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Photo · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Ruined city in the south-eastern hills of Zimbabwe near Lake Mutirikwe and the town of Masvingo, was once the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe during the country's Late Iron Age
Great Zimbabwe was a city in the south-eastern hills of the modern country of Zimbabwe, near Masvingo. It was settled from around 1000 AD, and served as the capital of the Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe from the 13th century. It is the largest stone structure in precolonial Southern Africa. Major construction on the city began in the 11th century and continued until the 15th century. The city was abandoned in the 16th or 17th century. The edifices were erected by ancestors of the Shona people, who are currently located in Zimbabwe and nearby countries. The stone city spans an area of 7.22 square kilometres (2.79 mi2). Population estimates vary. Earlier estimates suggest a peak population of around 20,000 people. A recent study using archaeological, ethnographic, and historical evidence, along with statistical modeling, suggests that the site's population did not exceed 10,000 people. The Zimbabwe state centred on it likely covered 50,000 km². It is recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.