Map of Zambia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign in 2002 which resulted in the 2003 arrest of the previous president Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters. Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in the National Assembly.


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Location: Southern Africa east of Angola

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S 30 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 752,614 km²
Water: 11,890 km²
Land: 740,724 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 5,664 km
Border countries: (7) Angola 1,110 km; , Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km; , Malawi 837 km; , Mozambique 419 km; , Namibia 233 km; , Tanzania 338 km; , Zimbabwe 797 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)

Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Natural resources: copper cobalt zinc lead coal emeralds gold silver uranium hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 7.08%
Permanent crops: 0.03%
Other: 92.89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 460 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: periodic drought tropical storms (November to April)

Geography
Note: landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe


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Population
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)
Growth rate: 1.52% (2003 est.)
Below poverty line: 86% (1993)

Nationality
Noun: Zambian
Adjective: Zambian

Ethnic groups: African 98.7% European 1.1% other 0.2%

Languages: English (official) major vernaculars - Bemba Kaonda Lozi Lunda Luvale Nyanja Tonga and about 70 other indigenous languages

Religions: Christian 50%-75% Muslim and Hindu 24%-49% indigenous beliefs 1%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 46.3% (male 2,396,313; female 2,378,567)
15-64 years: 50.9% (male 2,626,961; female 2,621,818)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 131,196; female 152,478) (2003 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 16.5 years
Male: 16.4 years
Female: 16.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.52% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 39.53 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 24.3 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros elephant antelope and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male/female
15-64 years: 1 male/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2003 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 99.29 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 91.77 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 106.58 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 35.25 years
Male: 35.25 years
Female: 35.25 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 21.5% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 1.2 million (2001 est.)
Deaths: 120,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
Total population: 80.6%
Male: 86.8%
Female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
Conventional short form: Zambia
Former: Northern Rhodesia

Government type: republic

Capital: Lusaka

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central Copperbelt Eastern Luapula Lusaka Northern North-Western Southern Western

Dependent areas

Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 24 October (1964)

Constitution: 2 August 1991

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Nevers MUMBA (since May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Nevers MUMBA (since May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006); vice president appointed by the president
Election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote - Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%, Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael SATA 3%, other 5%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006)
Election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%, UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%; seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP 1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders: Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy MWANAWASA acting president]; National Leadership for Development or NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA president]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB C ECA FAO G-19 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM ITU MONUC NAM OAU OPCW PCA SADC UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNMEE UNMIK UPU WCL WCO WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
In the us fax: [1] (202) 332-0826
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-9,717 through 9,719
In the us chancery: 2,419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN
From the us embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 31,617, Lusaka
From the us telephone: [260] (1) 250-955
From the us fax: [260] (1) 252-225

Flag description: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side) black and orange below a soaring orange eagle on the outer edge of the flag

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform Zambia's economic growth remains below the 5% to 7% necessary to reduce poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. However low mineral prices have slowed the benefits of privatizing the mines and have reduced incentives for further private investment in the sector. Cooperation continues with international bodies on programs to reduce poverty.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2.3% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 22%
Industry: 26%
Services: 52% (2001)

Agriculture products: corn sorghum rice peanuts sunflower seed vegetables flowers tobacco cotton sugarcane cassava (tapioca); cattle goats pigs poultry milk eggs hides; coffee

Industries: copper mining and processing construction foodstuffs beverages chemicals textiles fertilizer horticulture

Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 4.29 million (2000)
By occupation agriculture: 85%
By occupation industry: 6%
By occupation services: 9%

Unemployment rate: 50% (2000 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 86% (1993)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.1%
Highest 10: 41% (1998)

Distribution of family income gini index: 52.6 (1998)

Budget
Revenues: $1.2 billion
Expenditures: $1.25 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 21% (2002 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $709 million f.o.b. (2001)
Commodities: copper 55% cobalt electricity tobacco flowers cotton
Partners: Malawi 10.3% Thailand 9.2% Japan 9.1% Saint Pierre and Miquelon 9.1% Taiwan 8.5% South Africa 7.8% Egypt 6.4% China 6.3% Netherlands 5.5% Tanzania 4.5% (2002)

Imports: $1.123 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Commodities: machinery transportation equipment petroleum products electricity fertilizer; foodstuffs clothing
Partners: South Africa 64.4% US 3.7% China 3.6% (2002)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $5.8 billion (2001)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha per US dollar - NA (2002) 3,611 (2001) 3,111 (2000) 2,388 (1999) 1862.07 (1998)


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Electricity
Production: 7.751 billion kWh (2001)
Production by source fossil fuel: 0.5%
Production by source hydro: 99.5%
Production by source other: 0% (2001)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 5.458 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 1.75 billion kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 130,000 (including approximately 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (2002)
Mobile cellular: 90,000 (2002)

Telephone system
General assessment: facilities are aging but still among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa
Domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .zm
Service providers isps: 5 (2001)
Users: 25,000 (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $33.46 million (FY02)
Percent of gdp: 0.9% (FY02)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 109 (2002)
With paved runways total: 11
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2002)
With unpaved runways total: 98
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 63
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 30 (2002)

Heliports

Pipelines: oil 771 km (2003)

Railways
Total: 2,173 km
Narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge
Note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2002)

Roadways

Waterways
Note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: dormant dispute remains where Botswana Namibia Zambia and Zimbabwe boundaries converge

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone small amounts of heroin and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it an unattractive venue for money launderers