People

Population: 12 514 000 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44% (male 2 439 907; female 2 397 761)

15-64 years: 54% (male 2 914 336; female 3 000 442)

65 years and over: 3% (male 133 232; female 158 469) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.12% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 30.64 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 20.43 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1 000 population

note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.75 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 39.16 years

male: 39.12 years

female: 39.19 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.86 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Zimbabwean(s)

adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 71% Ndebele 16% other 11%) white 1% mixed and Asian 1%

Religions: syncretic (part Christian part indigenous beliefs) 50% Christian 25% indigenous beliefs 24% Muslim and other 1%

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

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write in English

total population: 85%

male: 90%

female: 80% (1995 est.)