2021 Edition

Background

Multiple waves of Bantu-speaking groups moved into and through what is now Zambia over the past thousand years. In the 1880s, the British began securing mineral and other economic concessions from various local leaders and the territory that is now Zambia eventually came under the control of the former British South Africa Company and was incorporated as the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in 1911. Administrative control was taken over by the UK in 1924. 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, economic mismanagement, and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule and propelled the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) to government. The subsequent vote in 1996, however, saw increasing harassment of opposition parties and abuse of state media and other resources. 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. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who won a special presidential byelection later that year. The MMD and BANDA lost to the Patriotic Front (PF) and Michael SATA in the 2011 general elections. SATA, however, presided over a period of haphazard economic management and attempted to silence opposition to PF policies. SATA died in October 2014 and was succeeded by his vice president, Guy SCOTT, who served as interim president until January 2015, when Edgar LUNGU won the presidential byelection and completed SATA's term. LUNGU then won a full term in August 2016 presidential elections. Hakainde HICHILEMA was elected president in August 2021.

Area

land

743,398 sq km

total

752,618 sq km

water

9,220 sq km

Area - comparative

almost five times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Texas

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Mafinga Central 2,330 m

lowest point

Zambezi river 329 m

mean elevation

1,138 m

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

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)

Irrigated land

1,560 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Angola 1065 km, Botswana 0.15 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2332 km, Malawi 847 km, Mozambique 439 km, Namibia 244 km, Tanzania 353 km, Zimbabwe 763 km

total

6,043.15 km

Land use

agricultural land

31.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 26.9% (2018 est.)

forest

66.3% (2018 est.)

other

2% (2018 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Major aquifers

Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

Fresh water lake(s)

Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Burundi) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo) - 4,350 sq km; Lake Bangweulu - 4,000-15,000 sq km seasonal variation

Major rivers (by length in km)

Congo river source (shared with Angola, Republic of Congo, and Democratic Republic of Congo [m]) - 4,700 km; Zambezi river source (shared with Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

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

Population distribution

one of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Age structure

0-14 years

45.74% (male 4,005,134/female 3,964,969)

15-24 years

20.03% (male 1,744,843/female 1,746,561)

25-54 years

28.96% (male 2,539,697/female 2,506,724)

55-64 years

3.01% (male 242,993/female 280,804)

65 years and over

2.27% (male 173,582/female 221,316) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

35.23 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.8% (2018/19)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

49.6% (2018)

Current Health Expenditure

4.9% (2018)

Death rate

6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Zambia’s poor, youthful population consists primarily of Bantu-speaking people representing nearly 70 different ethnicities. Zambia’s high fertility rate continues to drive rapid population growth, averaging almost 3 percent annually between 2000 and 2010. The country’s total fertility rate has fallen by less than 1.5 children per woman during the last 30 years and still averages among the world’s highest, almost 6 children per woman, largely because of the country’s lack of access to family planning services, education for girls, and employment for women. Zambia also exhibits wide fertility disparities based on rural or urban location, education, and income. Poor, uneducated women from rural areas are more likely to marry young, to give birth early, and to have more children, viewing children as a sign of prestige and recognizing that not all of their children will live to adulthood. HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Zambia and contributes to its low life expectancy.Zambian emigration is low compared to many other African countries and is comprised predominantly of the well-educated. The small amount of brain drain, however, has a major impact in Zambia because of its limited human capital and lack of educational infrastructure for developing skilled professionals in key fields. For example, Zambia has few schools for training doctors, nurses, and other health care workers. Its spending on education is low compared to other Sub-Saharan countries.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4

potential support ratio

25.3 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

85.7

youth dependency ratio

81.7

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 50.9% of population

improved: total

total: 67.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 89.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 49.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 32.5% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 10.5% of population

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

Bemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (north Western) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

11.1% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

24,000 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1.5 million (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

34.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

41.44 deaths/1,000 live births

total

37.91 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.)

note

note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family; Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects

Life expectancy at birth

female

67.75 years (2021 est.)

male

64.15 years

total population

65.92 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write English

female

83.1% (2018)

male

90.6%

total population

86.7%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

2.906 million LUSAKA (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

213 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

17 years (2020 est.)

male

16.7 years

total

16.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.2 years (2018 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

adjective

Zambian

noun

Zambian(s)

Net migration rate

0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.1% (2016)

Physicians density

1.19 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

19,077,816 (July 2021 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Population distribution

one of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.93% (2021 est.)

Religions

Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 24.8% of population

improved: total

total: 44.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 69.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 75.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 55.9% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 31.4% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.01 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.63 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

27.6% (2019 est.)

male

32.1%

total

30.1%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

45.2% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

named after a village called Lusaka, located at Manda Hill, near where Zambia's National Assembly building currently stands; the village was named after a headman (chief) Lusakasa

geographic coordinates

15 25 S, 28 17 E

name

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

time difference

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

Citizenship

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

Constitution

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, 2016; note - in late 2020, an amendment which would have altered the structure of the constitution was defeated in the National Assembly

history

several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Zambia

conventional short form

Zambia

etymology

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

former

Northern Rhodesia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David J. YOUNG (since 2 March 2020)

email address and website

ACSLusaka@state.govhttps://zm.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Eastern end of Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, Lusaka

FAX

[260]  (0) 211-357-224

mailing address

2310 Lusaka Place, Washington DC 20521-2310

telephone

[260] (0) 211-357-000  

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2200 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Lazarous KAPAMBWE (since 8 April 2020)

email address and website

info@zambiaembassy.orghttps://www.zambiaembassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 332-0826

telephone

[1] (202) 234-4009

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly

chief of state

President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

2021: Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote -   Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%, Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8%2016: Edgar LUNGU re-elected president; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2%

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 12 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026)

head of government

President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021)

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

presidential republic

Independence

24 October 1964 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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)

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly (167 seats; 156 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, and up to 8 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms); 3 ex-officio members elected by National Assembly membership

election results

percent of vote by party - UPND 53.9%, PF 38.1%, PNUP 0.6%, independent 7.4%; seats by party - UPND 82, PF 62, PNUP 1, independent 11; composition - men 136, women 20, percent of women 13.5%; 156 seats filled; 

elections

last held on 12 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026)

National anthem

lyrics/music

multiple/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA

name

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

note

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

National symbol(s)

African fish eagle; national colors: green, red, black, orange

Political parties and leaders

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]National Democratic Congress or NDC [Chishimba KAMBWILI]Patriotic Front or PF [Edgar LUNGU]United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]Party of National Unity and Progress or PNUP [Highvie HAMUDUDU]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugar cane, cassava, maize, milk, vegetables, soybeans, beef, tobacco, wheat, groundnuts

Budget

expenditures

6.357 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

4.473 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-7.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

RD (2020)

Moody's rating

Ca (2020)

Standard & Poors rating

SD (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$934 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$1.006 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$9.562 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$11.66 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

Zambia had one of the world’s fastest growing economies for the ten years up to 2014, with real GDP growth averaging roughly 6.7% per annum, though growth slowed during the period 2015 to 2017, due to falling copper prices, reduced power generation, and depreciation of the kwacha. Zambia’s lack of economic diversification and dependency on copper as its sole major export makes it vulnerable to fluctuations in the world commodities market and prices turned downward in 2015 due to declining demand from China; Zambia was overtaken by the Democratic Republic of Congo as Africa’s largest copper producer. GDP growth picked up in 2017 as mineral prices rose.Despite recent strong economic growth and its status as a lower middle-income country, widespread and extreme rural poverty and high unemployment levels remain significant problems, made worse by a high birth rate, a relatively high HIV/AIDS burden, by market-distorting agricultural and energy policies, and growing government debt. Zambia raised $7 billion from international investors by issuing separate sovereign bonds in 2012, 2014, and 2015. Concurrently, it issued over $4 billion in domestic debt and agreed to Chinese-financed infrastructure projects, significantly increasing the country’s public debt burden to more than 60% of GDP. The government has considered refinancing $3 billion worth of Eurobonds and significant Chinese loans to cut debt servicing costs.

Exchange rates

currency

Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

6.2 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

8.6 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

11.855 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

15.3736 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

21.065 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$9.98 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$8.26 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$8.55 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper, gold, gemstones, sulfuric acid, raw sugar, tobacco (2019)

Exports - partners

Switzerland 29%, China 16%, Namibia 12%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 9%, Singapore 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

43% (2017 est.)

government consumption

21% (2017 est.)

household consumption

52.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-44.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

27.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1.2% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

7.5% (2017 est.)

industry

35.3% (2017 est.)

services

57% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$25.71 billion (2017 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2004

50.8 (2004)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

57.1 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

47.4% (2010)

lowest 10%

1.5%

Imports

Imports 2018

$10.19 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$8.04 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$5.92 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, delivery trucks, gold, fertilizers (2019)

Imports - partners

South Africa 29%, China 14%, United Arab Emirates 12%, India 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

4.7% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

6.5% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

7.4% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

9.1% (2019 est.)

Labor force

6.898 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

54.8%

industry

9.9%

services

35.3% (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

54.4% (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

60.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

63.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$61.1 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$61.99 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$60.12 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

2.9% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

3.8% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

3.4% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$3,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$2.353 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$2.082 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2000

50% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate 2008

15% (2008 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

27.6% (2019 est.)

male

32.1%

total

30.1%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

12,860 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

11.04 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

1.176 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

93% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

2.185 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.573 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

11.55 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

6% (2019)

electrification - total population

37% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

76% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

23,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

371 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

10,150 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

13,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2020 est.)

total

82,317 (2020)

Broadcast media

according to the Independent Broadcast Authority, there are 137 radio stations and 47 television stations in Zambia; out of the 137 radio stations, 133 are private (categorized as either commercial or community radio stations), while 4 are public-owned; state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) operates 2 television channels and 3 radio stations; ZNBC owns 75% shares in GoTV, 40% in MultiChoice, and 40% in TopStar Communications Company, all of which operate in-country (2019)

Internet country code

.zm

Internet users

percent of population

27.85% (2019 est.)

total

5.48 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fiber optic connections are available between most larger towns and cities with microwave radio relays serving more rural areas; 3G and LTE with FttX in limited urban areas and private Ku or Ka band VSAT terminals in remote locations; fixed-line 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 96 per 100 (2019)

general assessment

service is among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa; regulator promotes competition and is a partner to private sector service providers, offering mobile voice and Internet at some of the lowest prices in the region; investment made in data centers, education centers, and computer assembly training plants; operators invest in 3G and LTE-based services; Chinese company Huawei is helping to upgrade state-owned mobile infrastructure for 5G services; operators focused on improvements to towers (2020)

international

country code - 260; multiple providers operate overland fiber optic routes via Zimbabwe/South Africa, Botswana/Namibia and Tanzania provide access to the major undersea cables

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

71,844 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

103.9 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

19,104,208 (2019)

Airports

total

88 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

3

2,438 to 3,047 m

3

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2013)

over 3,047 m

1

total

8

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

5

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

53

total

80

under 914 m

21 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9J

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, oil tanker 1 (2021)

total

2

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

75.08 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

8,904 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

6

number of registered air carriers

3 (2020)

Pipelines

771 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

river port(s)

Mpulungu (Zambezi)

Railways

narrow gauge

3,126 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)

note

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

total

3,126 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

14,888 km (2018)

total

67,671 km (2018)

unpaved

52,783 km (2018)

Waterways

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

Military - note

the Zambian Defense Force (ZDF) traces its roots to the Northern Rhodesia Regiment, which was raised by the British colonial government to fight in World War II; the ZDF was established in 1964 from units of the dissolved Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland armed forces; it participated in a number of regional conflicts during the 1970s and 1980s; Zambia actively supported independence movements such as the Union for the Total Liberation of Angola (UNITA), the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), and the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO)

Military and security forces

Zambia Defense Force (ZDF): Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia National Service (support organization that also does public work projects); Defense Force Medical Service; Ministry of Home Affairs: Zambia Police (includes a paramilitary battalion) (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Zambia Defense Force (ZDF) has approximately 16,500 active troops (15,000 Army; 1,500 Air) (2021)

Military deployments

925 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Sep 2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the ZDF's inventory is largely comprised of Chinese, Russian, and Soviet-era armaments; since 2010, China is the leading supplier of arms to Zambia (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

1.5% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.3% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.3% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.2% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (16 with parental consent); no conscription; 12-year enlistment period (7 years active, 5 in the Reserves) (2019)

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

64,321 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,847 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Zambia and Zambians abroad; most trafficking occurs within Zambia’s borders, with traffickers exploiting women and children from rural areas in cities in domestic servitude or forced labor in agriculture, textile production, mining, construction, small businesses, such as bakeries, and forced begging; Jerabo gangs force Zambian children into illegal mining operations, such as loading stolen copper or crushing rocks; truck drivers exploit Zambian boys and girls in sex trafficking in towns along the Zimbabwean and Tanzanian borders, and miners exploit them in Solwezi; Zambian boys are exploited for sex trafficking in Zimbabwe and women and girls in South Africa; traffickers exploit victims from Tanzania and Malawi in the Zambian timber industry

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Zambia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making efforts to do so; efforts included increasing law enforcement training, establishing two fast-track human trafficking courts, conducting awareness campaigns about human trafficking, slightly increasing prosecutions and convictions, and strengthening prison sentences given to traffickers; however; investigations of trafficking crimes and funding to shelters and other victim assistance programs decreased; authorities did not proactively screen for trafficking among vulnerable populations, including foreign nationals and those involved in commercial sex; authorities detained and deported potential trafficking victims involved in smuggling; the national inter-ministerial committee is weak in overseeing national anti-trafficking efforts and trends (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

5.14 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

14.1 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

24.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to reduced incomes - the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have aggravated food insecurity across the country, particularly due to income reductions that have constrained households’ economic access to food; cereal production is estimated at a bumper high in 2021 and, as a result, overall food security is expected to improve compared to the previous year (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

31.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 26.9% (2018 est.)

forest

66.3% (2018 est.)

other

2% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major lakes (area sq km)

Fresh water lake(s)

Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Burundi) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo) - 4,350 sq km; Lake Bangweulu - 4,000-15,000 sq km seasonal variation

Major rivers (by length in km)

Congo river source (shared with Angola, Republic of Congo, and Democratic Republic of Congo [m]) - 4,700 km; Zambezi river source (shared with Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.04% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

4.45% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

104.8 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.152 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

130 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

290 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

45.2% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2,608,268 tons (2002 est.)