Zambia

multiparty systemIndependence 24 October 1964 (from UK

Zambia as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 69 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLusaka

Area752,610 km2

Populationas each edition published it

8.45 million July 1991 · 8.11m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.96% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 45.56 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.9 children per woman 1991 · 7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

79 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 80 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $550 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -3% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Total area

752,610km2

land area: 740,720 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries

5,664km total

Angola 1,110 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zaire 1,930 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Disputes

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

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land 7%;
permanent crops NEGL%;
meadows and pastures 47%;
forest and woodland 27%;
other 19%;
includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment

deforestation;
soil erosion;
desertification

People

14 fields

Population

8,445,724

(July 1991), growth rate 3.5% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

49Death

Ethnic divisions

African 98.7%European 1.1%other 0.2%

Literacy

73%

(male 81%, female 65%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Religion

Christian 50-75%, Muslim and Hindu, remainder indigenous beliefs 1%

Language

English (official); about 70 indigenous languages

Labor force

2,455,000;
85% agriculture;
6% mining, manufacturing, and construction;
9% transport and services

Organized labor

about 238,000 wage earners are unionized

Government

Multiparty system

16 fields

National Assembly, 125 seats, elected 26 October 1988one dot, one seat

(136 total, 125 elected) UNIP 125

multiparty system; on 17 December 1990, President Kenneth KAUNDA signed into law the constitutional amendment that officially reintroduced the multiparty system in Zambia and ending 17 years of one-party rule

Capital

Lusaka

Administrative divisions

9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence

24 October 1964 (from UK; formerly Northern Rhodesia)

Constitution

25 August 1973

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Executive branch

president, prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State--President Dr. Kenneth David KAUNDA (since 24 October 1964); Head of Government--Prime Minister Gen. Malimba MASHEKE (since 15 March 1989) United National Independence Party (UNIP), Kenneth KAUNDA; Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Frederick CHILUBA;

National Democratic Alliance (NADA), leader NA; Democratic Party, leader NA; note--the first Extraordinary Congress of UNIP began on 6 August 1991

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held 26 October 1988 (next to be held mid-1991);
results--President Kenneth KAUNDA was reelected without opposition;
National Assembly--last held 26 October 1988 (next to be held mid-1991);
results--UNIP was the only party;
seats--(136 total, 125 elected) UNIP 125

Communists

no Communist party

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-19, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Paul J. F. LUSAKA;
Chancery at 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 265-9717 through 9721;
US--Ambassador Gordon L. STREET;
Embassy at corner of Independence Avenue and United Nations Avenue, Lusaka (mailing address is P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka);
telephone [2601] 228-595, 228-596, 228-598, 228-601, 228-602, 228-603, 251-419

Flag

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

The economy has been in decline for more than a decade with falling imports and growing foreign debt.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$4.7billion

per capita $580; real growth rate - 2% (1990)

Inflation, consumer prices

80%

(1990)

External debt

$7.2billion

(December 1990)

Budget

Revenues

$1.5 billionExpenditures

$1.5 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $300 million (1991 est.)

Overview

The economy has been in decline for more than a decade with falling imports and growing foreign debt. Economic difficulties stem from a sustained drop in copper production and ineffective economic policies. In 1990 real GDP stood only slightly higher than that of 10 years before, while an annual population growth of more than 3% has brought a decline in per capita GDP of 25% during the same period. A high inflation rate has also added to Zambia's economic woes in recent years.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$1.1 million (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities--copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco;
partners--EC, Japan, South Africa, US

Imports

$1.1 million (c.i.f., 1990);
commodities--machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, manufactures;
partners--EC, Japan, South Africa, US

Industrial production

growth rate 2.9% (1990); accounts for one-third of GDP

Electricity

1,900,000 kW capacity; 8,245 million kWh produced, 1,050 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

copper mining and processing, transport, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, and fertilizer

Agriculture

accounts for 15% of GDP and 85% of labor force;
crops--corn (food staple), sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava;
cattle, goats, beef, eggs;
marginally self-sufficient in corn

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (1970-89), $484 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $4.5 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $60 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $533 million

Currency

Zambian kwacha (plural--kwacha); 1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee

Exchange rates

Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1--43.2900 (January 1991), 28.9855 (1990), 12.9032 (1989), 8.2237 (1988), 8.8889 (1987), 7.3046 (1986), 2.7137 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Airports, 121 total, 106 usable

permanent-surface runways

13runways over 3,659 m

1runways 2,440-3,659 m

4runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

36,370Railroads

1,266Inland waterways

2,250Pipelines

1,724

Highways: ; 6,500 km paved, 7,000 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 22,870 km improved and unimproved earth · Railroads: , all 1.067-meter gauge; 13 km double track · Inland waterways: , including Zambezi and Luapula Rivers, Lake Tanganyika

Railroads

1,266 km, all 1.067-meter gauge; 13 km double track

Highways

36,370 km total;
6,500 km paved, 7,000 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil;
22,870 km improved and unimproved earth

facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa;
high-capacity radio relay connects most larger towns and cities;
71,700 telephones;
stations--11 AM, 3 FM, 9 TV;
satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

Defense Forces

Army, Air Force, Police, paramilitary

3 fields

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