ABSTRACT
Zimbabwe is located in Central Africa, immediately south-east of Zambia, and is bounded by the Zambezi and the Limpopo rivers. It having agricultural products and key minerals, most notably chromium. The country was colonised by the British South Africa Company in the 1890s and was administered jointly with Northern Rhodesia until 1924. The white minority government followed the policies of South Africa and maintained racial discrimination in all sectors of life. In response, liberation movements developed and resorted to guerrilla tactics. Eventually two nationalist groups the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) forced a negotiated settlement in 1979. Throughout, Zimbabwe has remained an outspoken critic of South African human rights policy and must take some credit for the changes that have occurred there. In February 1997, a defence agreement was signed with South Africa which, in its rejuvenated form, still dominates the international relations of Zimbabwe.
