| 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. |
| Location: |
Southern Africa,
east of Angola |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
15 00 S, 30 00 E |
| Area: |
total:
752,614 sq km
land: 740,724 sq km
water: 11,890 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: |
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 |
| Natural
resources: |
copper, cobalt,
zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium,
hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 40%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 14% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
460 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
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, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol |
| Geography
- note: |
landlocked |
| Population: |
9,770,199
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 2001
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
47.36% (male 2,324,128; female 2,303,349)
15-64 years: 50.14% (male 2,433,250; female
2,465,747)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 105,694; female
138,031) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.93% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
41.46
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
21.97
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.16 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| 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: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
90.89
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 37.29 years
male: 37.06 years
female: 37.53 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
5.53 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
19.95% (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
870,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
99,000 (1999
est.) |
| 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: 78.2%
male: 85.6%
female: 71.3% (1995 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia
former: Northern Rhodesia |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| Administrative
divisions: |
9 provinces;
Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern,
North-Western, Southern, Western |
| Independence: |
24 October 1964
(from UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
24 October (1964) |
| Constitution: |
2 August 1991 |
| 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 Frederick CHILUBA (since 2
November 1991); Vice President Enoch KAVINDELE (since 4 May
2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Frederick CHILUBA
(since 2 November 1991); Vice President Enoch KAVINDELE
(since 4 May 2001); 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; election last held 18 November 1996
(next to be held NA October 2001); vice president appointed
by the president
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% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 18 November 1996 (next to
be held NA December 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - MMD 131, NP 5, Zadeco 2, AZ 2,
independents 10 |
| 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: |
Agenda for Zambia
or AZ [Akashambatwa LEWANIKA]; Labor Party or LP [Chibiza
MFUNI]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE,
president]; Movement for Democratic Process or MDP [Chama
CHAKOM BOKA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD
[Frederick CHILUBA]; National Party or NP [Daniel LISULO];
Republican Party or RP [Ben MWILA]; Social Democratic Party
or SDP [Gwendoline Konie]; United National Independence
Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National
Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]; Zambia Democratic
Congress or Zadeco [Eden JERRY, acting head] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| 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, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Atan SHANSONGA
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 David B. DUNN
embassy: corner of Independence and United
Nations Avenues
mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone: [260] (1) 250-955
FAX: [260] (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 |
| Economy
- overview: |
Despite progress
in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has
a long way to go. 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. In late 2000, Zambia was determined to be
eligible for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) initiative. Inflation and unemployment
rates remain high, but the GDP growth rate should rise in
2001. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $8.5 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $880 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
18%
industry: 27%
services: 55% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
86% (1993 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
1.6%
highest 10%: 39.2% (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
27.3% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 85%,
industry 6%, services 9% |
| Unemployment
rate: |
50% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$900 million
expenditures: $1 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA million (1999 est.) |
| Industries: |
copper mining and
processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals,
textiles, fertilizer |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
6.1% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
7.642 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
0.55%
hydro: 99.45%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
5.926 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
1.6 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
419 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
corn, sorghum,
rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco,
cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs,
poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee |
| Exports: |
$928 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
copper, cobalt,
electricity, tobacco |
| Exports
- partners: |
Japan, Saudi
Arabia, India, Thailand, South Africa, US, Malaysia (1997) |
| Imports: |
$1.05 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery,
transportation equipment, fuels, petroleum products,
electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing |
| Imports
- partners: |
South Africa 48%,
Saudi Arabia, UK, Zimbabwe (1997) |
| Debt
- external: |
$6.5 billion
(2000) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$1.99 billion
(1995) |
| Currency: |
Zambian kwacha (ZMK) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Zambian kwacha
per US dollar - 4,024.53 (January 2001), 3,110.84 (2000),
2,388.02 (1999), 1,862.07 (1998), 1,314.50 (1997), 1,207.90
(1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| 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) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: 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 aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are
operated by private firms
international: satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 19, FM 5,
shortwave 4 (1998) |
| Radios: |
1.03 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
9 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
277,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.zm |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
3 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
15,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
2,164 km (1995)
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 the Zambia Railways system;
Zambia Railways assets are scheduled for concessioning in
2001 |
| Highways: |
total:
66,781 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1997 est.) |
| Waterways: |
2,250 km
note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi
and Luapula rivers |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 1,724
km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Mpulungu |
| Airports: |
112 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
13
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
99
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 65
under 914 m: 31 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Air Force,
National Service, police |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 2,246,640 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 1,193,047 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$76 million
(FY97) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.8% (FY97) |
| Illicit
drugs: |
transshipment
point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of
heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and possibly
Europe; regional money-laundering center |
|
