1. Welcome to Zimbabwe Your New Adventure

2. Background Information “Large Houses of Stone” 3 Official Languages – English – Shona – Ndebele Area: 390,757 km 2 or 150,871 sq mi – Same Size Montana Population: 12 million

3. Geography Tropical Climate Landlocked Country In Southern Africa South Africa- to South Botswana- to Southwest Zambia- to Northwest Mozambique- to East 22 hours flight to JFK 16 hours flight to London

4. Economics Official Currencies: – South African Rand (R) – Botswana Pula (P) – British Pound (£) – the United States Dollar ($) – Euro (€) Hyperinflation – Zimbabwe Dollar no longer active – Since 2009, due to Hyperinflation – peak month of inflation is estimated at 6.5 sextillion % in mid-November 2008

5. Politics Capital- Harare President- Robert Mugabe Prime Minister- Morgan Tsvangirai Upper House- Senate Lower House- House of Assembly

6. History Great Zimbabwe (9-13 th Century CE) Ndebele Invasion 18 th Century Cecil Rhodes late 19 th Century 1895- Rhodesia 1 st Chimurenga 1896-7 Self British Ruling Colony- 1923 UDI- 11 th November 1965 2 nd Chimurenga 1975-1980 Independence- 18 April 1980

7. Magnus Manske Culture Lycaon 70%- Shona 20%- Ndebele 1%- Whites 1%- Asians Home of Scouting Mbira Keizers

8. Victoria Falls Mosi-oa-Tunya- Cloud that Thunders largest sheet of falling water in the world

9. Hwange National Park Area: 14,651 km² – 4 times New Hampshire – ½ of Hawaii Established: 1926 JackyR Babakathy