Editing Economy of Zimbabwe (section)

== Current economic conditions ==
Government spending is 29.7% of GDP. State enterprises are strongly subsidized. Taxes and tariffs are high, and state regulation is costly to companies. Starting or closing a business is slow and costly.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heritage.org/index/Country/Zimbabwe |title=Zimbabwe |publisher=Heritage |access-date=2010-05-30 |archive-date=2010-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525024023/http://www.heritage.org/index/Country/Zimbabwe |url-status=unfit }}</ref> Due to the regulations of the labour market, hiring and terminating workers is a lengthy process. By 2008, an unofficial estimate of unemployment had risen to 94%.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mangena |first1=Fainos |date=March 2014 |title=Professor |url=http://www.jpanafrican.com/docs/vol6no8/6.8-Mangena.pdf |url-status=dead |journal=The Journal of Pan African Studies |volume=6 |issue=8 |page=78 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813122636/http://www.jpanafrican.com/docs/vol6no8/6.8-Mangena.pdf |archive-date=2014-08-13 |access-date=2014-08-13}}</ref>

As of 2023, Zimbabwe's official unemployment rate stood at 9.3%, <ref>{{Cite web |title=Zimbabwe Unemployment Rate 1991-2023 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/ZWE/zimbabwe/unemployment-rate |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref>{{efn|This can also be supported by [https://www.workinzimbabwe.com employment websites in Zimbabwe] like Work In Zimbabwe which posts several [https://www.workinzimbabwe.com/jobs Jobs in Zimbabwe] daily.}} though the vast majority of workers are in the informal sector, made up of low-paying, temporary and precarious jobs.<ref>Policy Brief: A Preliminary Assessment of the Socio-economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Zimbabwe, United Nations Development Programme Zimbabwe, June 2020. https://www.developmentaid.org/api/frontend/cms/file/2020/06/UNDP_ZW_Brief_Socioeconomic_impact_of_COVID-19.pdf</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-07 |title=Private Drivers Dodge Transport Ban, Citing Unfair Policy |url=https://globalpressjournal.com/africa/zimbabwe/private-drivers-dodge-transport-ban-citing-unfair-policy/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=Global Press Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>

A 2014 report by the Africa Progress Panel<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.africaprogresspanel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/APP_APR2014_24june.pdf|title=Fish, Grain and Money: Financing Africa's Green and Blue Revolutions|date=2014|publisher=Africa Progress Panel|access-date=12 November 2014|archive-date=12 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112165310/http://www.africaprogresspanel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/APP_APR2014_24june.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> found that, of all the African countries examined when determining how many years it would take to double per capita GDP, Zimbabwe fared the worst, and that at its current rate of development it would take 190 years for the country to double its [[Per capita income|per capita]] GDP.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mgafrica.com/article/2014-11-04-depressing-it-could-take-zimbabwe-190-years-to-double-average-per-capita-incomes-if-current-trends-continue|title=Bad news: It could take Zimbabwe 190 years to double incomes and Kenya, Senegal 60 on present form|last=Mungai|first=Christine|date=5 November 2014|publisher=Mail & Guardian Africa|access-date=12 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112173233/http://mgafrica.com/article/2014-11-04-depressing-it-could-take-zimbabwe-190-years-to-double-average-per-capita-incomes-if-current-trends-continue|archive-date=2014-11-12|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Uncertainty around the [[Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act|indigenisation programme]] (compulsory acquisition), the perceived lack of a free press, the possibility of abandoning the US dollar as official currency, and political uncertainty following the end of the government of national unity with the MDC as well as power struggles within ZANU-PF have increased concerns that the country's economic situation could further deteriorate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bdlive.co.za/economy/2014/01/08/sa-at-top-of-wealth-list-for-africa-zimbabwe-near-bottom?|title=SA at top of wealth list for Africa, Zimbabwe near bottom|last=Jones|first=Gillian|date=8 January 2014|publisher=Business Day|access-date=12 November 2014|archive-date=12 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112170851/http://www.bdlive.co.za/economy/2014/01/08/sa-at-top-of-wealth-list-for-africa-zimbabwe-near-bottom|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2016 the finance minister identified "low levels of production and the attendant trade gap, insignificant foreign direct investment and lack of access to international finance due to huge arrears" as significant causes for the poor performance of the economy.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.financialgazette.co.zw/mid-term-report-reveals-deep-crisis/|title=Mid-term report reveals deep crisis|date=9 September 2016|publisher=The Financial Gazette|access-date=12 September 2016|archive-date=11 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911172258/http://www.financialgazette.co.zw/mid-term-report-reveals-deep-crisis/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Zimbabwe came 140 out of 190 ease of doing business report released by the [[World Bank|World Bank Group]]. They were ranked high for ability to get credit&nbsp;(ranked 85) and&nbsp;protecting minority investors&nbsp;(ranked 95).<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.mukaidigital.com/zimbabwe-is-a-top-20-ease-of-business-reformer/|title = Zimbabwe is a Top 20 Ease of Business Reformer|date = 8 July 2020|access-date = 8 July 2020|archive-date = 8 July 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200708194439/https://www.mukaidigital.com/zimbabwe-is-a-top-20-ease-of-business-reformer/|url-status = live}}</ref>