KM# 1a - CENT
Bronze Plated Steel, 18.45 mm. Obv: Bird statue above date
Rev: Denomination within wreath
Designer: Jeff Huntly
The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly the Republic of Rhodesia
or Southern Rhodesia), located in the east-central part of
southern Africa, has an area of 150,804 sq. mi. (390,580sq. km.)
and a population of *10.1 million. Capital: Harare (formerly Salisbury).
The economy is based on agriculture and mining.
Tobacco, sugar, asbestos, copper, chrome, ore and coal are
exported.
The Rhodesian area contains extensive evidence of the
habitat of paleolithic man and earlier civilizations, notably the
world-famous ruins of Zimbabwe, a gold-trading center that flourished
about the 14th or 15th century A.D. The Portuguese of the
16th century were the first Europeans to attempt to develop
south-central Africa, but it re-mained for Cecil Rhodes and the
British South Africa Co. to open the hinterlands. Rhodes obtained
a concession for mineral rights from local chiefs in 1888 and
administered his African empire (named Southern Rhodesia in
1895) through the British South Africa Co. until 1923, when the
British government annexed the area after the white settlers
voted for existence as a separate entity, rather than for incorporation
into the Union of South Africa. From Sept. of 1953
through 1963 Southern Rhodesia was joined with the British Protectorates
of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland into a multiracial
federation, known as the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
When the federation was dissolved at the end of 1963, Northern
Rhodesia and Nyasaland became the independent states of
Zambia and Malawi.
Britain was prepared to grant independence to Southern
Rhodesia but declined to do so when the politically dominant
white Rhodesians refused to give assurances of representative
government. On Nov. 11, 1965, following two years of unsuccessful
negotiation with the British government, Prime Minister
Ian Smith issued an unilateral declaration of independence. Britain
responded with economic sanctions supported by the United
Nations. After further futile attempts to effect an accommodation,
the Rhodesian Parliament severed all ties with Britain and on
March 2, 1970, established the Republic of Rhodesia.
On March 3, 1978, Prime Minister Ian Smith and three moderate
black nationalist leaders signed an agreement providing for
black majority rule. The name of the country was changed to Zimbabwe
Rhodesia. Following a conference in London in December
1979, the opposition government conceded and it was
agreed that the British Government should resume control. A British
Governor soon returned to Southern Rhodesia. One of his first
acts was to affirm the nullification of the purported declaration of
independence. On April 18, 1980 pursuant to an act of the British
Parliament, the colony of Southern Rhodesia became independent
as the Republic of Zimbabwe, which remains a member
of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
MONETARY SYSTEM
100 Cents = 1 Dollar
REPUBLIC
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