Zambia

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

• 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

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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:

0.76 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

degree of risk:

very high

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:

malaria and plague are high risks in some locations

water contact disease:

schistosomiasis (2004)

noun:

Zambian(s)

adjective:

Zambian

conventional long form:

Republic of Zambia

conventional short form:

Zambia

former:

Northern Rhodesia

• 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

chief of state:

• President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
• Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:

• President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
• Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004);
• 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 27 December 2001 (next to be held December 2006);
• vice president appointed by the president

election results:

Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote - Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%, Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael SATA 3%, other 5%

• Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA];
• Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO];
• Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA];
• Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president];
• Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy MWANAWASA, acting president];
• National Leadership for Development or NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE];
• National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU];
• Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA];
• Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA];
• Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline KONIE];
• United National Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA, president];
• United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA

chancery:

2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719

FAX:

[1] (202) 332-0826

chief of mission:

Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN

embassy:

corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues

mailing address:

P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka

telephone:

[260] (1) 250-955

FAX:

[260] (1) 252-225

lowest 10%:

1.1%

highest 10%:

41% (1998)

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

general assessment:

facilities are aging but still 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 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)

total:

2,173 km

narrow gauge:

2,173 km 1.067-m gauge

note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2004)

total:

91,440 km

paved:

20,117 km

unpaved:

71,323 km (2001)

• in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections and joined Namibia in supporting 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;
• 90,000 Angolan refugees were repatriated from Zambia by 2004, the remaining 160,000 are expected to return in 2005

• 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