Country snapshot : Zimbabwe

[emjay]

As part of my ongoing A-Z country snapshots highlighting the internet and telecoms characteristics of each and every country, Zimbabwe originally shared the same position as it does in our country drop-down list in terms of my keeness to write it.

But given the recent news airtime that this poor African country has recently been receiving after the presidential elections there earlier this year, I have decided to move it up the list accordingly.

For those of you who do not follow world events, Zimbabwe held a presidential election on March 21st this year, the result of which at time of writing still not confirmed - with many commentators believing that it was rigged by President Robert Mugabe who has held power there since 1980.

According to www.internetworldstats.com, about 1.2 million people in Zimbabwe, or just under 10% of its population, are currently online, with usage growth there since 2000 an impressive 2,340% - which is almost on a par with its inflation rate which economists predict could hit 1.5m%!

The country -- once a regional economic powerhouse -- recently introduced a 200,000 dollar note so its citizens wouldn't need to carry wheelbarrows full of cash around with them.

Credit card penetration there is neglible and fraud associated with them rampant, making Zimbabwe an automatic candidate for your credit card processors scrub list.

However, as with other developing countries, cellphone penetration levels here actually rival those in the developed ones. Furthermore, the country?s backbone network is being upgraded, including fibre optic links which will also improve Internet connectivity.

So far, we have sold 1263 passwords from Zimbabwe and paid $745 in commissions to webmasters. Not huge numbers, admitely, but they must be seen in the context of being useful extra money from a ?virgin? market who just so happens to also have English as its official language.

Remember, all the 1.2 million Zambabweans who are currently online have access to your site/s, and practically all of these will also have access to a phone or cell.

By not employing pay-per-call phone billing, you are depriving yourself of additional revenue from countries such as Zimbabwe, whose future can only get better.:

[sniperwolf]

nice report and recommendation but...


I'm actually expecting photos of the country.

[Spunky]

Where's the Wildebeasts and the lions?

[emjay]

And today Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, whose authoritarian rule has brought widespread hunger to his country, defended his policy of seizing land from whites on Tuesday, saying he is undoing a legacy of Zimbabwe's former colonial masters (UK),

Mugabe spoke to world leaders at a U.N. summit on the global food crisis against a backdrop of sharp criticism over his participation.

The country is in chaos, check out the overnight interest rates at http://www.rbz.co.zw

[The Duck]

[The Duck]

[themonk]

i like his eyes

[GrouchyAdmin]

[papill0n]

Mugabe is one fucked up mother fucker.

[Violetta]

nice info

[emjay]

Originally Posted by RageCash-Ben

Mugabe is one fucked up mother fucker.

Yeah, fuck, the fucking fucker fucked up his country big fucking time...-

[StaceyJo]

I guess they are becoming upgraded now, I thought they are living in world of old civilization and now? well.. good for them@

[Sarah_Jayne]

I wouldn't knowingly put one cent into Zimbabwe at the moment.

[emjay]

Originally Posted by Sarah_MaxCash

I wouldn't knowingly put one cent into Zimbabwe at the moment.

But you could be earning 6500% interest OVERNIGHT Sarah!

[emjay]

Originally Posted by kandah

and today Mugabe's goons threaten to burn U.S. diplomats alive

[Big E]

Inflation is a BITCH..

[woj]

Originally Posted by Big E

Inflation is a BITCH..

woah.... 1 million for some meal? amazing... heh

[Inde]

Originally Posted by woj

woah.... 1 million for some meal? amazing... heh

that's a bit more than 1 million

[woj]

Originally Posted by Inde

that's a bit more than 1 million

yea, you are right, my bad, heh...

[emjay]

Originally Posted by Big E

Inflation is a BITCH..

The cost of that meal probably increased during it Was that your check BigW?

[Sarah_Jayne]

and today he arrests the guy that really won the first election and orders him not to campaign any more..all this whilst sporting a hitler tache

[emjay]

Originally Posted by Sarah_MaxCash

and today he arrests the guy that really won the first election and orders him not to campaign any more..all this whilst sporting a hitler tache

Yes, Morgan Tsvangirai has withdrawn from the contest making Mukabe, whose pro-Government thugs are thought to have killed the wife of another Zimbabwe opposition leader, the only canditate.

In the meantime, the UK has feebly threated to withdraw his knighthood. What I don't get is this : why the hell was this man given a knighthood in the first place?

[Sarah_Jayne]

Originally Posted by emjay

Yes, Morgan Tsvangirai has withdrawn from the contest making Mukabe, whose pro-Government thugs are thought to have killed the wife of another Zimbabwe opposition leader, the only canditate.

In the meantime, the UK has feebly threated to withdraw his knighthood. What I don't get is this : why the hell was this man given a knighthood in the first place?

His knighthood was removed a few days ago and he was given it many years back when he was the leader of a commonwealth country rather than a dictator of a commonwealth country. The UK is the one country that can't get too involved without acting to only validate his claims of colonial rule.

[emjay]

The Zimabwean dollar has hit a new low, with the exchange rate reaching one trillion to the US Dollar

1 US$ = 1,000,000,000,000 Zim$

[Klen]

Why they simply dont change their national currency to american dollar and problem solved.Of course that mean they would have to buy it in usa but i could work.

[Jai]

Shithole. (dot)

[Kudles]

Why Is His Mustache Like That?

[emjay]

Zimbabwe is introducing a Z$100 trillion note, currently worth about US$30 (£20), state media reports.