Introduction:
 

The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [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 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 an anticorruption task force in 2002, but the government has yet to make a prosecution. The Zambian leader was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair.

Official name: Republic of Zambia Capital: name: Lusaka geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Government type: republic Population: 11,477,447 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 2007 est.) Languages: English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages Official Currency: Zambian Kwacha (ZMK) Currency code: ZMK Area: total: 752,614 sq km land: 740,724 sq km water: 11,890 sq km Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)

 

Geography

Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 752,614 sq km land: 740,724 sq km water: 11,890 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than Texas Land boundaries: total: 5,664 km border countries: 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 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: 6.99% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 92.97% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,560 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April) 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 Environment - international agreements: 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 Geography - note: landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe

 

Climate

MONGU 15 25 S, 23 15 E, 3454 feet (1053 meters) above sea level.
 

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg. Temperature 23 23 24 23 21 19 18 22 26 27 26 24 Avg. Max Temperature 30 28 30 31 29 27 27 30 34 35 33 31 Avg. Min Temperature 19 19 18 15 13 9 9 13 16 19 18 19 Avg. Rain Days 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Avg. Snow Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

KASAMA 10 21 S, 31 13 E, 4540 feet (1384 meters) above sea level.
 

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg. Temperature 21 21 22 22 20 19 19 20 23 24 26 21 Avg. Max Temperature 25 26 27 26 25 25 24 27 29 30 31 26 Avg. Min Temperature 16 16 16 14 12 9 9 11 13 16 17 16 Avg. Rain Days 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Avg. Snow Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

SOLWEZI 12 16 S, 26 36 E, 4547 feet (1386 meters) above sea level.
 

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg. Temperature 20 20 21 21 19 16 17 19 22 23 24 21 Avg. Max Temperature 26 26 28 27 27 25 26 28 30 30 30 26 Avg. Min Temperature 17 16 14 13 9 6 6 9 12 13 16 16 Avg. Rain Days 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Avg. Snow Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NDOLA 13 0 S, 28 65 E, 4166 feet (1270 meters) above sea level.
 

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg. Temperature 21 21 22 21 20 18 17 20 24 24 25 22 Avg. Max Temperature 27 25 28 28 27 26 26 28 31 32 31 28 Avg. Min Temperature 18 17 16 14 11 8 8 11 14 17 17 17 Avg. Rain Days 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 Avg. Snow Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

CHIPATA 13 55 S, 32 58 E, 3385 feet (1032 meters) above sea level.
 

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg. Temperature 23 22 23 23 22 20 20 22 24 27 28 26 Avg. Max Temperature 28 27 28 28 28 26 26 28 30 33 33 31 Avg. Min Temperature 18 18 17 16 15 11 12 15 17 20 20 19 Avg. Rain Days 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Avg. Snow Days 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 

PEOPLE

Zambia's population comprises more than 70 Bantu-speaking ethnic groups. Some ethnic groups are small, and only two have enough people to constitute at least 10% of the population. Most Zambians are subsistence farmers. The predominant religion is a blend of traditional beliefs and Christianity; Christianity is the official national religion. Expatriates, mostly British (about 15,000) or South African, live mainly in Lusaka and in the Copperbelt in northern Zambia, where they are employed in mines and related activities. Zambia also has a small but economically important Asian population, most of whom are Indians. The country is 44% urban. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is ravaging Zambia. Nearly 1 million Zambians are HIV positive or have AIDS. An estimated 100,000 died in 2004. Over 750,000 Zambian children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Life expectancy at birth is 32.7 years.

Population: 11,477,447 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 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.7% (male 2,633,578/female 2,608,714) 15-64 years: 51.9% (male 2,969,913/female 2,990,923) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 116,818/female 157,501) (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.664% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 40.78 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 21.46 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.993 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.742 male(s)/female total population: 0.994 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 100.71 deaths/1,000 live births male: 105.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 95.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 38.44 years male: 38.34 years female: 38.54 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.31 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 16.5% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 920,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 89,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian Ethnic groups: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2% Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1% Languages: English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 80.6% male: 86.8% female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

 

HISTORY

The indigenous hunter-gatherer occupants of Zambia began to be displaced or absorbed by more advanced migrating tribes about 2,000 years ago. The major waves of Bantu-speaking immigrants began in the 15th century, with the greatest influx between the late 17th and early 19th centuries. They came primarily from the Luba and Lunda tribes of southern Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Angola but were joined in the 19th century by Ngoni peoples from the south. By the latter part of that century, the various peoples of Zambia were largely established in the areas they currently occupy.

Except for an occasional Portuguese explorer, the area lay untouched by Europeans for centuries. After the mid-19th century, it was penetrated by Western explorers, missionaries, and traders. David Livingstone, in 1855, was the first European to see the magnificent waterfalls on the Zambezi River. He named the falls after Queen Victoria, and the Zambian town near the falls is named after him.

In 1888, Cecil Rhodes, spearheading British commercial and political interests in Central Africa, obtained a mineral rights concession from local chiefs. In the same year, Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe, respectively) were proclaimed a British sphere of influence. Southern Rhodesia was annexed formally and granted self-government in 1923, and the administration of Northern Rhodesia was transferred to the British colonial office in 1924 as a protectorate.

In 1953, both Rhodesias were joined with Nyasaland (now Malawi) to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Northern Rhodesia was the center of much of the turmoil and crisis that characterized the federation in its last years. At the core of the controversy were insistent African demands for greater participation in government and European fears of losing political control.

A two-stage election held in October and December 1962 resulted in an African majority in the legislative council and an uneasy coalition between the two African nationalist parties. The council passed resolutions calling for Northern Rhodesia's secession from the federation and demanding full internal self-government under a new constitution and a new national assembly based on a broader, more democratic franchise. On December 31, 1963, the federation was dissolved, and Northern Rhodesia became the Republic of Zambia on October 24, 1964.

At independence, despite its considerable mineral wealth, Zambia faced major challenges. Domestically, there were few trained and educated Zambians capable of running the government, and the economy was largely dependent on foreign expertise. Abroad, three of its neighbors--Southern Rhodesia and the Portuguese colonies of Mozambique and Angola--remained under white-dominated rule. Rhodesia's white-ruled government unilaterally declared independence in 1965. In addition, Zambia shared a border with South African-controlled South-West Africa (now Namibia). Zambia's sympathies lay with forces opposing colonial or white-dominated rule, particularly in Southern Rhodesia. During the next decade, it actively supported movements such as the Union for the Total Liberation of Angola (UNITA), the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), and the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO).

Conflicts with Rhodesia resulted in the closing of Zambia's borders with that country and severe problems with international transport and power supply. However, the Kariba hydroelectric station on the Zambezi River provided sufficient capacity to satisfy the country's requirements for electricity. A railroad to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam, built with Chinese assistance, reduced Zambian dependence on railroad lines south to South Africa and west through an increasingly troubled Angola.

By the late 1970s, Mozambique and Angola had attained independence from Portugal. Zimbabwe achieved independence in accordance with the 1979 Lancaster House agreement, but Zambia's problems were not solved. Civil war in the former Portuguese colonies generated refugees and caused continuing transportation problems. The Benguela Railroad, which extended west through Angola, was essentially closed to traffic from Zambia by the late 1970s. Zambia's strong support for the ANC, which had its external headquarters in Lusaka, created security problems as South Africa raided ANC targets in Zambia.

In the mid-1970s, the price of copper, Zambia's principal export, suffered a severe decline worldwide. Zambia turned to foreign and international lenders for relief, but as copper prices remained depressed, it became increasingly difficult to service its growing debt. By the mid-1990s, despite limited debt relief, Zambia's per capita foreign debt remained among the highest in the world.

 

Government and Political Conditions

Zambia became a republic immediately upon attaining independence in October 1964. The constitution promulgated on August 25, 1973, abrogated the original 1964 constitution. The new constitution and the national elections that followed in December 1973 were the final steps in achieving what was called a 'one-party participatory democracy.'

The 1973 constitution provided for a strong president and a unicameral National Assembly. National policy was formulated by the Central Committee of the United National Independence Party (UNIP), the sole legal party in Zambia. The cabinet executed the central committee's policy.

In accordance with the intention to formalize UNIP supremacy in the new system, the constitution stipulated that the sole candidate in elections for the office of president was the person selected to be the president of UNIP by the party's general conference. The second-ranking person in the Zambian hierarchy was UNIP's secretary general.

In December 1990, at the end of a tumultuous year that included riots in the capital and a coup attempt, President Kenneth Kaunda signed legislation ending UNIP's monopoly on power. In response to growing popular demand for multi-party democracy, and after lengthy, difficult negotiations between the Kaunda government and opposition groups, Zambia enacted a new constitution in August 1991. The constitution enlarged the National Assembly from 136 members to a maximum of 158 members, established an electoral commission, and allowed for more than one presidential candidate who no longer had to be a member of UNIP. The constitution was amended again in 1996 to set new limits on the presidency (including a retroactive two-term limit, and a requirement that both parents of a candidate be Zambian-born). The National Assembly is comprised of 150 directly elected members, up to eight presidentially-appointed members, and a speaker. Zambia is divided into nine provinces, each administered by an appointed deputy minister who essentially performs the duties of a governor.

The Supreme Court is the highest court and the court of appeal; below it are the high court, magistrate's court, and local courts.

Principal Government Officials
President--Levy Mwanawasa
Vice President--Rupiah Banda
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Kabinga Pande
 

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia Government type: republic Capital: name: Lusaka geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) 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: 24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits 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 Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006); 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 Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006) 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president election results: Levy MWANAWASA reelected president; percent of vote - Levy MWANAWASA 43.0%, Michael SATA 29.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 25.3%, Godfrey MIYANDA 1.6%, Winright NGONDO 0.8% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are elected by popular vote, 8 members are appointed by the president, to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; 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: All Peoples Congress Party [Winright NGONDO]; Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy MWANAWASA]; National Democratic Focus or NDF; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Party of Unity for Democracy and Development or PUDD [Dan PULE]; Reform Party [Nevers MUMBA]; United Democratic Alliance or UDA; United Liberal Party or ULP [Sakwiba SIKOTA]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or ZADECO [Langton SICHONE]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO 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 Over 70% of Zambians live in poverty. Per capita annual incomes are currently at about one-half their levels at independence and, at $627, place the country among the world's poorest nations. Social indicators continue to decline, particularly in measurements of life expectancy at birth (about 38 years) and maternal mortality (729 per 100,000 pregnancies). The country's rate of economic growth cannot support rapid population growth or the strain which HIV/AIDS related issues (i.e., rising medical costs, decline in worker productivity) place on government resources. Zambia is also one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most highly urbanized countries. Almost one-half of the country's 10 million people are concentrated in a few urban zones strung along the major transportation corridors, while rural areas are underpopulated. Unemployment and underemployment are serious problems. HIV/AIDS is the nation's greatest challenge, with 16% prevalence among the adult population. HIV/AIDS will continue to ravage Zambian economic, political, cultural, and social development for the foreseeable future. Once a middle-income country, Zambia began to slide into poverty in the 1970s when copper prices declined on world markets. The socialist government made up for falling revenue by increasing borrowing. After democratic multi-party elections, the Chiluba government (1991-2001) came to power in November 1991 committed to an economic reform program. The government was successful in some areas, such as privatization of most of the parastatals, maintenance of positive real interest rates, the elimination of exchange controls, and endorsement of free market principles. Corruption grew dramatically under the Chiluba government. Zambia has yet to address effectively issues such as reducing the size of the public sector and improving Zambia's social sector delivery systems. Zambia's total foreign debt stood at about $7 billion when Zambia reached the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) completion point in April 2005. In December 2005, the U.S. and Zambian Governments signed an agreement for cancellation of $280 million in bilateral debt. Once debt cancellation under HIPC is completed, almost $6 billion in debt will be eliminated. The IMF conducts periodic economic reviews under a three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility. In November 2006, the Fund commended Zambia's macroeconomic stability and continued fiscal discipline, but noted lags in the implementation of some reform measures. In 2006, the rate of inflation dropped into single digits for the first time in recent history. The Zambian economy has historically been based on the copper-mining industry. Output of copper had fallen, however, to a low of 228,000 metric tons in 1998, after a 30-year decline in output due to lack of investment, low copper prices, and uncertainty over privatization. Following privatization of the industry, copper production rebounded, reaching almost 400,000 metric tons in 2004 and 440,000 metric tons in 2005. Improvements in the world copper market have magnified the effect of this volume increase on revenues and foreign exchange earnings. The Zambian Government is pursuing an economic diversification program to reduce the economy's reliance on the copper industry. This initiative seeks to exploit other components of Zambia's rich resource base by promoting agriculture, tourism, gemstone mining, and hydro power.

 

Economy - overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economic growth in 2005-06 remained somewhat below the 6-7% per year needed 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. Copper output has increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices and the opening of new mines. The maize harvest was good again in 2005, helping to boost GDP and agricultural exports. Cooperation continues with international bodies on programs to reduce poverty, including a new lending arrangement with the IMF in the second quarter of 2004. A tighter monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia still has a serious problem with high public debt. GDP - real growth rate: 5.8% (2006 est.) GDP (purchasing power parity): $11.64 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $5.795 billion (2006 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,000 (2006 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.9% industry: 28.9% services: 51.2% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 86% (1993) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 41% (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.903 million (2006 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 85% industry: 6% services: 9% Unemployment rate: 50% (2000 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.674 billion expenditures: $2.99 billion; including capital expenditures of NA (2006 est.) Industries: copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture Industrial production growth rate: 10.1% (2006 est.) Electricity - production: 9.962 billion kWh (2004) Electricity - consumption: 6.692 billion kWh (2004) Electricity - exports: 2.975 billion kWh (2004) Electricity - imports: 403 million kWh (2004) Oil - production: 140 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil - consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil - exports: NA bbl/day Oil - imports: NA bbl/day Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Agriculture - products: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides Exports: $3.928 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports - commodities: copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton Exports - partners: Switzerland 24.6%, South Africa 10.8%, Thailand 10.3%, China 9.9%, Italy 9%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 5%, Tanzania 4.7% (2006) Imports: $3.092 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing Imports - partners: South Africa 50%, Zimbabwe 5.4%, UAE 4.7%, China 4.4% (2006) Debt - external: $4.397 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $640.6 million (2002) Currency: Zambian Kwacha (ZMK) Currency code: ZMK Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 3,601.5 (2006), 4,463.5 (2005), 4,778.9 (2004), 4,733.3 (2003), 4,398.6 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year

 

Military

 

Military branches: Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force, Police, National Service Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,219,739 females age 18-49: 2,159,688 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,043,702 females age 18-49: 953,328 (2005 est.)