GENERAL INFORMATION CAPITAL: HARARE HEAD OF STATE: ROBERT GABRIEL MUGABE LANGUAGE: ENGLISH, SHONA, NDEBELE TIME: GMT +2 INTERNATIONAL DIALLING CODE: +263 ELECTRICITY: 220 V – PLUGS ARE PREDOMINANTLY SQUARE PLUGS WEIGHT & MEASURE: METRIC SYSTEM CURRENCY: THE OFFICIAL CURRENCY OF ZIMBABWE IS THE ZIMBWBWE DOLLAR (ZW$) THE CURRENT RATE AT THE BANK IS ZW$99 000 TO US$1. IT IS ADVISABLE TO SPEAK TO LOCALS BEFORE CHANGING MONEY. DO NOT CHANGE MONEY ON THE STREETS. PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 2006: 1ST OF JANUARY NEW YEARS DAY 2ND OF JANUARY PUBLIC HOLIDAY 14TH OF APRIL GOOD FRIDAY 15TH OF APRIL EASTER SATURDAY 17TH OF APRIL EASTER MONDAY 18TH OF APRIL INDEPENDENCE DAY 1ST OF MAY WORKERS DAY 25TH OF MAY AFRICA DAY 14TH OF AUGUST HEROES DAY 15TH OFAUGUST DEFENCE FORCES DAY 22ND OF DECEMBER NATIONAL UNITY 25TH OF DECEMBER CHRISTMAS DAY 26TH OF DECEMBER PUBLIC HOLIDAY CLIMATE: THE CLIMATE IS MODERATED BY ALTITUDE AND THE INLAND POSITION OF THE COUNTRY. THE HOT AND DRY SEASON IS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, WHILE THE RAINY SEASON IS NOVEMBER TO MARCH. IN THE WINTER MONTHS ( MAY TO OCTOBER) TEMERATURE S CAN DROP TO BELOW FREEZING AT NIGHT. IT IS ADVISABLE TO TRAVEL WITH LIGHT-WEIGHT CLOTHING, SOMETHING WARMER FOR THE EVENINGS AND A RAIN-COAT IN THE RAINY SEASON. RELIGION: THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION FOLLOW CHRISTIANITY. CULTURE: ZIMBABWE IS MADE UP PREDOMINANTLY OF TWO TRIBES – THE SHONA AND THE NDEBELE. ALTHOUGH A GREAT DEAL OF TRADTIONAL CUSTOMS ARE STILL FOLLOWED, THE MAIN CITIES ARE VERY WESTERNISED.
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