20 7379 1167 zimlondon@callnetuk.com www.zimbabwelink.com . .
United States 1608 New Hampshire Ave NW Washington DC 20009  United States .	Tel. ++1 202 332 7100 Fax ++1 202 438 9326 . . .

Diplomatic Embassies and High Commissions in Zimbabwe
 

Germany 30 Ceres Road Avondale Harare Zimbabwe Postal Address: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, P.O. Box A 1475, Harare, Zimbabwe .	Tel. ++263 4 30 86 55, ++263 4 30 86 56, ++263 4 33 22 92, ++263 4 33 23 26, ++263 4 33 39 65, ++263 4 33 39 74 Fax ++262 4 30 34 55 germemb@ecoweb.co.zw . . . .
United Kingdom Corner House (7th Floor) Samora Machel Avenue / Leopold Takawira Street, Harare, Zimbabwe Postal Address: P.O. Box 4490, Harare, Zimbabwe .	Tel. ++263 4 772 990, ++263 4 774 700 Fax ++263 4 774 617  www.britishembassy.gov.uk/zimbabwe . . . .
United States Arax House 172 Herbert Chitepo Ave Harare Zimbabwe .	Tel. ++263 4 703 169, ++263 4 703 378, ++263 4 703 478, after hours hotlines for American citizens: ++263 4 250 593, ++263 4 250 594, ++263 4 250 595 Fax ++263 4 796 488 consularharare@state.gov .

1 Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWD) = 100 Cents

You can exchange cash or traveller cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling at banks and foreign exchange bureaus in major cities. Most credit cards are accepted, and can be used for cash advance as well as for withdrawals from ATM's. Please note however that there is a big difference between the official and the unofficial (offered very officially, though) exchange rate in Zimbabwe. You will sometimes come across a mixed official / unofficial rate. In order to benefit from the better unofficial rate, it is advisable to bring cash in hard currencies, preferably US Dollars in smaller notes. If you use your credit card, the official rate is applied.

Banks are usually open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8.30 to 15:00, Wednesdays from 8:30 to 13.00 and Saturdays from 8.30 to 11.00.

Country code: ++263. City code Harare: 04. Mobile phone codes: 011 or 019
International access code from Zimbabwe: 00
Internet code: .zw

Other important numbers: 
Police: 995
Ambulance: 994

Calls can be made from phone shops and card phones, although public booths might not always be working. Internet cafes are increasing in numbers all over the country.

Post offices are usually open Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 16.00 and Saturdays from 8.30 to 11.30.

Electricity

Zimbabwe uses 220 V / 50 Hz.
The plug has round pins with ground or is a rectangular blade plug.

Air

Zimbabwe's major airport is Harare (located 15 km / 9 miles outside town), but Bulawayo and Victoria Falls are also well connected. Air Zimbabwe offers flights to / from Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Lilongwe, Lusaka and Nairobi as well as to / from London. Zambian Airways connects Lusaka and Harare whereas Air Botswana does flights between Gaborone and Harare. South African Airways links Johannesburg with Harare and Bulawayo. British Airways offers direct flights between London and Harare. Note that the departure tax should be included in your ticket. 

Overland

Driving

The main border crossings are: 

From Botswana: Kazungula, Mpandamatenga  and Ramokgwebana - Plumtree

From Mozambique: Changara - Nyamapanda, Manica - Mutare and Espungabera

From Namibia: none

From South Africa: Messina – Beitbridge (across the Limpopo River Bridge)

From Zambia: Chirundu, Siavonga – Kariba und Livingstone - Victoria Falls

Note that there is a departure tax of 20 US$. 

Bus

From Botswana: Buses and minibuses run between Francistown and Bulawayo (with or without stop in Ramokgwebana). Buses from Maun and Gaborone go to Gweru via Bulawayo. At the northern border, Kasane is connected to Victoria Falls. 

From Mozambique: From Tete you can reach the Nyamapanda border crossing going via Changara. From the border, minibuses will take you to Harare. To get there from Beira, you need to take a minibus to Chimoio from where you can make it to the Manica – Mutare border crossing. The Espungabera border crossing is hard to do without your own car.

From Namibia: none

From South Africa: Buses start in Johannesburg and Pretoria and run all the way via Pietersberg to Bulawayo as well as to Harare. You can also get to the Messina – Beitbridge border crossing by minibus and then catch another one to Masvingo or Bulawayo and then on to Harare. 

From Zambia: Buses link Lusaka to Harare via the Chirundu border crossing. If you want to travel by minibus, the Siavonga – Kariba border crossing is the best one to head to. 

Train

From Botswana: The train system links Gaborone via Bulawayo with Victoria Falls. You can also take the train from Gaborone to Harare (via Gweru). 

From Mozambique: Starting in Beira, the train lines run via Chimoio to the Manica – Mutare border crossing from where they continue into Harare. If you are coming from Maputo, the train will take you via Chókwé and then across the Chicualacuala – Sango border crossing on to Somabhula (near Gweru). There the train line splits; going west you will reach Bulawayo, heading north will take you into Harare. 

From Namibia: none

From South Africa: Starting in Johannesburg and Pretoria, trains run via the Messina – Beitbridge border crossing either via Bulawayo to Victoria Falls or to Harare. 

From Zambia: Trains from Lusaka take the Livingstone – Victoria Falls border crossing from where they continue to Bulwayo and terminate in Harare.