Zimbabwe

Bantu-speaking ethnic groups account for 98% of Zimbabwe’s population. The largest group is the Shona, comprising 70%, followed by the Ndebele at 20%. The Ndebele are descendants of the Zulu migrations during the 19th century and the tribes with which they intermarried. It’s estimated that about 1 million Ndebele have left Zimbabwe in the last 5 years. There are also other Bantu ethnic groups, including Venda, Tonga, Shangaan, Nambya and Kalanga.

White Zimbabweans account for less than 1% of the country’s population, and most are of British origin with small numbers of Greek, Portuguese, French and Dutch. In 1975, the white population reached a peak of 4.3%. Mixed race people account for 0.5% of the population.