Zambia

republicIndependence 24 October 1964 (from UK)

Zambia as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 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
LocationSouthern Africa, between Zaire and Zimbabwe
Populationas each edition published it
9.19 million July 1994 est. · 8.11m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.83% 1994 est. · 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
6.68 children per woman 1994 est. · 7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
85 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 80 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$800 1993 est. · $550 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-2.8% 1992 · -3% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, between Zaire and Zimbabwe

22 fields
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked
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
Irrigated land
320sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, between Zaire and Zimbabwe

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

752,610 sq km

land area

740,720 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than Texas

International 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

arable land

7%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

47%

forest and woodland

27%

other

19%

current issues

  • poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros and elephant populations;
  • deforestation;
  • soil erosion;
  • desertification

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

Note

landlocked

People

22 fields
Population
9,188,190
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.83% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
45.99Death
17.65Net migration
-0.05

Ethnic divisions

African 98.7%European 1.1%other 0.2%
Labor force
2.455million
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

85 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

44.18 years

male

43.82 years

female

44.54 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.68 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Zambian(s)

adjective

Zambian

Religions

Christian 50-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages

English (official)

note

about 70 indigenous languages

total population

73%

male

81%

female

65%

by occupation

agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and construction 6%, transport and services 9%

Government

Republic

28 fields

Legislature, 150 seatsone dot, one seat

MMD 125UNIP 25

conventional long form

Republic of Zambia

conventional short form

Zambia

former

Northern Rhodesia

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state and head of government

  • President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991);
  • Vice President Levy MWANAWASA (since 31 October 1991);
  • election last held 31 October 1991 (next to be held in 1996);
  • results - Frederick CHILUBA 84%, Kenneth KAUNDA 16%

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by the president from members of the National Assembly

National Assembly

  • elections last held 31 October 1991 (next to be held in 1996);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (150 total) MMD 125, UNIP 25;
  • note - the MMD's majority was weakened by the defection of 13 of its parliamentary members during 1993 and the defeat of its candidates in 4 of the resulting by-elections

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

  • Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Frederick CHILUBA;
  • United National Independence Party (UNIP), Kebby MUSOKATWANE;
  • National Party (NP), Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA;

Member of

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA

chancery

2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 265-9717 through 9721

chief of mission

Ambassador Roland KUCHEL

embassy

corner of Independence Avenue and United Nations Avenue, Lusaka

mailing address

P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka

telephone

[260-1] 228-595, 228-601, 228-602, 228-603

FAX

[260-1] 261-538

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.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$800
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
-2.8%
(1992)industrial production growth: growth rate -2% (1991); accounts for 40% of GDP
External debt
$7.6billion
(1991)

Overview

The economy has been in decline for more than a decade with falling imports and growing foreign debt. Economic difficulties stem from a chronically depressed level of copper production and ineffective economic policies. In 1991 real GDP fell by 2% and in 1992 by 3% more. An annual population growth of 3% has brought a decline in per capita GDP of 50% over the past decade. A high inflation rate has also added to Zambia's economic woes in recent years.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $7.3 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$665 million

expenditures

$767 million, including capital expenditures of $300 million (1991 est.)

Exports

$1 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities

copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco

partners

EC countries, Japan, South Africa, US, India

Imports

$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.)

commodities

machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, manufactures

partners

EC countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, US

capacity

2,775,000 kW

production

12 billion kWh

consumption per capita

1,400 kWh (1991)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 12% of GDP and 85% of labor force;
  • crops - corn (food staple), sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava;
  • cattle, goats, beef, eggs

Illicit drugs

role as regional transshipment center for mandrax and heroin

recipient

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (1970-89), $4.8 billion;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.8 billion;
  • OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $60 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-89), $533 million

Currency

1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee

Exchange rates

Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1 - 344.8276 (October 1993), 156.25 (1992), 61.7284 (1991), 28.9855 (1990), 12.9032 (1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

14 fields

Networkskm

Railroads
1,266Inland waterways
2,250
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

total

36,370 km

paved

6,500 km

unpaved

crushed stone, gravel, stabilized earth 7,000 km; improved, unimproved earth 22,870 km

Inland waterways

2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula Rivers, Lake Tanganyika

Pipelines

crude oil 1,724 km

Ports

Mpulungu (lake port)

total

113

usable

103

with permanent-surface runways

13

with runways over 3,659 m

1

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

4

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

22

Telecommunications

  • facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa;
  • high-capacity microwave connects most larger towns and cities;
  • broadcast stations - 11 AM, 5 FM, 9 TV;
  • satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

Defense Forces

Army, Air Force, Police

3 fields

Branches

Army, Air Force, Police

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 1,882,053; fit for military service 988,913

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $45 million, 1% of GDP (1992 est.)

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Zambia.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/zambia/1994.