Location:
Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 390,757 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 386,847 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 3,910 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 61

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 3,229 km
border countries (4): Botswana 834 km, Mozambique 1,402 km, South Africa 230 km, Zambia 763 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain:
mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east

Elevation:
mean elevation:
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save Rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources:
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use:
agricultural land: 42.5% arable land 10.9%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 31.3%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 39.5%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 18% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
1,735 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
20 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 4.21 cu km/yr (14%/7%/79%)
per capita: 333.5 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)