Surrounded by low hills, it lies 97 kilometres (60 mi) west of Masvingo, on the main Bulawayo-Masvingo road.

[5] The town developed as a residential centre for Shabani Mine, which started operations in 1916 to supply asbestos during the First World War.

Growth was slow due to poor communications until the railway reached the town in 1928.

[3] The surrounding area is dominated by cattle ranching, while peasant agriculture is practiced in the nearby communal lands of Mberengwa and Buchwa.

[3] The population of Zvishavane has grown substantially in recent decades due to a boom in mining activity.