How Climate and Vegetation Affect the People of Zimbabwe

THE CLIMATE OF ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe’s climate varies depending on your elevation. In the northern and western regions of the country, the temperatures average around 55 degrees in the wintertime and around 75 degrees in the summer. The southern and eastern regions, however, have winter temperatures in the mid-60s and summer temperatures ranging between 90 and 100 degrees.

Vegetation of Zimbabwe Again, the vegetation of Zimbabwe varies with elevation. At elevations above 3400 feet on the central plateau, savanna woodlands dominate the landscape. At lower elevations (below 2950 feet), the savannas have more deciduous trees. The eastern part of the country, which is more mountainous, is the only part of the country that can be considered forested.

The climate and vegetation of Zimbabwe allows for the production of a variety of crops. 66% of the country’s workforce is farmers. They grow corn and wheat to eat. They also grow tobacco, sugarcane, and cotton for export.

In the southern portions of the country, where it is hot and pretty dry, the people tend to grow sorghum and millet to eat. They will tend to grow cotton as a cash crop. The people of the northwest, where it is cooler and wetter, grow cotton and tobacco as cash crops and corn groundnuts (peanuts), and sunflowers for food. Because the eastern side of the country is very hot and dry, people there tend to herd animals instead of farm.

In recent years, drought has caused a shortfall of food production in Zimbabwe that has caused the country to become an importer of food. The country has suffered from famine in recent years due to drought and poor government decisions. In 2008, a Times of London investigation discovered that as many as five million people could be starving in Zimbabwe.

Since corn grows throughout the country, it tends to be the staple food of most Zimbabweans. They often make the corn into a porridge that they mix with other vegetables.

The people of Zimbabwe live in mud huts with thatched roofs in the countryside of Zimbabwe. This choice of building materials make sense since the materials are readily available using the soil and the trees that grow throughout the country.

The houses even employ mud as the building supply for kitchens and ovens.

The savanna grasslands are inhabited by a variety of animals that attract tourists for safaris. Elephants, lions, water buffalo, and leopards are among the animals that live in Zimbabwe . Safaris help the economy and provide jobs for people in Zimbabwe.

Climate and vegetation is incorporated into traditional religious beliefs as well. Midzimu is a spirit that instructs the people of a village where to build their homes and where to hunt. The spirit is also responsible for bringing rains or causing droughts.

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