Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) has compiled data on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) statistics for the period 2012 to 2018 according to information from yesterday’s cabinet briefing.
GDP is the total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period according to investopedia.
Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said the Zimstat provincial GDPs, which is the first since independence shows the disaggregated figures per province depicting contributions to national economic performance.
“Compilation and publication of the provincial GDPs buttresses implementation of the Devolution and Decentralisation programme, which brings with it increasing demand for sub-national socio-economic statistics,” Mutsvangwa said.
“The data will be key in guiding the economic reform agenda of the Second Republic in order to guarantee equitable development as we move towards Vision 2030.”
The data used in the compilation of the regional GDPs was obtained from 15 sectors.
The sectors include Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying; Manufacturing; Construction; Water Supply, Sewerage, Waste Management and Remedial Activities; Wholesale, Retail Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motor Cycles; and Education.
Mutsvangwa said, “The data shows that provinces that are predominantly rural had low percentage contributions to the national GDP and the concerned provinces are Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland North, Manicaland, Matabeleland South and Masvingo.”
“Provinces with more urban areas, namely: Bulawayo, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Midlands and Harare, had higher per capita GDP”
The provincial GDPs in 2018 were: Bulawayo, US$2.26 billion; Harare, US$9.56 billion; Manicaland, US$1.46 billion; Mashonaland Central, US$1.08 billion; Mashonaland East, US$2.22 billion; Mashonaland West, US$2.14 billion; Masvingo, US$1.41 billion; Matabeleland North, US$1.16 billion; Matabeleland South, US$940 million; and Midlands, US$1.94 billion.
The Information Minister said Zimstat data for provincial GDPs will be published for the information of the general citizenry.
“Government reiterates that, going forward, collecting and analysing statistical data disaggregated by province and subsector economic activities will continue to form ZIMSTAT’s core functions,” she said.
“Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs will make use of the data in coming up with Provincial Development Plans”
