Zambia

Republic of Zambia

republicIndependence 24 October 1964 (from UK)

Zambia as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 87 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
Position15 00 S, 30 00 E
Area752,610 sq km
LocationSouthern Africa, east of Angola
1996

Every edition of Zambia

Populationas each edition published it
9.16 million July 1996 est. · 8.11m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.11% 1996 est. · 2.96% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 16.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
36.31 years 1996 est. · 45.56 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.55 children per woman 1996 est. · 7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
96.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 80 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$900 1995 est. · $550 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition -3% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, east of Angola

15 fields

Land useshare of 752,610 sq km

arable land 7%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 47%forest and woodland 27%other 19%irrigated 320 sq km (1989 est.)
Area
752,610sq km
land area: 740,720 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Texas
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Land boundaries
5,664km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zaire 1,930 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Location

Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 30 00 E

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 has been informally 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

lowest point:
Zambezi river 329 m
highest point:
in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Natural resources

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

Environment

current issues:
  • air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region;
  • poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros and elephant populations;
  • deforestation;
  • soil erosion;
  • desertification;
  • lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
natural hazards:
tropical storms (November to April)
international agreements:
  • party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands;
  • signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note

landlocked

People

15 fields
Population
9,159,072
(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 2.11% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth
44.73Death
23.65Net migration
0

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years36.31
36.15 · 36.46
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy78.2%
85.6% · 71.3%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write in English (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

African 98.7%European 1.1%other 0.2%

Age structure

0-14 years:
49% (male 2,272,981; female 2,244,403)
15-64 years:
48% (male 2,157,106; female 2,256,935)
65 years and over:
3% (male 110,433; female 117,214) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.94 male(s)/female
all ages:
0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

96.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.55 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Zambian(s)
adjective:
Zambian

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

Government

Republic

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

84%
Frederick CHILUBA 84%Kenneth KAUNDA 16%

Legislature, 150 seatsone dot, one seat

MMD 125UNIP 25

Name of country

conventional long form:
Republic of Zambia
conventional short form:
Zambia
former:
Northern Rhodesia

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

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:
  • President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991) elected for a five-year term by popular vote;
  • Vice President General Godfrey MIYANDA (since NA August 1994) appointed by the president;
  • election last held 31 October 1991 (next to be held October 1996);
  • results - Frederick CHILUBA 84%, Kenneth KAUNDA 16%
cabinet:
Cabinet, appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

National Assembly

  • elections last held 31 October 1991 (next to be held October 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 four of the resulting byelections

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

  • Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Frederick CHILUBA;
  • United National Independence Party (UNIP), Kenneth KAUNDA;
  • National Party (NP), Humphrey MULEMBIA;
  • Labor Party (LP), Chibiza MFUNI;
  • Zambia Democratic Congress (ZDC), Dean MUNG'OMBA;
  • Liberal Progressive Front (LPF), Roger CHONGWE, president

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA
chancery:
2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719

FAX

[1] (202) 332-0826

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador Roland K. KUCHEL
embassy:
corner of Independence Avenue and United Nations Avenue, Lusaka
mailing address:
P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone:
[260] (1) 250-955, 252-230

FAX

[260] (1) 252-225

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

Despite continuing progress in privatization | and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy is showing little | improvement.

21 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$900
(1995 est.)
Labor force
3.4million
by occupation: agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and construction 6%, transport and services 9%

GDP composition by sector(1994 est.)

agriculture 32%industry 22%services 46% (1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$665 millionExpenditures
$767 million (1991 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $300 million

Installed generating capacity, 2,440,000 kW

Electricity production
7.8 billionElectricity consumption per capita
650 (1993)

Economic overview

Despite continuing progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy is showing little improvement. Inflation, while slowing somewhat, continues to be a major concern to the CHILUBA government. Four of Zambia's 20 banks collapsed in 1995, and the nation's debt stood at about $7 billion.

Zambia's copper mining sector, which accounts for over 80% of the nation's foreign currency intake, is struggling. Production rates are down as are world copper prices. Food production is insufficient to meet the country's needs due to previous droughts and an end to government subsidization of agriculture. While the government's economic program aims for 6% growth in each of the next three years, a growth rate of 3-5% is more likely.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.9 billion (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture

corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, beef, eggs

Illicit drugs

increasingly a regional transshipment center for methaqualone and heroin

Exports

$1.075 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:
copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco
partners:
EU countries, Japan, South Africa, US, India, Thailand, Malaysia

Imports

$845 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:
machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, manufactures
partners:
EU countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, US

External debt

$7 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $734 million (1993)

Currency

1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee

Exchange rates

Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1 - 909.09 (December 1995), 833.33 (1995), 769.23 (1994), 434.78 (1993), 156.25 (1992), 61.7284 (1991)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 104 in all

1
over 3 047 m
3
2 438 to 3 047 m
1
4
1 524 to 2 437 m
4
2
914 to 1 523 m
54
35
under 914 m
PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways
37,359Railways
2,164 (1995)Waterways
2,250
Highways: paved: 6,575 km (including 56 km of expressways) · unpaved: 30,784 km (1992 est.) · Railways: narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track) note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri M'poshi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of Zambia Railways · Waterways: , including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, Lake Tanganyika

Railways

total:
2,164 km (1995)
narrow gauge:
2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track)

note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri M'poshi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of Zambia Railways

Highways

total:
37,359 km
paved:
6,575 km (including 56 km of expressways)
unpaved:
30,784 km (1992 est.)

Waterways

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

Pipelines

crude oil 1,724 km

Ports

Mpulungu

Communications

Army, Air Force, paramilitary forces, Police

9 fields
Fixed lines
80,900
(1987 est.)

Telephone system

facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa

domestic:
high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities
international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 11, FM 5, shortwave 0

Radios

1,889,140

Televisions

215,000 (1995 est.) Defense

Branches

Army, Air Force, paramilitary forces, Police

Manpower availability

males age 15-49:
1,934,845
males fit for military service:
1,020,851 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $96 million, 2.7% of GDP (1995)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Zambia.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/zambia/1996.

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