ZIMSEC Grade 7 Social Science cheat sheet

Great Zimbabwe was built by Shona ancestors between the 11th and 15th centuries, using granite blocks laid without mortar.

After about 1450 the Mutapa (Mwenemutapa) state rose in the north, trading gold and ivory with Swahili traders at Sofala; the Rozvi/Changamire state later controlled the south-west.

Mzilikazi's Ndebele settled near present-day Bulawayo in the 1840s; Lobengula became king in 1870.

The Rudd Concession (1888) gave Cecil Rhodes's British South Africa Company mineral rights, and the Pioneer Column occupied Mashonaland in 1890, founding Fort Salisbury.

The Anglo-Ndebele War of 1893 ended Ndebele independence; the First Chimurenga (Umvukela) of 1896-97 was led by spirit mediums Nehanda and Kaguvi, both executed in 1898.

Southern Rhodesia was part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1953 until the Federation was dissolved in 1963.

Ian Smith's Rhodesian Front declared UDI on 11 November 1965; the Second Chimurenga opened with the Chinhoyi battle on 28 April 1966.

The Lancaster House Agreement of December 1979 produced a ceasefire and elections; Zimbabwe became independent on 18 April 1980.

Zimbabwe lies on the central African plateau; average elevation is about 1 000-1 200 m, which moderates temperatures.

Relief regions: Highveld above 1 200 m along the main watershed, Middleveld 900-1 200 m, Lowveld below 900 m in the Zambezi and Save valleys.

Inyangani, in the Nyanga area of the Eastern Highlands, is the highest point at 2 592 m.

The Zambezi forms the northern border (with Victoria Falls and Lake Kariba), the Limpopo the southern border; the Save and Runde drain the south-east.

Lake Kariba was created when Kariba Dam was completed on the Zambezi in 1959.

Rain falls mainly November-March; May-October is the dry season.

Rainfall decreases east to west and from high to low ground: Eastern Highlands often exceed 1 000 mm a year, the Lowveld receives under 500 mm.

Vegetation belts: miombo woodland on the Highveld, mopane and grassland in the Lowveld, montane forest in the Eastern Highlands.

Grid references are read eastings (vertical lines) first, then northings (horizontal lines); the mnemonic is 'along the corridor, up the stairs'.

A four-figure reference names a grid square; a six-figure reference locates a point inside that square.

Scale 1:50 000 means 1 cm on the map = 0.5 km on the ground, so 2 cm = 1 km; at 1:25 000, 4 cm = 1 km.

Ground distance = map distance x scale denominator (divide by 100 000 to convert cm to km).

Contours join points of equal height; closely spaced contours indicate a steep slope, widely spaced contours a gentle slope.

Bearings are measured clockwise from north in degrees, from 0 to 360.

Conventional colours: blue for water, brown for relief contours, green for vegetation, black for human-made features.

Zimbabwe's 2022 national census recorded a population of about 15.2 million.

Population density = total population divided by area in square kilometres.

Natural increase = birth rate minus death rate; net migration is added to get total population change.

Densest population: Harare, Bulawayo and the Manicaland highlands; sparsest: the dry Matabeleland North and Lowveld districts.

Rural-urban migration moves people to Harare and Bulawayo for jobs, schools and health services.

Out-migration to South Africa, Botswana and the United Kingdom produces remittances, a major source of foreign currency.

Settlement patterns are nucleated (clustered villages), dispersed (scattered farms) or linear (along a road or river).

A population pyramid with a wide base shows a high birth rate and a young population.

Maize is the staple food crop; tobacco is the leading agricultural export, sold through auction floors.

The Great Dyke, a north-south rock belt, holds platinum, chrome and nickel; gold is mined in many districts.

Hwange supplies coal; the Marange area of Manicaland produces diamonds.

Manufacturing is concentrated in Harare and Bulawayo (food processing, textiles, metals, fertiliser).

Main exports: tobacco, gold, platinum, lithium; main imports: fuel, machinery, medicines and vehicles.

Beitbridge, on the Limpopo, is the busiest border post; the Plumtree-Ramokgwebana route links Botswana.

The National Railways of Zimbabwe links Bulawayo-Harare-Mutare and connects to Beira and South African ports.

Tourism earns foreign currency at Victoria Falls, Great Zimbabwe, Hwange and Mana Pools.

ZimParks (Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority) manages national parks; Hwange is the largest.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Zimbabwe include Great Zimbabwe, Khami Ruins, Matobo Hills, Mana Pools and Victoria Falls.

CAMPFIRE shares wildlife revenue with rural communities, giving them a reason to conserve animals.

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) enforces environmental law and requires an EIA before major projects.

Main environmental problems: deforestation, veld fires, soil erosion, river siltation, poaching and waste pollution.

Dambos are seasonally waterlogged wetlands that store water and should not be ploughed.

The 3Rs - reduce, reuse, recycle - cut the volume of waste reaching dumps and rivers.

The 2013 Constitution is supreme law; Chapter 4 contains the Bill of Rights.

Three arms of government: Executive (President and Cabinet), Legislature (National Assembly plus Senate) and Judiciary (courts).

National and local elections are held every five years and are run by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

Local government consists of urban councils and rural district councils; chiefs and headmen serve as traditional leaders.

Rights in the Bill of Rights include life, human dignity, freedom of expression, education, health care and a fair trial.

Civic duties include obeying the law, paying taxes, voting, respecting others' rights and protecting public property.

The Constitution provides for devolution, transferring powers and resources from central government to provinces and councils.

Children's rights include free basic education and protection from abuse, child labour and early marriage.

The 2013 Constitution recognises 16 official languages, including Shona, Ndebele, Tonga, Kalanga, Ndau, Venda and Zimbabwean sign language.

Hunhu/Ubuntu describes the value of respect, hospitality, solidarity and responsibility towards the community.

Roora (lobola) is bride wealth negotiated between families and seals a customary marriage.

A bira is held to honour ancestral spirits (vadzimu) and features mbira music, singing, dance and offerings.

Jerusarema/Mbende dance is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

National monuments such as Great Zimbabwe, Khami Ruins and the Matobo Hills are protected heritage sites.

Sadza served with relish is the staple meal; soapstone carving and basket weaving are well-known crafts.