Editing Geography of Zimbabwe (section)

== Terrain ==
Much of the country is on a plateau with a higher central plateau (high veld) forming a watershed between the [[Zambezi]] and [[Limpopo River|Limpopo river]] systems. The flattish watershed region is part of an ancient [[etchplain]] called the [[African Surface]] covers large swathes of the continent.<ref name=Romer2010>{{cite journal |last1=Römer |first1=Wolfgang |date=2010 |title=Multiple planation surfaces in basement regions: Implications for the reconstruction of periods of denudation and uplift in southern Zimbabwe |journal=[[Geomorphology (journal)|Geomorphology]] |volume=114 |issue=3 |pages=199–212 |doi=10.1016/j.geomorph.2009.07.001 |bibcode=2010Geomo.114..199R }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Burke |first1=Kevin |last2=Gunnell |first2=Yanni |date=2008 |title=The African Erosion Surface: A Continental-Scale Synthesis of Geomorphology, Tectonics, and Environmental Change over the Past 180 Million Years |publisher=The Geological Society of America |isbn=978-0-8137-1201-7}}</ref> While the African Surface occupy the higher ground, spurs and small [[interfluve]]s a [[denudation chronology|younger]] "post-African" surface occupy lower positions with occasional [[granite dome|rock domes]], [[koppie]]s and [[tor (rock formation)|tor]]s protruding rolling or plain landscape. The Limpopo and the lower Zambezi valleys are broad and relatively flat plains. The eastern end of the watershed terminates in a north-south mountain spine, called the Eastern Highlands.<ref name=Romer2010/> The northeast-southwest oriented central uplands have been [[epeirogenic movement|uplifted]] in geologically recent times ([[Late Pliocene]] or [[Pleistocene]]) deviating the watercourse of upper Zambezi River that used to flow into the Limpopo River to the east to its current outlet at the [[Mozambique Channel]].<ref name=Moore1999>{{cite journal |last1=Moore |first1=A.E. |date=1999 |title=A reapprisal of epeirogenic flexure axes in southern Africa |journal=[[South African Journal of Geology]] |volume=102 |issue=4 |pages=363–376 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Goudie |first1=A.S.|author-link=Andrew Goudie (geographer) |date=2005 |title=The drainage of Africa since the Cretaceous |journal=[[Geomorphology (journal)|Geomorphology]] |volume=67 |issue=3–4 |pages=437–456 |doi=10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.11.008 |bibcode=2005Geomo..67..437G }}</ref> The northeast-southwest upland and watershed follows the axis of an [[epeirogenic movement|epeirogenic flexure]].<ref name=Moore1999/> 

'''Elevation extremes:'''
<br>''lowest point:'' junction of the [[Runde River|Runde]] and [[Save River (Africa)|Save]] rivers 162 m 
<br>''highest point:'' [[Mount Nyangani]] 2,592 m<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mount Inyangani {{!}} mountain peak, Zimbabwe {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Inyangani |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

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

'''Land use:'''
<br>''arable land:'' 10.49%
<br>''permanent crops:'' 0.31%
<br>''other:'' 89.20% (2011)

'''Irrigated land:''' 1,735&nbsp;km² (2003)

'''Total renewable water resources:''' 20&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup> (2011)

'''Natural hazards:''' 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<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Deena |date=2023-01-09 |title=The Biggest Environmental Problems Of 2021 |url=https://earth.org/the-biggest-environmental-problems-of-our-lifetime/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=Earth.Org |language=en}}</ref>

'''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.

'''Hydrology: ↵'''The country is divided into six [[drainage basin]]s. The largest are the Zambezi and the Limpopo. Western parts of [[Matabeleland]] connect to the Okavango inland drainage basin through the Nata River. Most of southern [[Mashonaland]] and adjacent parts of [[Masvingo]] drain through the [[Save River (Africa)|Save river]] into the Indian Ocean. Two smaller drainage basins cover parts of [[Manicaland]], and drain into the Indian Ocean through Mozambique. These are the Pungwe river to the north and the Buzi river to the south. [[Sediment transport]] has been studied for rivers in Zimbabwe using the [[HBV hydrology model|HBV]] [[hydrology transport model]].

Main land use type:

# Above {{convert|1050|mm|in|0|disp=or}}/annum with some precipitation in all months of the year Afforestation, fruit, tea, coffee and intensive livestock production.
# {{convert|750|to|1000|mm|in|-1}}/annum seasonally confined with well-defined dry season Large scale intensive crop and livestock production.
# {{convert|650|to|800|mm|in|0}}/annum with regular mid-season dry spells Livestock production with fodder crops. Marginal production of maize, tobacco and cotton.
# {{convert|450|to|650|mm|in|0}}/annum with periodic seasonal drought and severe rainy season dry spells. Livestock production and drought resistant crops.
# Too low and erratic for even drought resistant fodder and grain crops. Extensive livestock and/or game ranching.<ref>Source: CSO (1997, 144)</ref>