2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

740,724 sq km

total

752,614 sq km

water

11,890 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Texas

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

lowest point

Zambezi river 329 m

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

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked

Irrigated land

460 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

total

5,664 km

Land use

arable land

7%

forests and woodland

39%

other

14% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

40%

Location

Southern Africa, east of Angola

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

tropical storms (November to April)

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

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.)

Birth rate

41.9 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

22.08 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Infant mortality rate

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

Languages

English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Life expectancy at birth

female

37.41 years (2000 est.)

male

37.08 years

total population

37.24 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write English

female

71.3% (1995 est.)

male

85.6%

total population

78.2%

Nationality

adjective

Zambian

noun

Zambian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

9,582,418

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.)

Population growth rate

1.95% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

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.)

Total fertility rate

5.62 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Capital

Lusaka

Constitution

2 August 1991

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Zambia

conventional short form

Zambia

former

Northern Rhodesia

Data code

ZA

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

(1) 250-955, 252-230

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA

telephone

(202) 265-9717 through 9719

Executive branch

cabinet

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

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

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%

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

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

FAX

(202) 332-0826

(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

Government type

republic

Independence

24 October 1964 (from UK)

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the president

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

Legislative branch

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

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MMD 131, NP 5, Zadeco 2, AZ 2, independents 10

elections

last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001)

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Political parties and leaders

Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Akashambatwa LEWANIKA]; Labor Party or LP ; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF ; Movement for Democratic Process or MDP ; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD ; National Party or NP ; United National Independence Party or UNIP ; United Party for National Development or UPND ; Zambia Alliance for Progress or ZAP ; Zambia Democratic Congress or Zadeco

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$547 million, including capital expenditures of $61 million (1998 est.)

revenues

$606 million

Currency

1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee

Debt - external

$6.7 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.99 billion (1995)

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.

Electricity - consumption

6.419 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

1.2 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

30 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

8.16 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

0.49%

hydro

99.51%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

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)

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

20.6%

industry

30.6%

services

48.8% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $880 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.5% highest 10%: 31.3% (1993)

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)

Industrial production growth rate

-4% (1998)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

27.4% (1999 est.)

Labor force

3.4 million

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Population below poverty line

86% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

25% (1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

3 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

1.03 million (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)

Telephones - main lines in use

77,935 (in addition there are about 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

6,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

9 (1997)

Televisions

277,000 (1997)

Airports

112 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

100 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 30 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

66,781 km

unpaved

NA km (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 1,724 km

Ports and harbors

Mpulungu

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

total

2,164 km (1995)

Waterways

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

Military branches

Army, Air Force, National Service, police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$76 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.8% (FY97)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,179,563 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,157,479 (2000 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for methaqualone, heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and Europe; regional money-laundering center

ZIMBABWE