ZAMBIA
MARCH 25, 2009 BY RANG WHAM
| Introduction | Zambia | Top of Page |
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Background:
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, economic mismanagement 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. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his Vice President Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected President in September 2011.
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| Geography | Zambia | Top of Page |
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Location:
Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Geographic coordinates:
15 00 S, 30 00 E
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Map references:
Africa
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Area:
total: 752,618 sq km
land: 743,398 sq km water: 9,220 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Texas
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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 |
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Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
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Climate:
tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
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Terrain:
mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
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Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed elevation in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m |
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Natural resources:
copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
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Land use:
arable land: 6.99%
permanent crops: 0.04% other: 92.97% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
1,560 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
105.2 cu km (2001)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.74 cu km/yr (17%/7%/76%)
per capita: 149 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards:
periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)
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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
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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 | Zambia | Top of Page |
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Population:
13,817,479 (July 2012 est.)
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 |
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Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.3% (male 3,210,553/ female 3,183,169)
15-64 years: 51.3% (male 3,549,980/ female 3,538,503) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 144,145/ female 191,129) (2012 est.) |
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Median age:
total: 16.5 years
male: 16.5 years female: 16.6 years (2012 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
3.034% (2012 est.)
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Birth rate:
43.51 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
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Death rate:
12.42 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
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Net migration rate:
-0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
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Urbanization:
urban population: 36% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 3.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) |
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Major cities - population:
LUSAKA (capital) 1.413 million (2009)
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Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
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Maternal mortality rate:
440 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
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Infant mortality rate:
total: 64.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 69.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 59.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.57 years
male: 51.35 years female: 53.83 years (2012 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
5.85 children born/woman (2012 est.)
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Health expenditures:
4.8% of GDP (2009)
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Physicians density:
0.055 physicians/1,000 population (2006)
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Hospital bed density:
1.9 beds/1,000 population (2008)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
13.5% (2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
980,000 (2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
45,000 (2009 est.)
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Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009) |
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Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
14.9% (2007)
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Nationality:
noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian |
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Ethnic groups:
African 99.5% (includes Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde, Lunda, and other African groups), other 0.5% (includes Europeans, Asians, and Americans) (2000 Census)
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Religions:
Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
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Languages:
Bemba (official) 30.1%, Nyanja (official) 10.7%, Tonga (official) 10.6%, Lozi (official) 5.7%, Chewa 4.9%, Nsenga 3.4%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (official) 2.2%, Kaonde (official) 2%, Lala 2%, Luvale (official) 1.7%, English (official) 1.7%, other 22.5% (2000 Census)
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Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 80.6% male: 86.8% female: 74.8% (2003 est.) |
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years
male: 8 years female: 7 years (2000) |
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Education expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2008)
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| Government | Zambia | Top of Page |
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Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia |
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Government type:
republic
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Capital:
name: Lusaka
geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
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Independence:
24 October 1964 (from the UK)
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National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
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Constitution:
24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits
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Legal system:
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council
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International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
chief of state: President Michael Chilufya SATA (since 23 September 2011); Vice President Guy SCOTT (since 30 September 2011); the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Michael Chilufya SATA (since 23 September 2011); Vice President Guy SCOTT (since 30 September 2011) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 September 2011 (next to be held in 2016); vice president appointed by the president election results: Michael Chilufya SATA elected president; percent of vote - Michael SATA 43.3%, Rupiah BANDA 36.2%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 18.5%, other 2.0% |
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Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are elected by popular vote, 8 members appointed by the president, to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 20 September 2011 (next to be held in 2016) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PF 60, MMD 55, UPND 28, ADD 1, FDD 1, independents 3; seats not determined 2 |
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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)
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Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD [Charles MILUPI]; Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Rupiah BANDA]; National Restoration Party or NAREP [Elias CHIPIMO]; Party of Unity for Democracy and Development or PUDD [Dan PULE]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Reform Party [Nevers MUMBA]; United Democratic Alliance or UDA (a coalition of RP, ZADECO, PUDD, and ZRP); 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]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
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International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Bernard KANGWA
chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. STORELLA
embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (211) 357-000 FAX: [260] (211) 357-224 |
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Flag description:
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
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National symbol(s):
African fish eagle
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National anthem:
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 |
| Economy | Zambia | Top of Page |
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Economy - overview:
Zambia's economy has experienced strong growth in recent years, with real GDP growth in 2005-11 more than 6% per year. 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 to spur economic growth. Copper output has increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices and foreign investment. In 2005, Zambia qualified for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative, consisting of approximately US$6 billion in debt relief. Poverty remains a significant problem in Zambia, despite a stronger economy. 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. A high birth rate, relatively high HIV/AIDS burden, and market distorting agricultural policies have meant that Zambia's economic growth has not dramatically decreased the stubbornly high poverty rates.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
$21.88 billion (2011 est.)
$20.53 billion (2010 est.) $19.08 billion (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
$18.9 billion (2011 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
6.6% (2011 est.)
7.6% (2010 est.) 6.4% (2009 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,600 (2011 est.)
$1,500 (2010 est.) $1,500 (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars |
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GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20.9%
industry: 33.5% services: 45.6% (2011 est.) |
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Labor force:
5.72 million (2011 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry: 6% services: 9% (2004) |
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Unemployment rate:
14% (2006 est.)
50% (2000 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
64% (2006)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 38.8% (2004) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.8 (2004)
52.6 (1998)
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Investment (gross fixed):
20.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
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Budget:
revenues: $3.626 billion
expenditures: $4.396 billion (2011 est.) |
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Taxes and other revenues:
19.2% of GDP (2011 est.)
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Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.1% of GDP (2011 est.)
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Public debt:
26.7% of GDP (2011 est.)
24.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.7% (2011 est.)
8.5% (2010 est.)
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Central bank discount rate:
8.39% (31 December 2009)
14.49% (31 December 2008)
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Commercial bank prime lending rate:
18.84% (31 December 2011 est.)
20.92% (31 December 2010 est.)
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Stock of narrow money:
$1.631 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$1.455 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Stock of broad money:
$4.075 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$3.559 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Stock of domestic credit:
$3.293 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$3.063 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.009 billion (31 December 2011)
$2.817 billion (31 December 2010)
$2.804 billion (31 December 2009)
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Agriculture - products:
corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides
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Industries:
copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture
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Industrial production growth rate:
8.8% (2011 est.)
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Electricity - production:
10.2 billion kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity - consumption:
7.704 billion kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity - exports:
110 million kWh (2010)
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Electricity - imports:
33 million kWh (2010 est.)
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Electricity - installed generating capacity:
1.679 million kW (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from fossil fuels:
0.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
99.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
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Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
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Oil - imports:
10,790 bbl/day (2009 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - production:
9,664 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - consumption:
19,260 bbl/day (2011 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - exports:
21 bbl/day (2009 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - imports:
17,570 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
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Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
2.416 million Mt (2010 est.)
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Current account balance:
$215 million (2011 est.)
$1.144 billion (2010 est.)
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Exports:
$8.672 billion (2011 est.)
$7.414 billion (2010 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton
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Exports - partners:
China 34.8%, Switzerland 18.2%, South Africa 7.8%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 5.4%, South Korea 4.4% (2011)
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Imports:
$6.454 billion (2011 est.)
$4.71 billion (2010 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer, foodstuffs, clothing
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Imports - partners:
South Africa 36.7%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 20.6%, China 10%, Kuwait 5.9% (2011)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.324 billion (2011 est.)
$2.094 billion (2010 est.)
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Debt - external:
$4.619 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$3.689 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
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Exchange rates:
Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar -4,860.7 (2011 est.) , 4,797.1 (2010 est.) , 5,046.1 (2009) , 3,512.9 (2008) , 3,990.2 (2007)
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Fiscal year:
calendar year
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| Communications | Zambia | Top of Page |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
85,700 (2011)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
8.165 million (2011)
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Telephone system:
general 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 |
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Broadcast media:
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)
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Radio broadcast stations:
AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)
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Television broadcast stations:
9 (2002)
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Internet country code:
.zm
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Internet hosts:
16,571 (2012)
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Internet users:
816,200 (2009)
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| Transportation | Zambia | Top of Page |
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Airports:
88 (2012)
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Airports - with paved runways:
total: 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 (2012) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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 (2012) |
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Pipelines:
oil 771 km (2010)
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Railways:
total: 2,157 km
narrow gauge: 2,157 km 1.067-m gauge note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2008) |
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Roadways:
total: 91,440 km
paved: 20,117 km unpaved: 71,323 km (2001) |
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Waterways:
2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers) (2010)
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Ports and terminals:
Mpulungu
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| Military | Zambia | Top of Page |
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Military branches:
Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, National Service (paramilitary youth organization) (2012)
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Military service age and obligation:
national registration required at age 16; 18-27 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription; Zambian citizenship required; mandatory HIV testing upon enlistment; mandatory retirement for officers at age 65 (Army, Air Force) (2012)
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Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,041,069
females age 16-49: 2,948,291 (2010 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,745,656
females age 16-49: 1,688,670 (2010 est.) |
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 158,592
female: 158,805 (2010 est.) |
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Military expenditures:
1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
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| Transnational Issues | Zambia | Top of Page |
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Disputes-international:
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
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 25,265 (Angola); 12,342 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 5,736 (Rwanda) (2010) |
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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; major consumer of cannabis
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This page was last updated on 14 May 2009