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The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the former British 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, economic mismanagement, and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule and propelled the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) to government. The subsequent vote in 1996, however, saw increasing harassment of opposition parties and abuse of state media and other resources. 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. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who won a special presidential byelection later that year. The MMD and BANDA lost to the Patriotic Front (PF) and Michael SATA in the 2011 general elections. SATA, however, presided over a period of haphazard economic management and attempted to silence opposition to PF policies. SATA died in October 2014 and was succeeded by his vice president, Guy SCOTT, who served as interim president until special elections were held in January 2015. Edgar LUNGU won the presidential byelection and will complete SATA's term, which expires in late 2016.
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Geography :: ZAMBIA
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Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
15 00 S, 30 00 E
Africa
total: 752,618 sq km
land: 743,398 sq km
water: 9,220 sq km
country comparison to the world:
39slightly larger than Texas
total: 6,043.15 km
border countries (8): Angola 1,065 km, Botswana 0.15 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,332 km, Malawi 847 km, Mozambique 439 km, Namibia 244 km, Tanzania 353 km, Zimbabwe 763 km
0 km (landlocked)
none (landlocked)
tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed elevation in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
agricultural land: 31.7%
arable land 4.8%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 26.9%
forest: 66.3%
other: 2% (2011 est.)
1,559 sq km (2003)
105.2 cu km (2011)
total: 1.57 cu km/yr (18%/8%/73%)
per capita: 147 cu m/yr (2002)
periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)
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People and Society :: ZAMBIA
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noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian
Bemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (north Western) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)
Bembe 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.2%, unspecified 0.4%
note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family (2010 est.)
Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)
15,066,266
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
700-14 years: 46.12% (male 3,490,151/female 3,458,035)
15-24 years: 20.02% (male 1,506,925/female 1,509,554)
25-54 years: 28.6% (male 2,171,292/female 2,136,987)
55-64 years: 2.89% (male 204,767/female 230,244)
65 years and over: 2.38% (male 155,179/female 203,132) (2015 est.)
population pyramid:
total dependency ratio: 95.4%
youth dependency ratio: 89.7%
elderly dependency ratio: 5.7%
potential support ratio: 17.6% (2015 est.)
total: 16.7 years
male: 16.6 years
female: 16.8 years (2015 est.)
2.88% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1142.13 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
412.67 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
21-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
142urban population: 40.9% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 4.32% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
LUSAKA (capital) 2.179 million (2015)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
total: 64.72 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 70.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
17total population: 52.15 years
male: 50.54 years
female: 53.81 years (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
2165.72 children born/woman (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
740.8% (2007)
5% of GDP (2013)
country comparison to the world:
950.17 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
2 beds/1,000 population (2010)
improved:
urban: 85.6% of population
rural: 51.3% of population
total: 65.4% of population
unimproved:
urban: 14.4% of population
rural: 48.7% of population
total: 34.6% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 55.6% of population
rural: 35.7% of population
total: 43.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 44.4% of population
rural: 64.3% of population
total: 56.1% of population (2015 est.)
12.37% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
71,150,400 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
918,900 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
16degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2013)
7.2% (2014)
country comparison to the world:
17414.9% (2007)
country comparison to the world:
491.3% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world:
170definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 63.4%
male: 70.9%
female: 56% (2015 est.)
total number: 1,000,850
percentage: 41%
note: data represents children ages 7-14 (2005 est.)
total: 23.4% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world:
42
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Government :: ZAMBIA
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conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia
former: Northern Rhodesia
republic
name: Lusaka
geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
10 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
24 October 1964 (from the UK)
Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991; amended 1996; note - in late 2013, a constitution committee submitted a draft constitution to the government, but revisions remain under discussion (2015)
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Edgar LUNGU (since 25 January 2015); Vice President Inonge WINA (since 26 January 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Edgar LUNGU (since 25 January 2015); Vice President Inonge WINA (since 26 January 2015
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly
elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); special presidential election held on 20 January 2015 to complete President SATA's term in office (next to be held in late 2016); SATA died 28 October 2014; vice president appointed by the president
election results: Edgar LUNGU elected president; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 48.8%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.2%, other 4%
description: unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 8 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 20 September 2011 (next to be held in 2016); note - over 25 by-elections, prompted by resignation, death, change of party or legal nullification have taken place since September 2011
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PF 60, MMD 55, UPND 28, ADD 1, FDD 1, independent 3, seats not determined 10; note - seats as of September 2015 - PF 84, MMD 34, UPND 31, ADD 1, FDD 1, independent 2, other 5
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 7 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the 9-member Judicial Service Commission - headed by the chief justice, and ratified by the National Assembly; judges normally serve until age 65
subordinate courts: High Court (competence on constitutional issues); Industrial Relations Court; Subordinate Court; magistrate's courts and local courts
Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD [Charles MILUPI]
Christian Democratic Party or CDP [Daniel PULE]
Forum for Democratic Alternatives or FDA [Ludwig SONDASHI]
Fourth Revolution Party or 4R [Eric CHANDA]
Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]
Green Party or GREENS [Peter SINKAMBA]
Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]
Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Nevers MUMBA]
National Restoration Party or NAREP [Elias CHIPIMO]
National Revolution Party or NRP [Cosmo MUMBA]
Patriotic Front or PF [Edgar LUNGU]
People's Party [Mike MULONGOTI]
Republican Progressive Party or RPP [James LUKUKU]
United National Independence Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]
United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]
Zambia Direct Democracy Movement or ZDDM [Edwin SAKALA]
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Palan MULONDA (since 8 January 2013)
chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric T. SCHULTZ (since 12 December 2014)
embassy: Ibex Hill, Lusaka
mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone: [260] (211) 357-000
FAX: [260] ) (211) 357-224
green field 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; green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red symbolizes the struggle for freedom, black the people of Zambia, and orange the country's mineral wealth; the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems
African fish eagle; national colors: green, red, black, orange
name: "Lumbanyeni Zambia" (Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free)
lyrics/music: multiple/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA
note: adopted 1964; the melody, from the popular song "God Bless Africa," is the same as that of Tanzania but with different lyrics; the melody is also incorporated into South Africa's anthem
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Economy :: ZAMBIA
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Zambia has had one of the world’s fastest growing economies for the past ten years, with real GDP growth averaging roughly 6.7% per annum. Privatization of government-owned copper mines in the 1990s relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly increased copper mining output and profitability, spurring economic growth. Copper output increased steadily from 2004, due to higher copper prices and foreign investment, but weakened in 2014 when Zambia was overtaken by the Democratic Republic of Congo as Africa’s largest copper producer. Zambia's dependency on copper makes it vulnerable to depressed commodity prices, but record high copper prices and a bumper maize crop in 2010 helped Zambia rebound quickly from the world economic slowdown that began in 2008. Despite strong economic growth and its status as a lower middle-income country, widespread and extreme rural poverty and high unemployment levels remain significant problems, made worse by a high birth rate, a relatively high HIV/AIDS burden, and by market-distorting agricultural policies. Economic policy inconsistency and poor budget execution in recent years has hindered the economy and contributed to weakness in the kwacha, which was Africa’s worst performing currency during 2014. Zambia has raised $1.75 billion from international investors by issuing separate sovereign bonds in September 2012 and April 2014, significantly increasing the country’s public debt as a share of GDP. On January 1, 2015, a new mineral royalty tax regime dramatically increased mining taxes, and has led to an economic impasse between the government and the mines. If left intact, the new tax could result in the closure of less profitable mines, the loss of thousands of jobs, and the loss of additional foreign investment.
$61.05 billion (2014 est.)
$57.91 billion (2013 est.)
$54.27 billion (2012 est.)
note: data are in 2014 US dollars
country comparison to the world:
100$26.76 billion (2014 est.)
5.4% (2014 est.)
6.7% (2013 est.)
6.8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
25$4,100 (2014 est.)
$3,900 (2013 est.)
$3,600 (2012 est.)
note: data are in 2014 US dollars
country comparison to the world:
17730.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
33.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
37.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
18household consumption: 51.7%
government consumption: 21.2%
investment in fixed capital: 26.1%
investment in inventories: 0.3%
exports of goods and services: 44.3%
imports of goods and services: -43.6%
(2014 est.)
agriculture: 10.8%
industry: 32.9%
services: 56.3% (2014 est.)
corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seeds, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (manioc, tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides
copper mining and processing, emerald mining, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture
3.6% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
806.338 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
66agriculture: 85%
industry: 6%
services: 9% (2004)
15% (2008 est.)
50% (2000 est.)
country comparison to the world:
14460.5% (2010 est.)
lowest 10%: 1.5%
highest 10%: 47.4% (2010)
57.5 (2010)
50.8 (2004)
country comparison to the world:
9revenues: $5.233 billion
expenditures: $6.751 billion (2014 est.)
20.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
158-5.9% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
18237.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
31.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
102calendar year
7.9% (2014 est.)
7% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
2018.39% (31 December 2009)
14.49% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world:
3314% (31 December 2014 est.)
9.52% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
48$2.466 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$2.369 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
124$5.682 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$5.437 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
125$5.325 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$5.155 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
120$3.004 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$4.009 billion (31 December 2011)
$2.817 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world:
94-$61 million (2014 est.)
-$224.6 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
63$9.214 billion (2014 est.)
$8.908 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
98copper/cobalt, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton
Switzerland 23.4%, China 14.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 13.4%, South Africa 6.1%, UAE 4.9% (2014)
$8.081 billion (2014 est.)
$7.762 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
111machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer, foodstuffs, clothing
South Africa 31.3%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 18.7%, China 9.3%, Kenya 8.3%, Algeria 5.9%, India 4.4% (2014)
$3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$2.684 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
110$7.384 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$5.943 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
115$NA
$NA
Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar -
6.1 (2014 est.)
5.4 (2013 est.)
5.1 (2012 est.)
4,860.7 (2011 est.)
4,797.1 (2010 est.)
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Energy :: ZAMBIA
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11.73 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
948.327 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
97606 million kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
6613 million kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1081.888 million kW (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1090.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
2080% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
21099.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
40% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1450 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1470 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
20914,340 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
750 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
21114,750 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
10318,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1291,216 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1165,765 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1890 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
2120 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
2120 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
2110 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
830 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
2113.054 million Mt (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
141
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Communications :: ZAMBIA
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total subscriptions: 110,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
144total: 10.1 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 69 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
86general assessment: 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 and network coverage is improving; domestic satellite system being installed to improve telephone service in rural areas; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 3 owned by Zamtel (2010)
state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) operates 1 TV station and is the principal local-content provider; several private TV stations; multi-channel subscription TV services are available; ZNBC operates 3 radio networks; about 2 dozen private radio stations; relays of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Lusaka and Kitwe (2007)
AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)
9 (2001)
.zm
total: 2.3 million
percent of population: 15.4% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
94
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Transportation :: ZAMBIA
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88 (2013)
country comparison to the world:
63total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
total: 80
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 53
under 914 m:
21 (2013)
oil 771 km (2013)
total: 3,126 km
narrow gauge: 3,126 km 1.067-m gauge
note: includes 1,860 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2014)
country comparison to the world:
58total: 40,454 km
paved: 9,403 km
unpaved: 31,051 km (2005)
country comparison to the world:
862,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers) (2010)
country comparison to the world:
37river port(s): Mpulungu (Zambezi)
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Military :: ZAMBIA
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Zambian Defense Force (ZDF): Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia National Service (support organization) (2015)
national registration required at age 16; 18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription; Zambian citizenship required; grade 12 certification required; mandatory HIV testing on enlistment; mandatory retirement for officers at age 65 (Army, Air Force) (2012)
males age 16-49: 3,041,069
females age 16-49: 2,948,291 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 1,745,656
females age 16-49: 1,688,670 (2010 est.)
male: 158,592
female: 158,805 (2010 est.)
1.55% of GDP (2012)
1.59% of GDP (2011)
1.55% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world:
59
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Transnational Issues :: ZAMBIA
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in 2004, Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river
refugees (country of origin): 18,598 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2014)
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; major consumer of cannabis