from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Zambia
Introduction
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
anti-corruption campaign in 2002, which resulted in the
prosecution of former President Frederick CHILUBA and
some officials of his administration.
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola
Geographic 15 00 S, 30 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 752,614 sq km
land: 740,724 sq km
water: 11,890 sq km
Area - slightly larger than Texas
comparative:
Land total: 5,664 km
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
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime none (landlocked)
claims:
Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October
to April)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Elevation lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
extremes: highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301
m
Natural copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold,
resources: silver, uranium, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 6.99%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 92.97% (2005)
Irrigated 1,560 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)
hazards:
Environment - air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral
current extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into
issues: 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 - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
international Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
agreements: Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine
note: boundary with Zimbabwe
People
Population: 11,502,010
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 2006
est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.3% (male 2,673,891/female 2,656,268)
15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,925,910/female 2,969,324)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 117,877/female 158,740)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 16.5 years
male: 16.3 years
female: 16.7 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.11% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 19.93 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 86.84 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 94.08 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 79.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 40.03 years
expectancy at male: 39.76 years
birth: female: 40.31 years (2006 est.)
Total 5.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 16.5% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 920,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 89,000 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: very high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
diseases: hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks
in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)
Nationality: noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian
Ethnic groups: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%
Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous
beliefs 1%
Languages: English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda,
Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other
indigenous languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 80.6%
male: 86.8%
female: 74.8% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia
former: Northern Rhodesia
Government republic
type:
Capital: name: Lusaka
geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula,
divisions: Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK)
National Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
holiday:
Constitution: 24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish
presidential term limits
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2
branch: January 2002); Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9
October 2006); 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 Rupiah BANDA (since 9
October 2006); 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 (eligible for a second term); election
last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held 2011);
vice president appointed by the president
election results: Levy MWANAWASA reelected president;
percent of vote - Levy MWANAWASA 43.0%, Michael SATA
29.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 25.3%, Godfrey MIYANDA 1.6%,
Winright NGONDO 0.8%
Legislative unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members
branch: are elected by popular vote, eight members are
appointed by the president, to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held
December 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%,
UPND 32.4%, UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP
0.7%, independents 0.7%; seats by party - MMD 68, UPND
48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP 1, independents 1;
seats not determined 2
Judicial Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are
branch: appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited
jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases)
Political Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA];
parties and Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon
leaders: 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]; 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]; Zambian
Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
organization ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
participation: Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
representation chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen M. MARTINEZ
representation embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations
from the US: Avenues, Lusaka
mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone: [260] (1) 250-955
FAX: [260] (1) 252-225
Flag green with a panel of three vertical bands of red
description: (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange
eagle, on the outer edge of the flag
Economy
Economy - Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform,
overview: Zambia's economic growth remains somewhat below the
6%-7% needed to reduce poverty significantly.
Privatization of government-owned copper mines 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 the opening
of new mines. The maize harvest was again good in 2005,
helping boost GDP and agricultural exports. Cooperation
continues with international bodies on programs to
reduce poverty, including a new lending arrangement
with the IMF in the second quarter of 2004. A tighter
monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia
still has a serious problem with high public debt.
GDP $10.63 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $5.351 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 5% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $900 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 22%
composition by industry: 29%
sector: services: 48.9% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 4.8 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 85%
by occupation: industry: 6%
services: 9%
Unemployment 50% (2000 est.)
rate:
Population 86% (1993)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 1.1%
income or highest 10%: 41% (1998)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 52.6 (1998)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 18.3% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 27.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $1.688 billion
expenditures: $1.866 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 71.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed,
products: vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane,
cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs,
poultry, milk, eggs, hides
Industries: copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs,
beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer,
horticulture
Industrial 7.9% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 8.347 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 0.5%
production by hydro: 99.5%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 5.345 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 2 billion kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 130.2 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 12,250 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Current $-420 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $1.947 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco,
commodities: flowers, cotton
Exports - Switzerland 28.7%, South Africa 18.6%, UK 14.4%,
partners: Democratic Republic of the Congo 5.4%, Tanzania 5.1%,
Zimbabwe 4.1% (2005)
Imports: $1.934 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum
commodities: products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - South Africa 47.6%, UK 12.6%, Zimbabwe 4.3% (2005)
partners:
Reserves of $559.8 million (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $4.641 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $640.6 million (2002)
recipient:
Currency Zambian kwacha (ZMK)
(code):
Currency code: ZMK
Exchange Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 4,463.5 (2005), 4,778.9
rates: (2004), 4,733.3 (2003), 4,398.6 (2002), 3,610.9 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 94,700 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 946,600 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: facilities are aging but still
system: 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)
Radio AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 1.2 million (2001)
Television 9 (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 277,000 (1997)
Internet .zm
country code:
Internet 3,227 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 5 (2001)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 231,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 111 (2006)
Airports - total: 10
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 101
with unpaved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 64
under 914 m: 32 (2006)
Pipelines: oil 771 km (2006)
Railways: total: 2,173 km
narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge
note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway
Authority (TAZARA) (2005)
Roadways: total: 91,440 km
paved: 20,117 km
unpaved: 71,323 km (2001)
Waterways: 2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and
Luapula rivers) (2005)
Ports and Mpulungu
terminals:
Military
Military Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force,
branches: Police, National Service
Military 18 years of age (est.) (2004)
service age
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 2,219,739
available for females age 18-49: 2,159,688 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 1,043,702
for military females age 18-49: 953,328 (2005 est.)
service:
Military $121.7 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1.8% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between
international: 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
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 88,842 (Angola) 66,248
internally (Democratic Republic of the Congo) 5,791 (Rwanda)
displaced (2005)
persons:
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