Zambezi River Basin

Zimbabwe

ZAMBIA

M a z o e

Karoi

Lake Kariba

Shamva Mazowe

Chinhoyi

NAMIBIA

Z a m b e z i

HARARE Chitungwiza

Victoria Falls

Kadoma

Hwange

ZIMBABWE S h a n g a ni

Z AMB E Z I RIVER BA SI N L IM I T Z A MBEZI R IV E R BASIN LIM IT

Mutare

Kwekwe

MOZAMBIQUE

S a v e

Gweru

Masvingo

Bulawayo

Zvishavane

Elevation Metres above sea-level

Plumtree

Gwanda

U m z i n g w a n i

Chiredzi

0 200 500 1 000 3 000 2 000 1 500

BOTSWANA

Beitbridge

SOUTH AFRICA

Total Area of Country Portion of Country within Zambezi Basin National Population in 2010 Portion of National Populationwithin Zambezi Basin

390 759 sq km 215 800 (55.2%) 13.5 million 9 059 850 (67.11%)

Important environmental issues

• Land degradation and deforestation • Water access and drought • Biodiversity threats, including poaching of wildlife such as the black rhinoceros

Zimbabwe is located between the Zambezi and  Limpopo rivers, situated primarily on a high plateau that stretches across most of the country and has a subtropical climate tempered by the altitude. Savannah is the dominant ecosystem, withmontane forest in the eastern highlands. The economy is based primarily on agriculture, as well as mining and tourism. Together with Zambia, Zimbabwe is home to the Victoria Falls along the course of the Zambezi River. Victoria Falls is protected as a UNESCO world heritage site. Progress towards environmental sustainability Reverse the loss of environmental resources Zimbabwe’s major environmental challenges are soil erosion and deforestation, as well as urban air pollution caused by vehicle and industrial emissions, and water pollution from mining, domestic waste and a high use of fertilizers (Government of Zimbabwe 2010). About 40 per cent of land was considered moderately degraded in 2003, with the regions of greatest concern in the north and east where

topsoil losses of more than 100 metric tonnes per hectare have been recorded (FAO 2004). The major drivers of land degradation are overgrazing and deforestation. Zimbabwe has few perennial rivers and no large natural lakes, and as such a network of over 8 000 dams make up the most significant surface water resource, in addition to the large artificial lake created by the Kariba dam. However siltation is reducing dam capacity and poor infrastructure hampers water access. Despite being a low emitter, there is observed climate variability in Zimbabwe. There has been a noted shift in agricultural seasons, as evidenced by late onset and sometimes late cessation of the rainy season. In the rural areas, highly variable rainfall and drought are challenges to environmental sustainability. Between 1991 and 1997, Zimbabwe experienced three major droughts that necessitated the importation of food (SADC/SARDC and others 2008). Figure 4.50 shows the change inmaize production 1999-2007.

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