Zimbabwe: Geography#
| Location | Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia |
|---|---|
| Geographic Coordinates | 20 00 S, 30 00 E -20.0,30.0 |
| Area | total: 390,757 sq km land: 386,847 sq km water: 3,910 sq km [Verified in 8 databases] |
| Land boundaries | total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Elevation Extremes | lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m |
| Highest Mountains | Due to difference in mountain rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists : According to Wolfram: Mount Nyangani 2592 m; Monte Binga 2440 m According to Geonames: Inyangani 2991 m; Rukotso 2404 m; Nyangui 2227 m; Manyoli 2161 m; Nyamakanga 2037 m Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org Important Mountains |
| Terrain | mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east |
| Natural Hazards | recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare |
| Natural Resource | coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals |
| Land Use | arable land: 10.49% permanent crops: 0.31% other: 89.2% (2011) |
| Climate | tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March) |
| Irrigated Land | 1,735 sq km (2003) |
| Renewable Water Resources | 20 cu km (2011) |
| Environment_CurrentIssues | deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Large Cities | Harare; Bulawayo; Chitungwiza; Mutare; Gweru [Verified] Important Cities |
| Geography-note | landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi) |