Zambia

Republic of Zambia

republicIndependence 24 October 1964 (from UK)

Zambia as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 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

Area752,614 sq km

LocationSouthern Africa, east of Angola

Populationas each edition published it

9.58 million July 2000 est. · 8.11m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.95% 2000 est. · 2.96% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

37.24 years 2000 est. · 45.56 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.62 children per woman 2000 est. · 7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

92.38 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 80 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$880 1999 est. · $550 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.5% 1999 est. · -3% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until takeover 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.

Geography

Southern Africa, east of Angola

18 fields

Land useshare of 752,614 sq km

arable land 7%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 40%forests and woodland 39%other 14% (1993 est.)irrigated 460 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

752,614sq km

land: 740,724 sq kmwater: 11,890 sq kmslightly larger than Texas

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

2,301m

unnamed location in Mafinga Hillslowest point: Zambezi river 329 m

Land boundaries

5,664km

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

Location

Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references

Africa

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

Natural hazards

tropical storms (November to April)

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note

landlocked

People

15 fields

Population

9,582,418

growth rate: 1.95% (2000 est.)

Note

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 2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

41.9Death

22.08Net migration

-0.33

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)37.24

37.08 · 37.41

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)78.2%

85.6% · 71.3%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

Ethnic groups

African 98.7%European 1.1%other 0.2%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 48% (male 2,290,559; female 2,270,945)
15-64 years:: 50% (male 2,369,317; female 2,413,070)
65 years and over:: 2% (male 105,443; female 133,084) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

92.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.62 children born/woman (2000 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; President Frederick CHILUBA (since 2 November 1991); President Frederick CHILUBA (since 2 November 1991)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

72.5%

Frederick CHILUBA 72.5%Dean MUNGO'MBA 12.6%Humphrey MULEMBA 7%Akashambatwa LEWANIKA 4.7%Chama CHAKOMBOKA 3.2%election last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001)

National Assembly, 150 seats, elected 18 November 1996one dot, one seat

MMD 131NP 5Zadeco 2AZ 2independents 10

Country name

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

Data code

Government 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

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 Frederick CHILUBA (since 2 November 1991);
Vice President Christon TEMBO (since 2 December 1997);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 2 November 1991);
Vice President Christon TEMBO (since 2 December 1997);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
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;
election last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001);
vice president appointed by the president
election results:: Frederick CHILUBA reelected president; percent of vote - Frederick CHILUBA 72.5%, Dean MUNGO'MBA 12.6%, Humphrey MULEMBA 7%, Akashambatwa LEWANIKA 4.7%, Chama CHAKOMBOKA 3.2%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MMD 131, NP 5, Zadeco 2, AZ 2, independents 10

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Akashambatwa LEWANIKA];
Labor Party or LP [Chibiza MFUNI];
Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president];
Movement for Democratic Process or MDP [Chama CHAKOM BOKA];
Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Frederick CHILUBA];
National Party or NP [Daniel LISULO];
United National Independence Party or UNIP [Kenneth KAUNDA];
United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA];
Zambia Alliance for Progress or ZAP [Ben KAPILA];
Zambia Democratic Congress or Zadeco [Azwell BANDA]

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, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador David DUNN
embassy:: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues
mailing address:: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone:: [260] (1) 250-955, 252-230
FAX:: [260] (1) 252-225

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

Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go.

31 fields

Real growth rate

1.5%

(1999 est.)industrial production growth: -4% (1998)

Inflation, consumer prices

27.4%

(1999 est.)

Unemployment rate

25%

(1998)

Population below poverty line

86%

(1993 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1998 est.)

agriculture 20.6%industry 30.6%services 48.8% (1998 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$606 millionExpenditures

$547 million (1998 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $61 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 0.49%hydro 99.51%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

8.16 billion (1998)Electricity consumption

6.419 billion (1998)Electricity exports

1.2 billion (1998)Electricity imports

30 million (1998)

Economy - overview

Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go. The recent privatization of the huge government-owned Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) should greatly improve Zambia's prospects for international debt relief, as the government will no longer have to cover the mammoth losses generated by that sector. Inflation and unemployment rates remain high, however.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.5 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $880 (1999 est.)

Labor force

3.4 million

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Industries

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

Agriculture - products

corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca);
cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, beef, pork, poultry, milk, eggs, hides;
coffee

Exports

$900 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper, cobalt, electricity, tobacco

Exports - partners

Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, South Africa, US, Malaysia (1997)

Imports

$1.15 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer

Imports - partners

South Africa 48%, Saudi Arabia, UK, Zimbabwe (1997)

Debt - external

$6.7 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.99 billion (1995)

Currency

1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee

Exchange rates

Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1 - 2,661.82 (January 2000), 2,388.02 (1999), 1,862.07 (1998), 1,314.50 (1997), 1,207.90 (1996), 864.12 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

6,000

(1998)

Internet users

(1999)

Fixed lines

77,935

(in addition there are about 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)

Telephone system

facilities are 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;
Internet service is widely available;
very small aperature terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
international:: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

1.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

9 (1997)

Televisions

277,000 (1997)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

Paved 12Unpaved 100

Networkskm

Highways

66,781Railways

2,164 (1995)Waterways

2,250

Highways: paved: NA km · unpaved: NA km (1997 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 Kapiri Mposhi 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 Kapiri Mposhi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of Zambia Railways

Highways

total:: 66,781 km
paved:: NA km
unpaved:: NA km (1997 est.)

Military

Army, Air Force, National Service, police

5 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.8%

(FY97)

Transnational Issues