Zimbabwean diaspora
The Zimbabwean diaspora refers to the diaspora of immigrants from the nation of Zimbabwe and their descendants who now reside in other countries. The number of Zimbabweans living outside Zimbabwe varies significantly from 4 to 7 million people, though it is generally accepted at over 5 million people, some 30 per cent of all Zimbabweans. Varying degrees of assimilation and a high degree of interethnic marriages in the Zimbabwean diaspora communities makes determining exact figures difficult. The diaspora population is extremely diverse and consists of Shona people, Ndebele, white Zimbabweans, mixed-race people, Asians, Jewish people and other minority groups. The diaspora traces their origin to several waves of emigration, starting with the exodus that followed the 1965, unilateral declaration of independence in Rhodesia, but significantly since the sociopolitical crisis that began in 2000.
Countries with the biggest diaspora populations include South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. There is mobility within the diaspora. For example, some Zimbabweans have moved to the UK before deciding to settle in Australia.
History
Historically, Zimbabwe has long been a destination for immigration, rather than a source of immigrants, with large waves of migration occurring from Africa, Europe led by the United Kingdom as well as other minorities notably from British India from the late 19th century onwards. After the discovery of gold at Witwatersrand, temporary labour migration to South Africa increasingly became a feature of Rhodesian and then Zimbabwean society. A 2002 survey by the Southern African Migration Project show that almost 25% of adult Zimbabweans' parents or grandparents had worked in South Africa at some point in their lives.However, permanent emigration is a relatively new phenomenon. There have been two major waves of emigration from Zimbabwe. The first was that of whites in Zimbabwe who left the country soon after independence; they were followed by black Zimbabweans beginning in the 1990s. In both cases, South Africa was again their primary destination; however, from 1994 onwards, the South African government displayed increasing hostility to skilled immigration from the rest of Africa, leading Zimbabwean emigrants to move to the UK and beyond.
In contrast, wealthier Zimbabweans tend to have an easier route to the UK, with many having family or ancestral ties to the country, while others are able to arrive as skilled professionals, investors or students, making the community wealthier than arrivals from other countries in Africa and more comparable to South African or Australian Britons. Prior to November 2002, Zimbabweans were free to travel to the UK without a visa and this provided them with easy access to the country. Since the UK Government introduced the requirement for Zimbabweans to apply for visas to travel to the UK, increasing numbers of those who can have chosen other countries such as Australia and Canada as attractive destinations. Additionally as the number of Zimbabweans applying for asylum to the UK has fallen, increasing numbers of working class Zimbabweans have sought refuge in South Africa instead, while those in the UK, increasingly skew wealthier.
Overall statistics
It is estimated that there are millions of residents outside of Zimbabwe's borders who were either born in the country or are descended from immigrants. Permanent emigration is a relatively recent phenomenon having begun in the 1990s but expanded significantly since 2000. Much of the country's middle class has chosen to emigrate due to poor political and economic conditions at home, especially during the political violence that marred the 2000s, essentially foot voting. Zimbabwe's high literacy and skilled immigrants by African standards, has made them highly attractive, for example in the United Kingdom, where many medical professionals have been recruited directly by the NHS. Additionally, a steep decline in funding for once prestigious institutions such as the University of Zimbabwe and the National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe has pushed many students abroad particularly to Australia, Canada and South Africa to complete their university studies. However, refugees and less skilled migrants tend to reside legally or illegally in nearby South Africa, due to the fall of the standard of living and economic conditions in Zimbabwe.The Zimbabwean diaspora has a 95% literacy rate and a highly skilled adult population. The main languages spoken are English, Shona, and Ndebele.
Context
In December 2017 the website Zimbabwe News and Gettysburg College, calculated the cost of the Mugabe era using various statistics, noting that at during the 1980s, the country was growing economically at about seven per cent a year, and had done so since independence. If this rate of growth had been maintained for the next 40 years, Zimbabwe would have in 2019 a GDP of US$102 billion making it an upper middle income economy or newly industrialised country. Instead it had a formal sector GDP of only US$24 billion, a loss of tens of billions in lost growth.The population growth in 1980 was among the highest in Africa at about 3.5 per cent per annum, doubling every 21 years thanks to high birth rates, relatively low death rates and modest immigration. Had this growth been maintained, the population would have been 31 million. Instead, as of 2018, it is about 13 million. The discrepancies were believed to be caused widespread emigration as well as premature deaths from political violence, starvation and disease, and partly due to a notable fertility decline. The life expectancy fell during the 2000s, and death from politically motivated violence sponsored by government exceeds 200,000 since 1980. The policies of the Mugabe government have directly or indirectly caused the premature deaths of an estimated three million Zimbabweans in 37 years.
By country
Australia
Zimbabweans form a significant community in Australia with their numbers having grown to over 34,787 Zimbabwe-born as of 2018. When including their Australian and foreign born members, the government estimates at least 60,000 people being equally divided between black and white Zimbabweans The community is now well established, with some of the highest incomes in the country, as well as with community institutions such as Zimbabwean language schools. One in three of Australia's Shona and Ndebele-speakers live in Sydney with other concentrations of Zimbabweans in Perth, Melbourne and Queensland. Indeed, some 78 per cent of Zimbabwean Aussie adults hold a tertiary degree, making them the best educated group in the countryBotswana
There are estimated to be between 40,000 and 100,000 Zimbabweans in Botswana.Zimbabweans are the most numerous nationality among registered foreign workers in Botswana. More than half of Zimbabwean migrant workers are employed in agricultural and mining occupations, while others work in construction, real estate, finance, retail, education, health and manufacturing. As a result, a disproportionate number of Zimbabweans form part of Botswanas skilled workers, boosting the country's economy at the expense of Zimbabwe itself. Others, especially the more- irregular migrants, are engaged as maids, herders or in cross-border trading.
Canada
According to the 2016 census, there were 30,035 Canadians with Zimbabwean background, 15,650 of whom were born in Zimbabwe. Canada became an important destination for Zimbabweans as early as 1965, but especially so since 2000. Being anglophone and relatively well educated, they've readily adapted to Canadian society. The Zimbabwean community in Canada is concentrated in Toronto; Calgary; Edmonton; Southern Ontario, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia in British Columbia. Their numbers have been slowly but steadily increasing since 2000.Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, there were approximately 5,348 Irish Zimbabweans, third among African countries behind Nigeria and South Africa. A minority of these may have ties to Ireland through family ancestry. Approximately 310 people, gained Irish citizenship between the censuses of 2011 and 2016. Due to proximity and historical ties, there is quite a lot of movement between people settled in Ireland and those in the UK.New Zealand
or Zimbabwean Kiwis are New Zealand citizens who are fully or partially of Zimbabwean descent or Zimbabwe-born people who reside in New Zealand. They include migrants to New Zealand of people from Zimbabwe, as well as their descendants. Today, over 5,614 people in New Zealand have Zimbabwean ancestry in 2016, making them one of the diaspora's smaller communities. New Zealand's Zimbabwean population is the biggest in Auckland. Many Zimbabwean New Zealanders are of White Zimbabwean origin, with a soon to be plurality of Shona people. Zimbabwean Kiwis are overwhelmingly concentrated on the North Island, particularly Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton.South Africa
There are estimated to be between in South Africa. Migration between the two countries has been a feature throughout the 20th century, traditionally with mostly white South Africans moving north and black Zimbabwean workers temporarily heading south. Beginning in the 1980s, the tide began to turn in favor of South Africa and with large scale emigration a feature since 2000. Today, Zimbabweans in South Africa have faced a tougher time there than in other countries, with many working class and poorer migrants facing xenophobic violence and crime in the country. Additionally, while it is easier to settle in South Africa than in previous years, the government still makes naturalising as a South African citizen very difficult.Ironically, The Zimbabwean immigrant is the most similar to native South Africans of all major foreign immigrants in the country, and they easily adapt to their new place of residence, due to similarities in environment, culture, lifestyle, language and their relatively higher education levels. Indeed, most immigrants that arrived prior to Zimbabwe's economic crisis in the 2000s, would often assimilate readily in South African society.
Zimbabwean immigration has accompanied the ups and downs suffered by the country in recent decades in terms of political and economic instability.
However, Zimbabweans still face significant challenges in South Africa, with working class and poorer migrants disproportionately suffering from discrimination and xenophobic violence. Indeed, the most vulnerable of migrants tend to suffer from wage exploitation and anti-migrant violence, with female migrants facing the additional risk of rape and sexual exploitation. As a result, many Zimbabweans have soured on South Africa, frustrated with the governments poor handling of crime and xenophobia, as well as its indifference to the plight of Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans. Most educated workers who can afford to, now believe it is better to emigrate to other countries such as the United Kingdom; Australia; Canada; New Zealand and Ireland, which offer greater economic opportunities, less discrimination and crime than remain in South Africa.
Despite this, numerous academics, students, athletes, journalists, artists and professionals stand out within the Zimbabwean community in South Africa.