Zambia

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

mean elevation:

1,138 m

elevation extremes:

329 m lowest point: Zambezi river; 2301 highest point: unnamed elevation in Mafinga Hills

• air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region;
• chemical runoff into watersheds;
• loss of biodiversity;
• 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• landlocked;
• the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe;
• Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)

noun:

Zambian(s)

adjective:

Zambian

0-14 years:

45.95% (male 3,796,548 /female 3,759,624)

15-24 years:

20% (male 1,643,364 /female 1,645,713)

25-54 years:

28.79% (male 2,384,765 /female 2,349,877)

55-64 years:

2.95% (male 225,586 /female 260,252)

65 years and over:

2.31% (male 166,224 /female 213,126) (2018 est.)

total dependency ratio:

91.9 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio:

87.1 (2015 est.)

elderly dependency ratio:

4.8 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio:

20.8 (2015 est.)

at birth:

1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

0-14 years:

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years:

1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years:

1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years:

0.88 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over:

0.76 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

degree of risk:

very high (2016)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

vectorborne diseases:

malaria and dengue fever (2016)

water contact diseases:

schistosomiasis (2016)

animal contact diseases:

rabies (2016)

conventional long form:

Republic of Zambia

conventional short form:

Zambia

former:

Northern Rhodesia

etymology:

name derived from the Zambezi River, which flows through the western part of the country and forms its southern border with neighboring Zimbabwe

name:

Lusaka; note - a proposal to build a new capital city in Ngabwe was announced in May 2017

geographic coordinates:

15 25 S, 28 17 E

time difference:

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

history:

several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991 (2017)

amendments:

• proposed by the National Assembly;
• passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly in two separate readings at least 30 days apart;
• passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms requires approval by at least one-half of votes cast in a referendum prior to consideration and voting by the Assembly;
• amended 1996, 2015, last in 2016 (2017)

citizenship by birth:

only if at least one parent is a citizen of Zambia

citizenship by descent only:

yes, if at least one parent was a citizen of Zambia

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years for those with an ancestor who was a citizen of Zambia, otherwise 10 years residency is required

highest courts:

• Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and at least 11 judges);
• Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 11 judges);
• note - the Constitutional Court began operation in June 2016

judge selection and term of office:

Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the advice of the 9-member Judicial Service Commission, which is headed by the chief justice, and ratified by the National Assembly; judges normally serve until age 65

subordinate courts:

• Court of Appeal;
• High Court;
• Industrial Relations Court;
• subordinate courts (3 levels, based on upper limit of money involved);
• Small Claims Court;
• local courts (2 grades, based on upper limit of money involved)

chief of state:

• President Edgar LUNGU (since 25 January 2015);
• Vice President Inonge WINA (since 26 January 2015);
• note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government:

President Edgar LUNGU (since 25 January 2015); Vice President Inonge WINA (since 26 January 2015)

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly

elections/appointments:

• president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
• last held on 11 August 2016 (next to be held in 2021)

election results:

Edgar LUNGU reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2.0%

description:

• unicameral National Assembly (164 seats; 156 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, and 8 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms);
• note - 6 additional electoral seats were added for the 11 August 2016 election, up from 150 electoral seats in the 2011 election

elections:

last held on 11 August 2016 (next to be held in 2021)

election results:

percent of vote by party - PF 42%, UPND 41.7%, MMD 2.7%, FDD 2.2%, other 1.9%,independent 9.5%; seats by party - PF 80, UPND 58, MMD 3, FDD 1, independent 14

• Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD [Charles MILUPI]
• Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]
• Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Felix MUTATI]
• Patriotic Front or PF [Edgar LUNGU]
• United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Ngosa SIMBYAKULA (since 29 November 2017)

chancery:

2200 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719

FAX:

[1] (202) 332-0826

chief of mission:

Ambassador Daniel L. FOOTE (since December 2017)

embassy:

Eastern end of Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, Lusaka

mailing address:

P. O. Box 320065, Lusaka

telephone:

[260] 211-357-000

FAX:

[260] 211-357-224

• green field 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;
• green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red symbolizes the struggle for freedom, black the people of Zambia, and orange the country's mineral wealth;
• the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems

name:

"Lumbanyeni Zambia" (Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free)

lyrics/music:

multiple/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA

note: adopted 1964; the melody, from the popular song "God Bless Africa," is the same as that of Tanzania but with different lyrics; the melody is also incorporated into South Africa's anthem

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

agriculture:

54.8%

industry:

9.9%

services:

35.3% (2017 est.)

lowest 10%:

47.4% (2010)

highest 10%:

47.4% (2010)

general assessment:

among the best in sub-Saharan Africa (2015)

domestic:

• high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities;
• several cellular telephone services in operation and network coverage is improving;
• domestic satellite system being installed to improve telephone service in rural areas;
• Internet service is widely available;
• very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms (2015)

international:

country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 3 owned by Zamtel (2015)

• state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) operates 3 TV stations, is the principal local-content provider, and owns about 45% of multi-channel Zambia shares;
• several private TV stations and multi-channel subscription TV services are available;
• ZNBC operates 4 radio networks;
• 64 private radio stations are available (most regionally) and relays of at least 2 international broadcasters — including BBC and Radio France International – are accessible in Lusaka and Kitwe (2015)

number of registered air carriers:

1 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

11,796 (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

79,092,826 mt-km (2015)

total:

3,126 km (2014)

narrow gauge:

3,126 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)

note: includes 1,860 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA)

total:

40,454 km (2005)

paved:

9,403 km (2005)

unpaved:

31,051 km (2005)

total:

1 (2017)

by type:

other 1 (2017)

• national registration required at age 16;
• 18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent);
• no conscription;
• Zambian citizenship required;
• grade 12 certification required;
• mandatory HIV testing on enlistment;
• mandatory retirement for officers at age 65 (Army, Air Force) (2012)

• 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;
• major consumer of cannabis