Poverty and Unemployment
Poverty and unemployment are both endemic in Zimbabwe, driven by the shrinking economy and hyper-inflation. Poverty rates run near 80%. While the unemployed in ranked as the world's largest, at 95%
As of January 2006, the official poverty line was ZWD 17,200 per month (US$202). However, as of July 2008 this had risen to ZWD 13 Trillion per month (US $41.00) . Most general labourers are paid under ZWD 200 Billion (US 60c) per month. A nurse's salary in September was Z$12,542 (12 US cents), less than the cost of a soft drink.
The lowest 10% of Zimbabwe's population represent 1.97% of the economy, while the highest 10% make 40.42%. (1995). The current account balance of the country is negative, standing at around US -$517 million.
Read more about this topic: Economy Of Zimbabwe
Famous quotes containing the words poverty and, poverty and/or unemployment:
““It’s a wery remarkable circumstance, sir”, said Sam, “that poverty and oysters seems to go together.””
—Charles Dickens (1812–1870)
“Apart from their other characteristics, the outstanding thing about China’s 600 million people is that they are “poor and blank.” This may seem a bad thing, but in reality it is a good thing. Poverty gives rise to the desire for change, the desire for action and the desire for revolution. On a blank sheet of paper free from any mark, the freshest and most beautiful pictures can be painted.”
—Mao Zedong (1893–1976)
“... of all the aspects of social misery nothing is so heartbreaking as unemployment ...”
—Jane Addams (1860–1935)