Zimbabwe

Location : Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Capital : Harare

Languages : English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Area : 390,580 sq km

Land Use : arable land: 8.32%; permanent crops: 0.34%; other: 91.34% (2001)

Natural Resources : coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Population : 12,746,990 (July 2005 est.).

Labour force : 4.23 million (2004 est.)

Labour force participation rate : 33.18% of population (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line : 70% (2002 est.)

International Organisation participation : ACP, AFDB, AU, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

GDP per capita : U$1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP Real Growth Rate : -8.2% (2004 est.)

GDP sectoral composition : agriculture: 18.1%; industry: 24.3%; services: 57.7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 9.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Industries: mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and non-metallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Industrial production growth rate : -7.8% (2004 est.) 

Agriculture - products : corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs

Exports : U$1.409 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities : cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

Exports - partners : South Africa 11.9%, Zambia 6.3%, China 3.4% (2004)

Imports : U$1.599 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities : machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners : South Africa 47.2%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.2%, China 4.4% (2004) 

QUALITATIVE TRADE PROFILE

Zimbabwe has bindings covering 21% of its tariff lines. It applied an average weighted tariff of 16.6% with agricultural goods subject to binding of 25.7% and non-agricultural goods subject to average rates of 15.2%. Non ad valorem duties apply to approximately 7.4% of Zimbabwe's tariff lines.  

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK 

Trade policy formulation is primarily within the purview of the Ministry of Industry and International Trade.

TRADE AGREEMENTS

Bilateral

Zimbabwe has signed bilateral trade agreements with South Africa, Botswana, Malawi and Namibia.

Regional

Zimbabwe is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Zimbabwe is currently negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU through the ESA configuration.

Multilateral

Zimbabwe is a founding member of the WTO. It has GATS commitments in 21 sectors. 

NEED PRIORITIES

Zimbabwe 's needs priorities have not yet been determined.

Source: World Fact Book, WTO Secretariat.