2010 Edition

Background

The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over 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. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched an anticorruption investigation in 2002 to probe high-level corruption during the previous administration. In 2006-07, this task force successfully prosecuted four cases, including a landmark civil case in the UK in which former President CHILUBA and numerous others were found liable for USD 41 million. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his Vice President Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential election in October 2008.

Area

land

743,398 sq km

total

752,618 sq km

water

9,220 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 elevation 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; 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

Environment - international agreements

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

149 cu m/yr (2000)

total

1.74 cu km/yr (17%/7%/76%)

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe

Irrigated land

1,560 sq km (2003)

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

6.99%

other

92.97% (2005)

permanent crops

0.04%

Location

Southern Africa, east of Angola

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

periodic drought; 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

Total renewable water resources

105.2 cu km (2001)

Age structure

0-14 years: 45.1% (male 2,685,142/female 2,659,771) 15-64 years: 52.6% (male 3,122,305/female 3,116,846) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 114,477/female 164,199) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

44.63 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

12.84 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

1.4% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

African 99.5% (includes Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde, Lunda, and other African groups), other 0.5% (includes Europeans, Asians, and Americans) (2000 Census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

15.2% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

56,000 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1.1 million (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

63.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

73.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

68.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Bemba 30.1% (official), Nyanja 10.7% (official), Tonga 10.6% (official), Lozi 5.7% (official), Chewa 4.9%, Nsenga 3.4%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda 2.2% (official), Kaonde 2% (official), Lala 2%, Luvale 1.7% (official), English 1.7% (official), other 22.5% (2000 Census)

Life expectancy at birth

female

53.28 years (2010 est.)

male

50.81 years

total population

52.03 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

female

74.8% (2003 est.)

male

86.8%

total population

80.6%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2009)

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and plague are high risks in some locations

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Median age

female

16.6 years (2010 est.)

male

16.5 years

total

16.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Zambian

noun

Zambian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

13,460,305 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

3.118% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

7 years (2000)

male

8 years

total

7 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.07 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

35% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

15 25 S, 28 17 E

name

Lusaka

time difference

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

Constitution

24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Zambia

conventional short form

Zambia

former

Northern Rhodesia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael KOPLOVSKY

embassy

corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka

FAX

[260] (211) 252-225

mailing address

P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka

telephone

[260] (211) 250-955

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Shelia Z. SIWELA

FAX

[1] (202) 332-0826

telephone

[1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008); note - President BANDA was acting president during the illness leading up to the death of President Levy MWANAWASA on 18 August 2008, he was then elected president on 30 October 2008 to serve out the remainder of MWANAWASA's term; the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Rupiah BANDA elected president; percent of vote - Rupiah BANDA 40.1%, Michael SATA 38.1%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 19.7%, Godfrey MIYANDA 0.8%, other 1.3%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 30 October 2008 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president; note - due to the death of former President Levy MWANAWASA, early elections were held to identify a replacement to serve out the remainder of his term

head of government

President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008)

Flag description

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

Government type

republic

Independence

24 October 1964 (from the UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases)

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 (158 seats; 150 members are elected by popular vote, 8 members appointed by the president, to serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; seats not determined 2

elections

last held on 28 September 2006 (next to be held in October 2011)

National anthem

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

name

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Political parties and leaders

Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [vacant]; Party of Unity for Democracy and Development or PUDD [Dan PULE]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Reform Party [Nevers MUMBA]; United Democratic Alliance or UDA (a coalition of RP, ZADECO, PUDD, and ZRP); United Liberal Party or ULP [Sakwiba SIKOTA]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or ZADECO [Langton SICHONE]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

8.39% (31 December 2009) 14.49% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

22.06% (31 December 2009 est.) 19.06% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$99 million (2010 est.) -$174 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$3.495 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $3.091 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

50.8 (2004) 52.6 (1998)

Economy - overview

Zambia's economy has experienced strong growth in recent years, with real GDP growth in 2005-08 about 6% per year. Privatization of government-owned copper mines in the 1990s relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper output has increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices and foreign investment. In 2005, Zambia qualified for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative, consisting of approximately USD 6 billion in debt relief. Poverty remains a significant problem in Zambia, despite a stronger economy. Declining world commodity prices and demand slowed GDP growth in 2008, but a sharp rebound in copper prices and a bumper maize crop helped Zambia recover. Lack of economic diversity subjects Zambia to fluctuations in copper prices and in the weather.

Electricity - consumption

8.838 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

268 million kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports

222 million kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

9.752 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar - 4,823.6 (2010), 5,046.1 (2009), 3,512.9 (2008), 3,990.2 (2007), 3,601.5 (2006)

Exports

$6.463 billion (2010 est.) $4.203 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton

Exports - partners

China 21.37%, Saudi Arabia 8.93%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 8.55%, South Korea 8.32%, Egypt 8.08%, South Africa 6.96%, India 5% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

19.7%

industry

33.7%

services

46.6% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,500 (2010 est.) $1,400 (2009 est.) $1,400 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

7% (2010 est.) 6.3% (2009 est.) 5.7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$15.69 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$20.03 billion (2010 est.) $18.72 billion (2009 est.) $17.61 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 38.8% (2004)

Imports

$4.949 billion (2010 est.) $3.735 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners

South Africa 51.78%, UAE 7.7%, China 5.85%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 4.22% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

12.1% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.5% (2010 est.) 13.4% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

20.5% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

5.524 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

85%

industry

6%

services

9% (2004)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2008) $2.346 billion (31 December 2007) $1.186 billion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

16,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

275 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

14,730 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

160 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

86% (1993)

Public debt

24.1% of GDP (2010 est.) 25.9% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.287 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.892 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$3.573 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.744 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$2.992 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.373 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.234 billion (31 December 2010 est) $983.3 million (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

50% (2000 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) operates 1 TV station and is the principal local-content provider; several private TV stations are available; multi-channel subscription TV services are obtainable; ZNBC operates 3 radio networks; about 2 dozen private radio stations also broadcasting; relays of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Lusaka and Kitwe (2007)

Internet country code

.zm

Internet hosts

14,771 (2010)

Internet users

816,200 (2009)

Telephone system

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

general assessment

among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa

international

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

Telephones - main lines in use

90,300 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.407 million (2009)

Airports

94 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

8 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

86 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 18 (2010)

Pipelines

oil 771 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Mpulungu

Railways

narrow gauge

2,157 km 1.067-m gauge note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2008)

total

2,157 km

Roadways

paved

20,117 km

total

91,440 km

unpaved

71,323 km (2001)

Waterways

2,250 km; (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers) (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,824,372 females age 16-49: 2,685,883 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,401,481 females age 16-49: 1,274,583 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

150,839 (2010 est.)

male

151,586

Military branches

Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF)

Zambian Army, Zambian Air Force, National Service (2009)

Military expenditures

1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription; Zambian citizenship required; mandatory HIV testing upon enlistment; mandatory retirement for officers at age 65 (Army, Air Force) (2010)

Disputes - international

in 2004, Zimbabwe dropped objections to 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

Illicit drugs

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 page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

42,565 (Angola); 60,874 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,100 (Rwanda) (2007)