Introduction
In Zimbabwe, the ZDF’s primary responsibilities are protecting the country’s sovereignty and territory and securing its borders; it also has a considerable role in domestic security and has continued to be active in the country’s politics since the 2017 military-assisted political transition; the ZDF is part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force and provided troops for the SADC military deployment to Mozambique, from 2021-2024; Zimbabwe has defense ties with China and Russia
the ZDF was formed after independence from the former Rhodesian Army and the two guerrilla forces that opposed it during the Rhodesian Civil War (aka "Bush War") of the 1970s, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA); the ZDF intervened in the Mozambique Civil War (1983-1992), the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Second Congo War (1998-2003), and the Angolan Civil War (1975-2002) during the late 1990s (2024)
the ZDF was formed after independence from the former Rhodesian Army and the two guerrilla forces that opposed it during the Rhodesian Civil War (aka "Bush War") of the 1970s, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA); the ZDF intervened in the Mozambique Civil War (1983-1992), the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Second Congo War (1998-2003), and the Angolan Civil War (1975-2002) during the late 1990s (2024)
Security and military information of Zimbabwe
| Military and security service personnel strengths | approximately 30,000 active Zimbabwe Defense Forces (2025) |
|---|---|
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the ZDF inventory is comprised mostly of Russian/Soviet-era and Chinese armaments with smaller quantities of older or obsolescent material from countries such as Brazil, France, Italy, South Africa, the UK, and the US; since the early 2010s, Zimbabwe has been under an arms embargo from the EU, as well as targeted sanctions from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US (2024) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel); no conscription (2023). |
| Military deployments | . |
| Military expenditures | |
| Military Expenditures 2024 | 0.4% of GDP (2024 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2023 | 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2022 | 0.9% of GDP (2022 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2021 | 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2020 | 1% of GDP (2020 est.) |
All Important Facts about Zimbabwe
Want to know more about Zimbabwe? Check all different factbooks for Zimbabwe below.
