British South Africa CompanyThe British South Africa Company (BSAC or BSACo) was chartered in 1889 following the amalgamation of Cecil Rhodes' Central Search Association and the London-based Exploring Company Ltd, which had originally competed to capitalise on the expected mineral wealth of Mashonaland but united because of common economic interests and to secure British government backing. The company received a Royal Charter modelled on that of the British East India Company.
Southern RhodesiaToday part ofZimbabweWhite settlement pre-1923Southern Rhodesia was a landlocked, self-governing colony of the British Empire in what is today the country of Zimbabwe. The colony's territory was initially conquered and administered by the British South Africa Company (BSAC), which was founded in 1888 by Cecil Rhodes for the purpose of occupying and settling the region.
ZimbabweCountry in Southeast AfricaFlag Coat of armsMotto: "Unity, Freedom, Work"Anthem: "Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe"Show globeShow map of AfricaCapitaland largest cityHarare17°49′45″S31°03′08″E / 17.82917°S 31.05222°E / -17.82917; 31.05222Official languages16 languages: ChewaChibarweEnglishKalangaKhoisanNambyaNdauNdebeleShanganiShonaSothoTongaTswanaVendaXhosaZimbabwean sign languageEthnic groups (2022 census)99.6% Black African0.2% European0.1% Coloured0.1% otherReligion (2017)84.1% Christianity69.2% Protestantism14.9% other Christian10.2% no religion4.5% traditional faiths1.2% othersDemonymZimbabweanGovernmentUnitary assembly-independent republic• PresidentEmmerson Mnangagwa• First Vice-PresidentConstantino Chiwenga• Second Vice-PresidentKembo MohadiLegislatureParliament• Upper houseSenate• Lower houseNational AssemblyIndependencefrom the United Kingdom• Declared11 November 1965• Republic2 March 1970• Zimbabwe Rhodesia1 June 1979• Independence recognised18 April 1980• Current constitution15 May 2013Area • Total390,757 km (150,872 sq mi) (60th)• Water (%)1Population• February 2026 estimate 17,166,852 (74th)• 2022 census15,178,957• Density45/km (116.5/sq mi) (179th)GDP (PPP)2025 estimate• Total $93.870 billion (104th)• Per capita $5,410 (151st)GDP (nominal)2025 estimate• Total $53.310 billion (101st)• Per capita $3,070 (152nd)Gini (2019) 45.5medium inequalityHDI (2023) 0.598medium (153rd)CurrencyDe jure: Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG)De facto: United States dollar (USD)South African rand (ZAR);Other currenciesTime zoneUTC+2 (CAT)Date formatdd/mm/yyyyCalling code+263ISO 3166 codeZWInternet TLD.zwZimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo River, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the north, and Mozambique to the east.
Pioneer ColumnThe Pioneer Column was a force raised by Cecil Rhodes and his British South Africa Company in 1890 and used in his efforts to annex the territory of Mashonaland, later part of Zimbabwe (once Southern Rhodesia). BackgroundRhodes was anxious to secure Matabeleland and Mashonaland before the Germans, Portuguese or Boers did.
HarareCapital and largest city of ZimbabweCapital city and province in ZimbabweHarare ( ) is the capital and largest city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 982.3 km (379.3 sq mi), a population of 1,849,600 as of the 2022 census, and an estimated 2,487,209 people in its metropolitan province. The city is situated in north-eastern Zimbabwe in the country's Mashonaland region.
MatabelelandMatabeleland is a region located in southwestern Zimbabwe that is divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo, and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers and are further separated from Midlands by the Shangani River in central Zimbabwe.
LobengulaLobengula Khumalo (c. 1835 – c. 1894) was the second and last official king of Mthwakazi (historically called Matabeleland in English). Both names in the Ndebele language mean "the men of the long shields", a reference to the Ndebele warriors' use of the Nguni shield. BackgroundThe Matabele were descendants of a faction of the Zulu people who fled Transvaal in South Africa after the Boers invaded the area running away from the English in the Cape Colony.
Shona peopleThe Shona people (), sometimes historically referred to as the Karanga, are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, primarily living in Zimbabwe where they form the majority of the population, as well as Mozambique, South Africa, and worldwide diaspora. There are six major Shona language/dialect clusters: Manyika, Karanga, Zezuru, Korekore, Kalanga, and Ndau. The Shona make up at least 70% of Zimbabwe's population, with the Ndebele forming the largest minority (20%).Shona languageShona ( SHOH-nə; endonym: chiShona [tʃiʃona]) is a Bantu language spoken by the Shona people of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The term is variously used to collectively describe all the Central Shonic varieties (comprising Zezuru, Manyika, Korekore and Karanga or Ndau) or specifically Standard Shona, a variety codified in the mid-20th century. By the broader definition, the language is spoken by over 14 million people.Self-governing colonyIn the British Empire, a self-governing colony was a colony with responsible government in which the Executive Council was appointed from the majority in the elected Legislative Assembly. This gave the colony nearly full internal autonomy while reserving control of foreign and defence policy, for the most part, to London.
ChitungwizaChitungwiza is the third populous urban centre in Zimbabwe and town of Harare Province in Zimbabwe. It is located on the outskirts of Harare. HistoryAs of the 2022 census, Chitungwiza had a population of 371,244. There are two main highways which connect the city to Harare namely Seke road and Chitungwiza road. The Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex, built in 1995 for the All Africa Games, is no longer functional, and serves as a music and church venue.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.