Background: The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until takeover 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.

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 752,610 km²
Land: 740,720 km²
Water: 11,890 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: in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 7%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 40%
Forests and woodland: 39%
Other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 460 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: tropical storms (November to April)

Geography
Note: landlocked

Population: 9,460,736 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 2.13% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Zambian(s)
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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 49% (male 2,342,043; female 2,316,357)
15-64 years: 48% (male 2,244,251; female 2,326,159)
65 years and over: 3% (male 106,950; female 124,976) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.13% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 44.6 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 22.55 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros and elephant 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: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 92.57 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 37.07 years
Male: 36.81 years
Female: 37.33 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.41 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write in English
Total population: 78.2%
Male: 85.6%
Female: 71.3% (1995 est.)

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

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991); Vice President Christon TEMBO (since December 1997); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government: ead of
Government: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991); Vice President Christon TEMBO (since December 1997); 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 18 November 1996 (next to be held October 2001); vice president appointed by the president
Election results: Frederick CHILUBA elected president; percent of vote_Frederick CHILUBA 70%, Dean MUNGO'MBA 12%, Humphrey MULEMBA 6%, Akashambatwa LEWANIKA 4%, Chama CHAKOMBOKA 3%, others 5%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held October 2001)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_MMD 130, NP 5, ZADECO 2, AZ 2, independents 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the president

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA
In the us chancery: 2,419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-9,717 through 9,719
In the us fax: [1] (202) 332-0826
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER
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, 252-230
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

Economy overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go. Inflation, while slowing somewhat, continues to be a major concern to the CHILUBA government. Zambia's copper mining sector, which accounts for over 80% of the nation's foreign currency intake, is struggling. Production rates are down as are world copper prices. Aid cuts by Zambia's donors, arising out of concern for the November 1996 flawed election, will severely damage Zambia's economic prospects. Urged by the World Bank, Zambia has embarked on a privatization program which is to include the all-important copper industry.

Real gdp growth rate: 3.5% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $950 (1997 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 23%
Industry: 40%
Services: 37% (1997 est.)

Agriculture products: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, beef, pork, poultry meat, milk, eggs, hides

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (1996)

Labor force
Total: 3.4 million
By occupation agriculture: 85%
By occupation and construction: 6%
By occupation transport and services: 9%

Unemployment rate: 22% (1991)

Budget
Revenues: $888 million
Expenditures: $835 million, including capital expenditures of $110 million (1995 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: total value:$975 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodoties: copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco
Partners: EU countries, Japan, South Africa, US, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, Malaysia

Imports: total value:$990 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodoties: machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, miscellaneous manufactured goods
Partners: South Africa, EU countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, US

Debt external: $7.2 billion (1996 est.)

Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1_1,351.,35 (October 1997), 1,203.71 (1996), 857.23 (1995), 669.37 (1994), 452.76 (1993)

Electricity
Capacity: 2.436 million kW (1995)
Production: 7.79 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 668 kWh (1995)

Telephones: 80,900 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa
Domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $96 million (1995)
Percent of gdp: 2.7% (1995)

Airports: 111 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 12
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 99
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 64
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 32 (1997 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,724 km

Railways
Total: 2,164 km (1995)
Narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track)
Note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of Zambia Railways

Waterways: 2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, Lake Tanganyika

Disputes international: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for methaqualone, heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and Europe; regional money-laundering center