Zimbabwe

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Zimbabwe}}
[[File:ZmbziRvr.jpg|thumb|The [[Zambezi River]] in the [[Mana Pools National Park]]]]
[[File:Zimbabwe map of Köppen climate classification.svg|thumb|Zimbabwe map of Köppen climate classification]]
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa, lying between latitudes [[15th parallel south|15°]] and [[23rd parallel south|23°S]], and longitudes [[25th meridian east|25°]] and [[34th meridian east|34°E]]. It is bordered by [[South Africa]] to the south, [[Botswana]] to the west and southwest, [[Zambia]] to the northwest, and [[Mozambique]] to the east and northeast. Its northwest corner is roughly 150 meters from [[Namibia]], nearly forming a four-nation [[quadripoint]]. Most of the country is elevated, consisting of a central plateau (high veld) stretching from the southwest northwards with altitudes between 1,000 and 1,600 m. The country's extreme east is mountainous, this area being known as the [[Eastern Highlands]], with [[Mount Nyangani]] as the highest point at 2,592 m.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=11229|title=Inyangani, Zimbabwe|website=Peakbagger|access-date=23 August 2020}}</ref>

The highlands are known for their natural environment, with tourist destinations such as [[Nyanga National Park|Nyanga]], Troutbeck, [[Chimanimani Mountains|Chimanimani]], [[Bvumba Mountains|Vumba]] and [[Chirinda Forest Botanical Reserve|Chirinda Forest]] at [[Mount Selinda]]. About 20% of the country consists of low-lying areas, (the low veld) under 900m. [[Victoria Falls]], one of the world's largest and most spectacular waterfalls, is located in the country's extreme northwest and is part of the [[Zambezi]] river.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide|year=2018|editor-last=Helicon|via=Credo Reference}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://victoriafallstourism.org/|title=Victoria Falls|date=2019|website=Victoria Falls Tourism|access-date=3 December 2019}}</ref>

=== Geology ===
{{main|Geology of Zimbabwe}}
Over geological time Zimbabwe has experienced two major post-[[Gondwana]] erosion cycles (known as African and post-African), and a very subordinate Plio-Pleistocene cycle.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Moore|first=A E |display-authors=etal|date=2009|title=Landscape evolution in Zimbabwe from the Permian to present, with implications for kimberlite prospecting|url=http://www.mantleplumes.org/WebDocuments/Moore2009_2.pdf|journal=Geological Society of South Africa|volume=112|issue=1 |page=65 |doi=10.2113/gssajg.112.1.65 |bibcode=2009SAJG..112...65M }}</ref>

===Climate===
Zimbabwe has a [[Subtropics|subtropical climate]] with many local variations. The southern areas are known for their heat and aridity, while parts of the central plateau receive frost in winter. The Zambezi valley is known for its extreme heat, and the [[Eastern Highlands]] usually experience cool temperatures and the highest rainfall in the country. The country's [[Wet season|rainy season]] generally runs from late October to March, and the hot climate is moderated by increasing altitude. Zimbabwe is faced with recurring droughts. In 2019, at least 55 elephants died because of drought.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-50130740|title=At least 55 elephants die in Zimbabwe drought|date=21 October 2019|access-date=22 October 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref> Severe storms are rare.<ref name="Baughan, M. 2005">Baughan, M. (2005). Continent in the Balance: Zimbabwe-Juvenile literature. Philadelphia, PA: Mason Crest Publishers; {{ISBN|1590848101}}.</ref>

===Biodiversity===
{{main|Wildlife of Zimbabwe}}
[[File:Curled trunk.jpg|thumb|An elephant at a water hole in [[Hwange National Park]]]]
Zimbabwe contains seven terrestrial ecoregions: [[Kalahari acacia–baikiaea woodlands]], Southern Africa [[bushveld]], [[Southern miombo woodlands]], [[Zambezian Baikiaea woodlands]], [[Zambezian and mopane woodlands]], [[Makgadikgadi Pan|Zambezian halophytics]], and Eastern Zimbabwe montane forest-grassland mosaic in the Eastern Highlands.<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">{{cite journal|last1=Dinerstein|first1=Eric|last2=Olson|first2=David|last3=Joshi|first3=Anup|last4=Vynne|first4=Carly|last5=Burgess|first5=Neil D.|last6=Wikramanayake|first6=Eric|last7=Hahn|first7=Nathan|last8=Palminteri|first8=Suzanne|last9=Hedao|first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed|last11=Hansen|first11=Matt|last12=Locke|first12=Harvey|last13=Ellis|first13=Erle C|last14=Jones|first14=Benjamin|last15=Barber|first15=Charles Victor|last16=Hayes|first16=Randy|last17=Kormos|first17=Cyril|last18=Martin|first18=Vance|last19=Crist|first19=Eileen|last20=Sechrest|first20=Wes|last21=Price|first21=Lori|last22=Baillie|first22=Jonathan E. M.|last23=Weeden|first23=Don|last24=Suckling|first24=Kierán|last25=Davis|first25=Crystal|last26=Sizer|first26=Nigel|last27=Moore|first27=Rebecca|last28=Thau|first28=David|last29=Birch|first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter|last31=Turubanova|first31=Svetlana|last32=Tyukavina|first32=Alexandra|last33=de Souza|first33=Nadia|last34=Pintea|first34=Lilian|last35=Brito|first35=José C.|last36=Llewellyn|first36=Othman A.|last37=Miller|first37=Anthony G.|last38=Patzelt|first38=Annette|last39=Ghazanfar|first39=Shahina A.|last40=Timberlake|first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser|first41=Heinz|last42=Shennan-Farpón|first42=Yara|last43=Kindt|first43=Roeland|last44=Lillesø|first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow|last45=van Breugel|first45=Paulo|last46=Graudal|first46=Lars|last47=Voge|first47=Maianna|last48=Al-Shammari|first48=Khalaf F.|last49=Saleem|first49=Muhammad|display-authors=1|title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm|journal=BioScience|volume=67|issue=6|year=2017|pages=534–545|issn=0006-3568|doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014|pmid=28608869|pmc=5451287}}</ref>

The country is mostly [[savanna]], although the moist and mountainous Eastern Highlands support areas of tropical evergreen and hardwood forests. Trees found in the Eastern Highlands include [[teak]], [[mahogany]], enormous specimens of [[strangler fig]], [[Newtonia buchananii|forest Newtonia]], big leaf, [[Celtis africana|white stinkwood]], chirinda stinkwood, [[Senegalia nigrescens|knobthorn]] and many others.

In the low-lying parts of the country [[Vachellia xanthophloea|fever trees]], [[mopane]], [[combretum]] and [[Adansonia|baobabs]] abound. Much of the country is covered by miombo woodland, dominated by [[brachystegia]] species and others. Among the numerous flowers and shrubs are [[hibiscus]], [[Gloriosa (plant)|flame lily]], [[snake lily]], [[spider lily]], [[leonotis]], [[Cassia fistula|cassia]], tree [[wisteria]] and [[dombeya]]. There are around 350 species of mammals that can be found in Zimbabwe. There are also many snakes and lizards, over 500 bird species, and 131 fish species.

Large parts of Zimbabwe were once covered by forests with abundant wildlife. [[Deforestation]] and [[poaching]] has reduced the amount of wildlife. [[land degradation|Woodland degradation]] and deforestation caused by [[population growth]], [[Urban sprawl|urban expansion]] and use for fuel are major concerns<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/S0167-8809(99)00156-5|title=Deforestation of woodlands in communal areas of Zimbabwe: is it due to agricultural policies?|year=2000|last1=Chipika|first1=J|journal=Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment|volume=79|page=175|last2=Kowero|first2=G.|issue=2–3|bibcode=2000AgEE...79..175C }}</ref> and have led to erosion which diminishes the amount of fertile soil. Local farmers have been criticised by environmentalists for burning off vegetation to heat their tobacco barns.<ref name="Forestry">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsdzezimbabwe.co.uk/2015/03/chaos-as-tobacco-sales-start.html|title=Chaos as tobacco sales start|publisher=NewsdezeZimbabwe|access-date=21 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927163223/http://www.undp.org.zw/component/docman/doc_download/230-zimbabwe-poverty-report-2011-april-17-2013 |archive-date=27 September 2013}}</ref> The country had a 2019 [[Forest Landscape Integrity Index]] mean score of 6.31/10, ranking it 81st globally out of 172 countries.<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">{{cite journal|last1=Grantham|first1=H. S.|last2=Duncan|first2=A.|last3=Evans|first3=T. D.|last4=Jones|first4=K. R.|last5=Beyer|first5=H. L.|last6=Schuster|first6=R.|last7=Walston|first7=J.|last8=Ray|first8=J. C.|last9=Robinson|first9=J. G.|last10=Callow|first10=M.|last11=Clements|first11=T.|last12=Costa|first12=H. M.|last13=DeGemmis|first13=A.|last14=Elsen|first14=P. R.|last15=Ervin|first15=J.|last16=Franco|first16=P.|last17=Goldman|first17=E.|last18=Goetz|first18=S.|last19=Hansen|first19=A.|last20=Hofsvang|first20=E.|last21=Jantz|first21=P.|last22=Jupiter|first22=S.|last23=Kang|first23=A.|last24=Langhammer|first24=P.|last25=Laurance|first25=W. F.|last26=Lieberman|first26=S.|last27=Linkie|first27=M.|last28=Malhi|first28=Y.|last29=Maxwell|first29=S.|last30=Mendez|first30=M.|last31=Mittermeier|first31=R.|last32=Murray|first32=N. J.|last33=Possingham|first33=H.|last34=Radachowsky|first34=J.|last35=Saatchi|first35=S.|last36=Samper|first36=C.|last37=Silverman|first37=J.|last38=Shapiro|first38=A.|last39=Strassburg|first39=B.|last40=Stevens|first40=T.|last41=Stokes|first41=E.|last42=Taylor|first42=R.|last43=Tear|first43=T.|last44=Tizard|first44=R.|last45=Venter|first45=O.|last46=Visconti|first46=P.|last47=Wang|first47=S.|last48=Watson|first48=J. E. M.|display-authors=1|title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity - Supplementary Material|journal=Nature Communications|volume=11|issue=1|year=2020|page=5978|issn=2041-1723|doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3|pmid=33293507|pmc=7723057|bibcode=2020NatCo..11.5978G }}</ref>