Key events in Zimbabwe since 1998 include:
1998
-- Economic problems sparked by high interest rates and inflation provoke riots and massive support for the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, headed by Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Strikes paralyse the country.
-- Zimbabwe sends troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo to shore up Laurent Kabila's government against rebels.
1999
-- The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is formed as a political party, and Tsvangirai elected its leader.
2000
-- Tsvangirai's party and its allies rally voters to reject a state-sponsored constitution in a referendum, handing the president, Robert Mugabe, his first electoral defeat since he came to power at independence from Britain in 1980.
-- Thousands of independence war veterans, backed by the government, seize hundreds of white-owned farms, saying the land was illegally seized by colonists.
-- Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party narrowly wins June parliamentary elections against MDC in a poll preceded by a wave of violence.
2001
-- Government agrees to end land invasions in exchange for British funds to finance land reform. Mugabe later rejects claims that he has ignored the deal.
-- Zanu-PF draws up tough laws on security, media and election rules. Critics say these are to keep Mr Mugabe in power.
2002
-- Mugabe wins six-year term in election pitting him against Tsvangirai. Opposition MDC and observers condemn the poll as flawed and unfair.
-- Commonwealth suspends Zimbabwe; European Union imposes travel ban, freezes assets of Mugabe's associates.
-- In August, Mugabe issues order directing thousands of white farmers off farms to be resettled by landless blacks.
2003
-- Tsvangirai appears in court in February on charges of plotting to assassinate Mr Mugabe, which he denies.
-- European Union and Commonwealth renew sanctions.
-- Mugabe hints he is ready to relinquish power, but vows Tsvangirai's MDC will never rule.
-- MDC launches week of mass action in June intended to force Mugabe from power, but protests are largely ignored in the face of threats by security forces to crush any demonstrations.
-- Tsvangirai is arrested on second treason charge; freed two weeks later as anti-Mugabe protests falter.
-- Main trade union leaders and dozens of rights activists arrested as riot police break up protest marches.
-- IMF says it has begun steps to expel Zimbabwe, in arrears since 2001, saying its policies fail to address economic woes.
-- Commonwealth summit agrees to continue Zimbabwe's suspension; Harare response with decision to quit the group.
2004
-- South African President Thabo Mbeki says Mugabe has agreed to enter formal talks with opposition on how to end Zimbabwe's present crisis.
-- Tsvangirai's year-long treason trial ends in February.
-- Tsvangirai's MDC says it will not contest March 2005 parliamentary polls until Mugabe's Zanu-PF comes up with "real" electoral reforms, and repeals tough security laws.
-- Today, Tsvangirai is acquitted by a Harare high court on charges of plotting to assassinate Mr Mugabe.
2005
-- The US labels Zimbabwe one of the world's six "outposts of tyranny". Zimbabwe rejects the statement.
-- Zanu-PF party wins two-thirds of the votes in parliamentary polls. Opposition says election was rigged.
-- Tens of thousands of shanty dwellings and illegal street stalls are destroyed as part of a "clean-up" operation. The UN estimates that the drive has left about 700,000 people homeless.
-- Prosecutors drop remaining treason charges against Tsvangirai.
-- Zanu-PF wins an overwhelming majority of seats in the Senate, a newly-created upper house of parliament. The opposition MDC splits over its leader's decision to boycott the poll.
-- After a four-day visit, UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland says Zimbabwe is in "meltdown".
2006
-- Year-on-year inflation exceeds 1,000%. New banknotes, with three noughts deleted from their values, are introduced.
-- Zanu-PF approves a plan to move presidential polls from 2008 to 2010, extending Mugabe's rule by two years.
2007
-- Tsvangirai is hospitalised after his arrest at a rally. One man is shot dead as riot police move to disperse the gathering.
-- Warnings of power cuts for up to 20 hours a day while electricity is diverted towards agriculture.
-- Zanu-PF and opposition MDC hold preliminary talks in South Africa.
-- Nearly 7,500 executives, business leaders and traders arrested for failing to cut prices
-- MPs back takeover of white firms
-- Zimbabwe runs out of bread as wheat production collapses.
2008
-- Mugabe's Zanu-PF party loses its majority for the first time since independence in 1980 in elections held on March 29.
-- On April 19, election officials begin recounting votes cast in the polls which were disputed.
-- The official results of the presidential election released on May 3 find that opposition leader Tsvangirai gained the most votes but fell short of the 50% needed to win outright.
-- Tsvangirai initially refuses to agree to another round of voting claiming his party won the first vote outright. He later concedes and now faces a run off against Mugabe on June 27.