Zimbabwe
 

12 Sep 1890 - 4 Nov 1893; 1 Oct 1923 - 11 Nov 1968 (dual-flag); 12 Dec 1979 - 18 Apr 1980 4 Nov 1893 - 30 Sep 1923 British South Africa Company Flag  11 Aug 1924 - 8 Apr 1964   11 Aug 1924 - 8 Apr 1964 Variant     24 Aug 1954 - 31 Dec 1963   Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland   8 Apr 1964 - 11 Nov 1968     11 Nov 1968 - 2 Sep 1979  2 Sep 1979 - 12 Dec 1979 (de facto to 18 Apr 1980) Adopted 18 Apr 1980 Map of Zimbabwe Hear National Anthem "Simudzai Mureza wedu WeZimbabwe"/"Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe" (Blessed Be The Land of Zimbabwe) Adopted 18 Apr 1994 Former National Anthem "Ishe Komborera Africa" (God Bless Africa) (18 Apr 1980-18 Apr 1994) Constitution (22 Aug 2013) ----------------------------------- Rhodesian Constitutions (1923, 1961, 1965, 1970, 1979) Capital: Harare (Salisbury 1901-18 Apr 1982;  Mashonaland: Fort Salisbury 12 Sep 1890-1901; Matabeleland: Bulawayo 1893-1901) Currencies: Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG)(from 25 Jun 2024); 24 Jun 2019 - 25 Jun 2024 Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL); 20 Feb 2019 - 29 Mar 2020 Real Time Gross Settlement Dollar (RTGS); and 12 Apr 2009-24 Jun 2019, from 29 Mar 2020 South African Rand (ZAR), US Dollar (USD), Botswana Pula (BWP), & Euro (EUR); 1980 - 12 Apr 2009 Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWD); 1970-1980 Rhodesian Dollar (RDH); 1940-1956 Southern Rhodesia Currency Board Pound (RHSP); 1901-1940 British Pound (GBP) National Holiday: 18 Apr (1980) Independence Day Population: 15,418,674 (2023) GDP: $33.8 billion (2021) Exports: $5.27 billion (2020) Imports: $5.49 billion (2020) Ethnic groups: African 99.4% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group), other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2% (2012) Total Active Armed Forces: 29,000 (2010) Merchant marine: None (2022) Religions: Protestant 74.8% (includes Apostolic 37.5%, Pentecostal 21.8%, other 15.5%), Roman Catholic 7.3%, other Christian 5.3%,  traditional 1.5%, Muslim 0.5%, other 0.1%, none 10.5% (2015) International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, AfCFTA, AfDB, APM, AU, BTWC, C (applicant), COMESA, CTBT, CWC, ESCR, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, IRENA, ISA, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NPT, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Zimbabwe Index Chronology c.1220 - c.1450            Zimbabwe kingdom, with its capital at modern Masvingo                              (ruins of which are commonly called "Great Zimbabwe"). c.1430 - c.1720            Zimbabwe plateau part of the Karanga (Mutapa) kingdom. c.1450 - 1683              Butua (Butwa) kingdom located in modern southwestern                              Zimbabwe. c.1480 - 1857              Changamire (Rozvi) empire centered at Danangombe                              (Danan'ombe).  11 Feb 1888                Cecil Rhodes' (b. 1853 - d. 1902) company imposes a                              protectorate over the Ndebele Kingdom (Matabeleland)                              via the Rudd Concession, contested by the Ndebele. 30 Oct 1888                Regions collectively named "Zambesia" by the British,                              "Charterland" or "the BSAC territories" also in use. 29 Oct 1889 -  1 Oct 1923  Under British South Africa Company (BSAC) administration. 13 Sep 1890                Lieut. Edward Tyndale-Biscoe (b. 1864 - d. 1841) of the                              settler Pioneer Column, which arrived on 12 Sep 1890,                              raises the Union Jack flag on the kopje over Fort                              Salisbury and claims Mashonaland for U.K.  9 May 1891                Mashonaland and Matabeleland are declared British                              Protectorates.  4 Nov 1893                British South Africa Company forces occupy Bulawayo. 23 Jan 1894                South Zambesia created from Mashonaland and the                              Matabeleland protectorates.  3 May 1895                South Zambesia and North Zambesia (Zambia) united as                              the Rhodesia Protectorate. 28 Mar 1896 - 24 May 1896  Ndebele siege of Bulawayo. 24 Jan 1901                Mashonaland and Matabeleland united as Southern Rhodesia;                              (administered by British South Africa Company to 1923). 27 Oct 1922                Referendum supports responsible government over joining                              South Africa, 59%-40.6%.  1 Oct 1923                British Colony of Southern Rhodesia (with self-                              government)(by U.K.-BSAC agreement of 29 Sep 1923).  1 Aug 1953 - 31 Dec 1963  Part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland                              (Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia and                              Nyasaland).  4 Jul 1964 - 12 Dec 1979  Zimbabwe war of liberation ("Rhodesian Bush War"). 24 Oct 1964                Renamed Rhodesia (not recognized by U.K.). 11 Nov 1965                Southern Rhodesia became an independent state under the                              name of Rhodesia (not recognized by U.K.).  2 Mar 1970                Rhodesia becomes a republic.  1 Jun 1979                Zimbabwe Rhodesia. 12 Dec 1979 - 18 Apr 1980  Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe Rhodesia is in local official                              use), return to U.K. colonial status. 18 Apr 1980                Zimbabwe (independence from the U.K.) 17 Apr 1991                Republic of Zimbabwe 22 May 2013                Zimbabwe 22 Aug 2023                Official languages recognized: Chewa, Chibarwe, English,                              Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona,                              Sign Language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa. Zimbabwe (since 1980) Traditional States  Mashonaland (1890-1901) Matabeleland (1896-1901) Southern Rhodesia (1884-1965) Rhodesia (1965-1979) Zimbabwe- Rhodesia (1979-1980) Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953-1963)

Mashonaland

Resident Commissioner of Mashonaland
29 Jun 1890 - 18 Sep 1891  Archibald Ross Colquhoun            (b. 1848 - d. 1914)
Administrators
18 Sep 1891 -  2 May 1896  Leander Starr Jameson               (b. 1853 - d. 1917)
 8 Oct 1893 - 22 Jan 1894  Andrew Henry Farrell Duncan         (b. 1855 - d. 1931)
                             (acting for Jameson)
 2 May 1896 - 24 Jul 1897  Albert Henry George Grey, Earl Grey (b. 1851 - d. 1917)
24 Jul 1897 - 24 Jan 1901  William Henry Milton                (b. 1854 - d. 1930)
                             (acting to 5 Dec 1898)

Administrator
Nov 1896 - Mar 1901        Arthur Lawley                       (b. 1860 - d. 1932)
                             (acting 5 Dec 1898) 

Chief magistrates of South Zambesia
23 Jan 1894 - May 1894     Andrew Henry Farrell Duncan        (b. 1855 - d. 1931)
                             (acting)
May 1894 -  9 Sep 1894     Leander Starr Jameson              (b. 1853 - d. 1917)
Administrators of the Rhodesia Protectorate
 9 Sep 1894 - 28 Oct 1894  Leander Starr Jameson (1st time)   (s.a.)
28 Oct 1894 -  1 Apr 1895  Francis William Rhodes (acting)    (b. 1851 - d. 1905)
 1 Apr 1895 - Jun 1895     Leander Starr Jameson (2nd time)   (s.a.)
Jun 1895 -  2 May 1896     Joseph Vincent (acting)            (b. 1861 - d. 1914)
 2 May 1896 - 24 Jul 1897  Albert Henry George Grey, Earl     (b. 1851 - d. 1917)
                             Grey, Viscount Howick in the
                             County of Northumberland, Baron 
                             Grey, of Howick in the County of
                             Northumberland 
24 Jul 1897 - 24 Jan 1901  William Henry Milton               (b. 1854 - d. 1930)
                             (acting to 4 Dec 1898)
Administrators
24 Jan 1901 -  2 Nov 1914  Sir William Henry Milton           (s.a.)
                             (from 26 Jun 1903, Sir William Henry Milton)
 2 Nov 1914 - 24 Dec 1914  Francis James Newton (acting)      (b. 1857 - d. 1948)
24 Dec 1914 - 30 Sep 1923  Francis Drummond Percy Chaplin     (b. 1866 - d. 1933)
                             (from 12 Feb 1917, Sir Francis Drummond Percy Chaplin) 
15 Oct 1919 - 14 Dec 1919  Clarkson Tredgold                  (b. 1865 - d. 1938) 
                             (acting for Chaplin)
10 Sep 1920 - 10 Dec 1920  Ernest Montagu (1st time)          (b. 1862 - d. 1952) 
                             (acting for Chaplin)
15 Nov 1922 - 10 May 1923  Ernest Montagu (2nd time)          (s.a.)
                             (acting for Chaplin)
21 Sep 1923 - 23 Sep 1923  Percy Donald Leslie Flynn          (b. 1872 - d. 1940)
                             (acting for Chaplin)
Governors
 1 Oct 1923 - 15 Jun 1928  Sir John Robert Chancellor         (b. 1870 - d. 1952)
15 Jun 1928 - 24 Nov 1928  Murray Bisset (acting)             (b. 1876 - d. 1931)
                             (from 18 Jul 1928, Sir Murray Bisset)
24 Nov 1928 -  1 May 1934  Sir Cecil Hunter-Rodwell           (b. 1874 - d. 1953)
 1 May 1934 -  8 Jan 1935  Sir Alexander Fraser Russell       (b. 1876 - d. 1952)
                             (1st time) (acting) 
 8 Jan 1935 -  8 Jan 1942  Sir Herbert James Stanley          (b. 1872 - d. 1955)
 8 Jan 1942 - 10 Dec 1942  Sir Alexander Fraser Russell       (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) (acting) 
10 Dec 1942 - 26 Oct 1944  Sir Evelyn Baring                  (b. 1903 - d. 1973)
26 Oct 1944 - 20 Feb 1945  Sir Robert James Hudson (1st time) (b. 1885 - d. 1963)
                             (acting)
20 Feb 1945 - 17 Jul 1946  Sir William Eric Campbell Tait     (b. 1886 - d. 1946)
 2 Feb 1946 - 19 Jul 1946  Sir Alexander Fraser Russell       (s.a.)
                             (3rd time)(acting [for Tait to 17 Jul 1946])
19 Jul 1946 - 14 Jan 1947  Sir Robert James Hudson (2nd time) (s.a.)
                             (acting)
14 Jan 1947 - 21 Nov 1953  Sir John Noble Kennedy             (b. 1893 - d. 1970)
21 Nov 1953 - 26 Nov 1954  Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold       (b. 1899 - d. 1977)
                             (acting)
26 Nov 1954 - 28 Dec 1959  Sir Peveril Barton Reiby Wallop    (b. 1898 - d. 1985)
                             William-Powlett 
28 Dec 1959 - 17 Nov 1965  Humphrey Vicary Gibbs              (b. 1902 - d. 1990)
                            (from 1 Jan 1960, Sir Humphrey Vicary Gibbs)
                            (continues to 24 Jun 1969, unrecognized by Smith regime)

Premiers
 1 Oct 1923 - 28 Aug 1927  Sir Charles Patrick John Goghlan   (b. 1863 - d. 1927)  RP
 2 Sep 1927 -  5 Jul 1933  Howard Unwin Moffat                (b. 1869 - d. 1951)  RP
Prime ministers
 5 Jul 1933 - 12 Sep 1933  George Mitchell                    (b. 1867 - d. 1937)  RP
12 Sep 1933 -  7 Sep 1953  Godfrey Martin Huggins             (b. 1883 - d. 1971)  PR; 1934
                             (from 1 Jan 1941, Sir Godfrey Martin Huggins)         UP;1953 FP
 7 Sep 1953 - 17 Feb 1958  Reginald Stephen Garfield Todd     (b. 1908 - d. 2002) URP;1957 UFP
17 Feb 1958 - 17 Dec 1962  Sir Edgar Cuthbert Fremantle       (b. 1905 - d. 1971)  UFP
                             Whitehead 
17 Dec 1962 - 13 Apr 1964  Sir Winston Joseph Field           (b. 1904 - d. 1969)  DP;1962 RF
13 Apr 1964 - 11 Nov 1965  Ian Douglas Smith                  (b. 1919 - d. 2007)  RF

Chairmen of British South Africa Company (in London)
Oct 1889 -  3 Jan 1913     James Hamilton, Duke of Abercorn   (b. 1838 - d. 1913) 
1913 - 26 Nov 1917         Leander Starr Jameson              (b. 1853 - d. 1917)
26 Nov 1917 - Oct 1920     Philip Lyttelton Gell (acting)     (b. 1852 - d. 1926)
Presidents of the British South Africa Company (in London)
Oct 1920 - 1923            Philip Lyttelton Gell              (s.a.)
1923 - 18 Apr 1925         James Rochfort Maguire             (b. 1855 - d. 1925)
Managing director in South Africa
Oct 1889 - Jun 1896        Cecil John Rhodes                  (b. 1853 - d. 1902)                

Party abbreviations: DP = Dominion Party (UFP opposition, anti-federation, pro-white minority rule, 1960 renamed Federal Dominion party, 1953-1962, successor RF); FP = Federal Party (center-right, pro-federation, 1953-1957, merged with URP as UFP); RF = Rhodesian Front (conservative, Rhodesian nationalist, pro-white minority rule, republican, merger of DP and RF, Mar 1962-1981, renamed Republican Front); RP = Rhodesian Reform Party (1923-1934, merged with RP as UP, in 1962 merged with DP as RF); UFP = United Federal Party (center-right, pro-federation, in 1963 renamed Federal Party, 1958-1963); UP = United Party (merger of RP and Rhodesian Party, 1934-1953, renamed URP); URP = United Rhodesia Party (conservative, 1953-1958, merged with FP as UFP)

11 Nov 1965 - 11 Nov 1968

11 Nov 1968 - 2 Sep 1979

2 Sep 1979 - 12 Dec 1979

12 Dec 1979 - 17 Apr 1980

11 Nov 1965                Southern Rhodesia became an independent state under the
                             name of Rhodesia¹ (not recognized by U.K.).
 2 Mar 1970                Rhodesia becomes a republic.
 1 Jun 1979                Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
12 Dec 1979 - 18 Apr 1980  Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe Rhodesia is in local official
                             use), return to U.K. colonial status.
18 Apr 1980                Zimbabwe, independence from the U.K.
17 Apr 1991                Republic of Zimbabwe
22 May 2013                Zimbabwe

Prime ministers
11 Nov 1965 -  1 Jun 1979  Ian Douglas Smith                   (b. 1919 - d. 2007)  RF
 1 Jun 1979 - 12 Dec 1979  Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa             (b. 1925 - d. 2010)  UANC

 ¹The Officer Administering the Government was designated by the Constitution of Rhodesia of 1965 as the representative of Queen Elizabeth II (b. 1926 - d. 2022) in her capacity as the holder of executive powers. The Queen did not accept the legality of the existence of Rhodesia as a polity, and no specific Rhodesian style was adopted for the monarch.

Party abbreviations: RF = Rhodesian Front (Rhodesian nationalist, pro-white minority rule, successor to the Dominion Party, Mar 1962-1981); UANC = United African National Council (African nationalist, 1974-1996)

18 Apr 1980                Zimbabwe (independence from the U.K.)
17 Apr 1991                Republic of Zimbabwe
22 May 2013                Zimbabwe

Presidents of Zimbabwe and Commanders-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of Zimbabwe
18 Apr 1980 - 31 Dec 1987  Canaan Sodindo Banana              (b. 1936 - d. 2003)  ZANU 
31 Dec 1987 - 21 Nov 2017  Robert Gabriel Mugabe              (b. 1924 - d. 2019)  ZANU-PF
21 Nov 2017 - 24 Nov 2017  Phelekezela Mphoko (acting)        (b. 1940 - d. 2024)  ZANU-PF
                             ([nominally] did not take office)
24 Nov 2017 -              Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa        (b. 1946)            ZANU-PF

Prime ministers
18 Apr 1980 - 31 Dec 1987  Robert Gabriel Mugabe              (s.a.)               ZANU 
31 Dec 1987 - 11 Feb 2009  Post abolished
11 Feb 2009 - 11 Sep 2013  Morgan Richard Tsvangirai          (b. 1952 - d. 2018)  MDC
11 Sep 2013                Post abolished

Territorial Disputes: in 2004, Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; in May 2021, Botswana and Zambia agreed in principle to let Zimbabwe be a partner in the bridge project as it enters its lasts phase; South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration.

Party abbreviations: MDC = Movement for Democratic Change (social-democratic, reformist, est.1999); ZANU-PF = Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (democratic socialist, African nationalist, authoritarian, est.1987);
- Former parties: ZANU = Zimbabwe African National Union (African militant, democratic socialist, African nationalist, merged into ZANU-PF, 1963-1987)

24 Aug 1954 - 31 Dec 1963

 1 Aug 1953                The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
                             (Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland; 
                             also called the Central African Federation) by Federation of
                             Rhodesia and Nyasaland (Constitution) Order in Council (S.I.1953
                             No. 1199)(certain provisions came into force 3 Sep 1953).
31 Dec 1963                Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland dissolved.

Governors-general
 4 Sep 1953 - 24 Jan 1957  John Jestyn Llewellin, Baron       (b. 1893 - d. 1957)
                             Llewellin of Upton 
24 Jan 1957 - Feb 1957     Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold       (b. 1899 - d. 1977)
                             (1st time)(acting) 
Feb 1957 - 17 Jun 1957     Sir William Lindsay Murphy (acting)(b. 1887 - d. 1965)
17 Jun 1957 -  8 Oct 1957  Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold       (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)(acting) 
 8 Oct 1957 -  7 May 1963  Simon Ramsay, Earl of Dalhousie    (b. 1914 - d. 1999)
 7 May 1963 - 31 Dec 1963  Sir Humphrey Vicary Gibbs (acting) (b. 1902 - d. 1990)

Prime ministers
 7 Sep 1953 -  2 Nov 1956  Sir Godfrey Martin Huggins         (b. 1883 - d. 1971)  FP
                            (from 17 Feb 1955, Godfrey Martin
                             Huggins, Viscount Malvern)
 2 Nov 1956 - 31 Dec 1963  Sir Roland "Roy" Welensky          (b. 1907 - d. 1991)  FP;1957 UFP

Party abbreviations: FP = Federal Party (center-right, pro-federation, 1953-1957, merged with United Rhodesia Party as UFP); UFP = United Federal Party (center-right, pro-federation, in 1963 renamed Federal Party, 1958-1965)