Cars 4 Rental - Cheap Car Rentals Online Bookings

General Money Health Climate Passport

(back to contents)

Cars 4 Rental Information on Zimbabwe

General

Area: 390,757 sq km (150,873 sq miles).

Population: 11,789,274 (1997).

Population Density: 30.2 per sq km.

Capital: Harare. Population: 1,752,000 (UN projection 2000).

GEOGRAPHY: Zimbabwe is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Mozambique to the northeast, South Africa to the south and Botswana to the southwest. The central zone of hills gives rise to many rivers, which drain into the man-made Lake Kariba to the northwest, the marshes of Botswana to the west or into the Zambezi River to the northeast. The highveld landscape is dotted with kopjes (massive granite outcrops). Along the eastern border for some 350km (220 miles) is a high mountainous region of great scenic beauty, rising to 2592m (8504ft) at Mount Inyangani, the country’s highest point. Zimbabwe offers some of the best wildlife parks in southern Africa, notably Hwange (southwest), Matopos (south) and Nyanga (northeast) national parks. These, together with the Victoria Falls and Great Zimbabwe, are the principal attractions for visitors.

Government: Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1980. Head of State and Government: President Robert Mugabe (Head of Government since 1980 and Head of State since 1987).

Language: The official language is English, with Shona and Ndebele dialects.

Religion: Christianity, with traditional beliefs in rural areas, and some Hindu, Muslim and Jewish minorities.

Time: GMT + 2.

Electricity: 220/230 volts AC, 50Hz.

Communications:

Telephone

Full IDD is available. Country code: 263. Outgoing international code: 110.

Mobile telephone

GSM 900 network. Operators include Econet (website: www.econet.co.zw) and Telecel Zimbabwe (website: www.telecel.co.zw). Coverage is limited to a few urban areas.

Fax

Widely available.

Internet

ISPs include Africa Online (website: www.africaonline.com), Data Control, InterData and M-web Zimbabwe (website: www.mweb.co.zw). E-mail can be accessed from Internet cafes in Harare and in Mashonaland.

Telegram

Available at post offices and major hotels.

Post

Airmail to Europe takes up to 1 week.

Press

The main English-language newspapers are The Chronicle, The Financial Gazette, The Herald and The Sunday Mail.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

Back to Top

Money

Currency: Zimbabwe Dollar (Z$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of Z$500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2. Coins are in denominations of Z$5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 cents.

Currency exchange: Major foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks and major hotels at the official exchange rate.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, Diners Club and Visa are widely accepted, whilst MasterCard has more limited use. Some ATMs accept credit cards. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: Banks and major hotels will exchange these. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is limited to Z$2000. The import of foreign currency is unlimited. The export of foreign currency is unlimited as long as supported by the visitor’s currency declaration form.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Zimbabwe Dollar against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Feb ’03 May ’03 Aug ’03 Nov ’03
£1.00= 87.89 1349.38 1308.63 1373.99
$1.00= 55.20 824.00 820.37 813.36

Banking hours: Mon-Tue and Thurs-Fri 0800-1500, Wed 0800-1300 and Sat 0800-1130.

Back to Top
Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No 1
Cholera Yes 2
Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A
Malaria 4 N/A

1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from infected areas.

2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to Zimbabwe. However, cholera is a risk in this country and precautions are advisable. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness.

3: Vaccination against typhoid is advised.

4: Malaria risk, predominantly in the malignant falciparum form, exists from November to June in all areas below 1200m (3937ft) and throughout the year in the Zambezi Valley although there is negligible risk in Harare and Bulawayo. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.

Food & drink: All water should be regarded as being a potential health risk. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised.

Other risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water; swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Human trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) has been reported. Trachoma and Hepatitis A and E are widespread. Hepatitis B is hyperendemic. Epidemics of meningoccal meningitis may occur, particularly in the savannah areas during the dry season. There may be a small risk of plague in rural areas, especially Matabeleland.
Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.
AIDS is a high risk throughout the country and precautions should be taken.

Health care: Medical facilities are good in the major towns and there are well-equipped clinics in most outlying areas. There may be drugs shortages in public hospitals. There is no reciprocal agreement with the UK. Health insurance is essential; adequate medical provision is often only provided privately, especially in urban areas. Private hospitals may require health insurance or a cash payment before admission.

Back to Top

Climate

Although located in the tropics, temperate conditions prevail all year, as the climate is moderated by altitude and the inland position of the country. The hot and dry season is from September to October, and the rainy season from November to March. The best months to visit are April to May and August to September. Night-time temperatures can fall below freezing.

Required clothing: Light- to mediumweights with warmer clothes for evenings and rainwear for the wet season.

Back to Top

Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes 2 Yes
Australian Yes 2 Yes
Canadian Yes 2 Yes
USA Yes 2 Yes
OtherEU Yes 1/2 Yes
Japanese Yes 2 Yes

PASSPORTS: Passport valid from date of entry required by all.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of Ireland and Malta;
(b) nationals of Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Cayman Islands, Congo (Dem Rep), Cyprus, Fiji, Grenada, Hong Kong (SAR), Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Leeward Islands, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa and Zambia;
(c) passengers continuing their journey to a third country within 6 hours by the same or connecting flight, provided holding tickets with reserved seats and documents for onward travel and not leaving the transit area.

Note: 2. Nationals of the following countries may obtain visas valid for up to 90 days on arrival in Zimbabwe, provided holding tickets and documents for return or onward travel and sufficient funds for their stay: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Cook Islands, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana (gratis visa), Greece, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep), Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Palau, Palestinian Authority Region, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Seychelles, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, US Virgin Islands and Vatican City.

Types of visa and cost: Visa at port of entry: cost dependent on nationality, British nationals £36, contact consular section at Embassy or High Commission for further details. Cost of visa from Embassy: Single-entry £40; Double-entry £50.
Note: Gratis visa for South African nationals.

Validity: 6 months from date of issue.

Application to: Consular section at Embassy or High Commission; see Contact Addresses section. For Multiple-entry visas, travellers must apply direct to the Chief Immigration Officer in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Application requirements: (a) Completed application form. (b) Passport valid for 6 months. (c) Fee, payable by cash, postal order or banker's draft (cheques are not accepted). (d) Two passport photographs. (e) For return of passport via express mail, send stamps for US$12.25; via priority mail, send stamps for US$3.50; via Federal Express, Airborne Express, DHL and UPS, send a prepaid airway bill.

Note: All visitors to Zimbabwe must be in possession of return tickets (or funds in lieu) and sufficient funds to support themselves. The granting of a visa is not a guarantee of entry.

Working days required: 7.

Temporary residence: Apply to Chief Immigration Officer, Private Bag 7717, Causeway, Harare.

Back to Top

Cars4Rental - Worldwide Car Hire

Cars 4 Rental Information on Zimbabwe

Car Hire Zimbabwe