Military of Zimbabwe

At independence, then Prime Minster Mugabe declared that integrating Zimbabwe's then three armed forces would be one of Zimbabwe's top priorities. The existing Rhodesian forces were combined with the two guerilla armies--the 20,000-strong ZANLA forces of ZANU-PF and the 15,000-strong ZIPRA forces of PF-ZAPU. Currently the armed forces of Zimbabwe are completely integrated and are composed of an army (ZNA) and an air force (AFZ). The ZNA currently has an active duty strength of 37,000. The air force has about 5,000 men assigned. In July 1994 the combined Zimbabwe Defense Forces Headquarters was created.

In 1999, the Government of Zimbabwe sent a sizeable military force into the Democratic Republic of Congo to support the government of President Laurent Kabila. Those forces were largely withdrawn in 2002.

Military branches: Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)

'Military manpower - availability:'\ males age 15-49: 3,236,042 (2003 est.), 2,924,630 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,003,572 (2003 est.), 1,814,168 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $625.1 million (FY02), $127 million (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.2% (FY02), 3.1% (FY99/00)

See also : Zimbabwe