18 things you didn’t know about Africa’s lush landlocked beauty, Zimbabwe
- Did you know that Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, is one of the original Seven Natural Wonders of the World? In total, it stretches 1.7 kilometres wide and shares its border with Zambia.
- Did you know that Victoria Falls can be heard from as far as 40 kilometres away?
- Did you know that you can see the spray from Victoria Falls almost 50 kilometres away during the rainy season? This would explain the name, “the smoke that thunders”.
- Did you know that Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba is the world’s largest artificial (man-made) lake and reservoir by volume? It sits 1,300 kilometres upstream from the Indian Ocean.
- Did you know that Zimbabwe ranks among the world’s top 10 tobacco producers? Approximately only 20% of the population smokes, and the majority of tobacco is exported.
- Did you know that after Botswana, Zimbabwe has the world’s second-largest elephant population at more than 85,000?
- Did you know that in Zimbabwe, men with large stomachs are considered wealthy? A large stomach indicates a person has good financial standing and can afford to eat meat every day.
- Did you know that brand names do not matter in Zimbabwe? Every toothpaste is called “Colgate”, and every soft drink is called “Coke”.
- Did you know that Zimbabwe has a young population? Half the country’s population is younger than 21. However, life expectancy is the lowest in the world – it is 37 years for men and 34 years for women.
- Did you know that the country of Zimbabwe is one of the smartest in Africa? Over 90% of the population has access to education.
- Did you know that Zimbabwe uses multiple currencies? It abandoned its currency, the Zimbabwean Dollar, for foreign currencies, such as the South Africa Rand, the US Dollar, the Euro, and the Botswana Pula.
- Did you know that in Zimbabwe, you can buy an item priced in South African Rands, pay in Euros, and get a change in US Dollars?
- Did you know that in Zimbabwe, people believe that mermaids exist? They are often blamed for unfortunate events like murder.
- Did you know that at the peak of Zimbabwe’s inflation in 2008, Zimbabwe issued 100 trillion Zimbabwean Dollars?
- Did you know that random power outages can last anywhere from an hour to three days in Zimbabwe?
- Did you know that Zimbabwe has a land area that is three times larger than England?
- Did you know that during floods, Zambia’s water flow capacity can reach up to half a million litres per minute?
- Did you know that the police in Zimbabwe are prohibited from impounding your vehicle? The only time they can do so is when they ask you for your driver’s license.
18 things you didn’t know about this humble African nation of Zambia
- Did you know that an ancient skull was discovered in Zambia in 1921 called the Broken Hill skull? Known as Homo heidelbergensis, the skull is believed to be 299,000 years old.
- Did you know that Zambia is home to 20 National Parks, 34 Game Management Areas, and over 30% of the country’s land is protected?
- Did you know Zambia exports a variety of resources? The country’s major exports include tobacco, cobalt, flowers, electricity, and copper.
- Did you know that Zambia is the world’s seventh-largest copper producer after DR Congo? Number one producer is Chile, followed by China and Peru.
- Did you know that Zambia is home to the UNESCO-listed Victoria Falls – the world’s largest water curtain? More than 1,700m wide, the falls drop approximately 108m and span the entire width of the Zambezi River. Zambia shares the falls with Zimbabwe.
- Did you know that due to the spray of Victoria Falls, the forest surrounding it receives “rain” 24/7? If you view the falls from the right angle will reveal a circular rainbow!
- Did you know that Ansell’s mole-rat is a species of blind mole rat found in Zambia? A recent study reported that they could detect magnetic fields using their eyes. Additionally, they live in tunnel systems of up to 2.8km underground.
- Did you know that Zambia has termite hills that can grow to the size of a small house?!
- Did you know that Zambia is one of the only six countries in the world to be home to endangered wild dogs? Wild dogs can also be seen in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana.
- Did you know that Zambian women typically have five to six children? They are considered crucial breadwinners of the family, often running businesses and shops. Go Zambians!
- Did you know that the African fish eagle is a national symbol of Zambia? It resembles the American bald eagle and is featured on the nation’s flag and coat of arms.
- Did you know that Zambia has a bright flag with orange (a symbol of wealth in copper), black (a symbol of the people), red (a symbol of their historical struggle), and green (for its rich environment), as well as the eagle in flight (which represents the freedom of the Republic of Zambia)?
- Did you know that greetings are an essential part of Zambian culture? If approached by someone, a greeting should be offered before engaging in conversation. In the case of different genders, the female initiates a greeting, and the male responds.
- Did you know that storytelling is popular in Zambia as a way to spend time with family and friends? The culture is practiced both in rural and urban areas by the young and old.
- Did you know that Livingstone Museum is the largest and the oldest museum in Zambia? The museum has artefacts such as photographs, musical instruments, and possessions of explorer and missionary David Livingstone.
- Did you know that today, Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia, has roughly 1.5 million people? However, the entire country’s phone book is less than an inch thick with a population of in total around 18 million.
- Did you know that every year, the king moves from his dry season home to his wet season home, which is higher up? The act of sailing to higher ground is known as Kuomboka.
- Did you know that the national dish in Zambia is Nshima? It is pounded white maize that is eaten by hand with a vegetable stew.
