Zimbabwe Geography

Geographic location

It is bordered to the north by Zambia and Mozambique, to the south by Botswana and the Republic of South Africa, to the east by Mozambique and to the west by Botswana. The capital is Harare. The territory of Zimbabwe stretches between the Zambezi rivers, to the northeast, the Sabi, to the east and southeast, and the Limpopo, to the southeast, which form one of the most important water reserves in Africa. A quarter of its relief is dominated by the 640 km long Veld mountain range, which crosses the country from the southwest to the Inyanga Mountains in the northeast.

The higher lands of the Upper Veld occupy the center of the country around Bulawayo, Gweru and Harare; a medium Veld, between 700 and 1400 m, comprises intermediate plateaus and extends through the northwestern and southeastern regions. The lower Veld, below 700 m altitude, is situated in the Zambezi and Limpopo valleys. The main rivers of Zimbabwe are the Zambezi, on the border with Zambia, the Limpopo, the Sabi, the Lundi, the Shangani, the Bembezi and the Angwa. Also noteworthy is Lake Kariba, formed when the Zambezi Dam was built.

Climate

According to bridgat, Zimbabwe’s climate is subtropical. While in the river valleys it is warm and humid, when increasing in altitude greater thermal oscillations appear. There is a dry season, from June to September, which coexists with winter, and a rainy season, from October to March, which coincides with the warm season. Average annual rainfall varies by region. While in the southwest the rainfall does not exceed 400 mm per year, in the highlands it usually exceeds 900 mm per year. The most common vegetation in the country is the savannah, with acacias or baobabs in the drier regions of the west and south-west, as well as the tall meadows.

Regions

Highveld

From the northeast to the southwest and towards the center of the country, connecting its two largest cities, this range of low mountains is the most inhabited area in Zimbabwe.

Harare

Formerly Salisbury, with a population of over 1.6 million, the capital is the usual gateway to Zimbabwe and the industrial center of the country. It is a clean and sophisticated city, characterized by its flowering trees, the variety of colors and contemporary architecture. Local tourism includes the modern museum and National Gallery of Zimbabwe, the Robert McIlwaine Recreational Parck which has a Lions and Onza lake and preserve, and the Botanical Gardens.

Bulawayo

Zimbabwe’s second city is an industrial and tourist center. The city is rich in samples of the country’s history that are displayed in the National Museum. Nearby is the Khami and Rhodes Matopos Park, known for its exotic granite rock formations. You can also enjoy reservoirs with excellent fishing, caves with cave paintings, the tomb of Cecil Rhodes and an interesting sample of native fauna.

Eastern mountainous regions

The Inyanga, Vumba and the Chimanimani mountain range are the main mountainous and recreational and rest areas for Zimbabweans. Mount Inyangani, the highest in the country (2592m), is in this area.

Parks

From the forested mountains of the eastern mountainous regions to the grasslands of Hwange National Park, from the hot Mopani Forest to the shores of Lake Kariba, there is more than 11% of the land of Zimbabwe; 44,688 square km dedicated to parks and wildlife properties in the wild. There are ten national parks and ten natural parks in addition to several botanical gardens and 14 hunting areas (strictly controlled and whose income helps fund conservation programs).

Hwange National Park

Formerly Wankie, it is the largest national park in Zimbabwe, both for its size (14,620 square km) and for the variety of animals and birds that can be seen. From the three existing camps in its interior there are paths that lead visitors to areas with animal concentrations, to ponds where from prepared viewpoints an innumerable number and variety of animals can be seen that congregate, especially at sunset. Hwange is one of the last great elephant sanctuaries in Africa and herds of more than 100 elephants can be seen drinking and bathing in the ponds, particularly at the end of the dry season in September.

120km from Hwange National Park are the Victoria Falls, the largest in the world: 1.7km wide, 550,000 cubic meters of liters of water every minute in its 100m of fall that reaches 5 million per minute during the rainy season; the steam they give off can be seen 30km away.

Matobo National Park

Some hidden niches still house clay kilns that were used as iron foundries making spears to be used against the colonial hordes. Some ridges such as Shumba and Shaba are considered sacred and locals believe that approaching them can bring misfortune. Hidden in a crevice in the stone is the sacred urn of the Ndebele rain, where people still pray to Mwali and pray for rain. Even during the drought of the early 1990s, government officials came here to intercede for the rain.