Zimbabwe is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Mozambique
to the north and east, South Africa to the south and Botswana to the southwest.
Harare is the capital city and it has a population
of 1.5 million people. The official language is English, with Shona and
Sindebele dialects. Winters (May to September) are like luscious
Mediterranean summers with warm, sunny days and cool, clear nights. There is
never any snow, not even in the eastern highlands, but overnight frosts and
freezing temperatures are not uncommon anywhere on the plateau. Zimbabwe’s second city is a major commercial,
industrial and tourist center. The city is rich in historical associations and
is the home of the National Museum and headquarters of the National Railways of
Zimbabwe. Nearby are the ancient Khami ruins, while to the south is the Rhodes
Matopos National Park, notable for its exotic formations of huge granite boulders.
Dams with excellent fishing, caves with rock paintings, Cecil Rhodes’ grave and
a well-stocked game park make this area popular with visitors.