Great Zimbabwe, Great Enclosure: Great Zimbabwe [Credit: © Georg Gerster/Photo Researchers, Inc.] Great Enclosure: Great Zimbabwe [Credit: © Georg Gerster/Photo Researchers, Inc.]   Great Zimbabwe [Credit: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.] Great Zimbabwe [Credit: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.] extensive stone ruins of an African Iron Age city. It lies in southeastern Zimbabwe, about 19 miles (30 km) southeast of Masvingo (formerly Fort Victoria). The central area of ruins extends about 200 acres (80 hectares), making Great Zimbabwe the largest of more than 150 major stone ruins scattered across the countries of Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Great Zimbabwe: royal palace ruins [Credit: Colin Hoskins/Imagestate] Great Zimbabwe: royal palace ruins [Credit: Colin Hoskins/Imagestate] It is estimated that the central ruins and surrounding valley supported a Shona population of 10,000 to 20,000. With an economy based on cattle husbandry, crop cultivation, and the trade of gold on the coast of the Indian Ocean, Great Zimbabwe was ... (100 of 731 words)