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.
Geography ::Zambia
Location:
Southern Africa, east of Angola
Geographic coordinates:
15 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 752,618 sq km
country comparison to the world: 39
land:
743,398 sq km
water:
9,220 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,664 km
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 claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
Current Weather
tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
Terrain:
mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point:
unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)
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
Geography - note:
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe
People ::Zambia
Population:
12,056,923
country comparison to the world: 71
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.)
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 branch:
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
head of government:
President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008)
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 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
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%
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)
elections:
last held on 28 September 2006 (next to be held in October 2011)
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
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)
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]
chancery:
2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
FAX:
[1] (202) 332-0826
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH
embassy:
corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka
mailing address:
P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone:
[260] (211) 250-955
FAX:
[260] (211) 252-225
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
Economy ::Zambia
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. The decline in world commodity prices and demand hurt
GDP growth in 2009, but a sharp rebound in copper prices and a bumper
maize crop have helped Zambia begin to recover. Lack of economic
diversity subjects Zambia to fluctuations in copper prices and in the
weather.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$18.5 billion (2009 est.)
27
$17.7 billion (2008 est.)
$16.74 billion (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.44 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
5.7% (2008 est.)
6.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,500 (2009 est.)
00
$1,500 (2008 est.)
$1,500 (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 19.7%
industry:
32.4%
services:
47.9% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
5.398 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry:
6%
services:
9% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
50% (2000 est.)
92
Population below poverty line:
86% (1993)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar - 5,237.4 (2009), 3,512.9 (2008), 3,990.2 (2007), 3,601.5 (2006), 4,463.5 (2005)
Communications ::Zambia
Telephones - main lines in use:
90,600 (2008)
46
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.539 million (2008)
Telephone system:
general assessment: 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 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
international:
country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 3 owned by Zamtel
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
9 (2001)
Internet country code:
.zm
Internet hosts:
14,951 (2009)
09
Internet users:
700,000 (2008)
00
Transportation ::Zambia
Airports:
97 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 64
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m:
1
2,438 to 3,047 m:
2
1,524 to 2,437 m:
4
914 to 1,523 m:
2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 88
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m:
4
914 to 1,523 m:
65
under 914 m:
18 (2009)
Pipelines:
oil 771 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 2,157 km
country comparison to the world: 71
narrow gauge:
2,157 km 1.067-m gauge
note:includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 91,440 km
country comparison to the world: 54
paved:
20,117 km
unpaved:
71,323 km (2001)
Waterways:
2,250 km; (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 40
Ports and terminals:
Mpulungu
Military ::Zambia
Military branches:
Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Zambian Army, Zambian Air Force, National Service (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for
voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no
conscription; Zambian citizenship required; mandatory HIV testing upon
enlistment (2009)
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:
male: 151,586
female:
150,839 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues ::Zambia
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
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 42,565 (Angola); 60,874 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,100 (Rwanda) (2007)
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
