Zambia

Republic of Zambia

republicIndependence 24 October 1964 (from UK)

Zambia as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 81 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLusaka

Area752,610 sq km

LocationSouthern Africa, east of Angola

Populationas each edition published it

9.45 million July 1995 est. · 8.11m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.7% 1995 est. · 2.96% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

42.88 years 1995 est. · 45.56 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.62 children per woman 1995 est. · 7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

86 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 80 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$860 1994 est. · $550 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4% 1994 est. · -3% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, east of Angola

14 fields

Land useshare of 752,610 sq km

arable land 7%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 47%forest and woodland 27%other 19%irrigated 320 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

752,610sq km

land area: 740,720 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Texas

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

5,664km

total · Angola 1,110 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zaire 1,930 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

International disputes

quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement;
Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it is reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Natural resources

copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower potential

Environment

current issues:: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region;
poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros and elephant populations;
deforestation;
soil erosion;
desertification;
lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
natural hazards:: tropical storms (November to April)
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Desertification

People

15 fields

Population

9,445,723

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.7% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

45.47Death

18.42Net migration

-0.04

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years42.88

42.74 · 43.03

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy73%

81% · 65%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Ethnic divisions

African 98.7%European 1.1%other 0.2%

Labor force

3.4million

by occupation: agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and construction 6%, transport and services 9%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 50% (female 2,331,820; male 2,363,319)
15-64 years:: 48% (female 2,332,798; male 2,193,363)
65 years and over:: 2% (female 112,484; male 111,939) (July 1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Zambian(s)
adjective:: Zambian

Religions

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

Languages

English (official) note: about 70 indigenous languages

Government

Republic

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

84%

Frederick CHILUBA 84%Kenneth KAUNDA 16%

Legislature, 150 seatsone dot, one seat

MMD 125UNIP 25

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form:: Zambia
former:: Northern Rhodesia

Administrative divisions

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

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

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991);
Vice President General Godfrey MIYANDA (since NA August 1994; he replaced Levy MWANAWASA who was elected 31 October 1991 and resigned in NA August 1994) election last held 31 October 1991 (next to be held NA 1996);
results - Frederick CHILUBA 84%, Kenneth KAUNDA 16%
cabinet:: Cabinet; appointed by the president from members of the National Assembly

National Assembly

elections last held 31 October 1991 (next to be held NA 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (150 total) MMD 125, UNIP 25;
note - the MMD's majority was weakened by the defection of 13 of its parliamentary members during 1993 and the defeat of its candidates in 4 of the resulting by-elections

Political parties and leaders

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Frederick CHILUBA;
United National Independence Party (UNIP), Kebby MUSOKATWANE;
National Party (NP), Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA;

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-19, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA
chancery:: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719

FAX

[1] (202) 332-0826

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Roland K. KUCHEL
embassy:: corner of Independence Avenue and United Nations Avenue, Lusaka
mailing address:: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone:: [260] (1) 228595, 228601, 228602, 228603

FAX

[260] (1) 261538

Flag

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

Prior to 1993 the economy had been in decline for more than | a decade with falling imports and growing foreign debt.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$860

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -1% (1992); accounts for 42% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

89%

(1994 est.)

External debt

$7.3billion

(1993)

Budget

Revenues

$665 millionExpenditures

$767 million (1991 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $300 million

Installed generating capacity, 2,440,000 kW

Electricity production

7.8 billionElectricity consumption per capita

650 (1993)

Overview

Prior to 1993 the economy had been in decline for more than a decade with falling imports and growing foreign debt. Economic difficulties stemmed largely from a chronically depressed level of copper production and weak copper prices, generally ineffective economic policies, and high inflation.

An annual population growth of 3% brought a decline in per capita GDP of 50% over the decade. However, economic reforms enacted since 1992 have helped reduce inflation, have begun to strengthen the social safety net, and have been accompanied by GDP growth at an estimated 6.8% in 1993 and 4% in 1994. The huge external debt remains a key problem.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.9 billion (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$1.01 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco
partners:: EC countries, Japan, South Africa, US, India

Imports

$1.13 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)

commodities:: machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, manufactures
partners:: EC countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, US

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 12% of GDP and 85% of labor force;
crops - corn (food staple), sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava;
cattle, goats, beef, eggs

Illicit drugs

increasingly a regional transshipment center for methaqualone and heroin

Economic aid

recipient:: US commitments, including Ex-Im (1970-89), $4.8 billion;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.8 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $60 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $533 million

Currency

1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee

Exchange rates

Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1 - 672.8 (September 1994), 434.78 (1993), 156.25 (1992), 61.7284 (1991), 28.9855 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 113 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

36,370Railroads

1,273Inland waterways

2,250

Highways: paved: 6,500 km · unpaved: crushed stone, gravel, stabilized earth 7,000 km; improved, unimproved earth 22,870 km · Railroads: narrow gauge: 1,273 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track) note: not a part of Zambia Railways is the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri M'poshi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; 891 km of the TAZARA line transit Zambia · Inland waterways: , including Zambezi and Luapula Rivers, Lake Tanganyika

Railroads

total:: 1,273 km
narrow gauge:: 1,273 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track)

note: not a part of Zambia Railways is the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri M'poshi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; 891 km of the TAZARA line transit Zambia

Highways

total:: 36,370 km
paved:: 6,500 km
unpaved:: crushed stone, gravel, stabilized earth 7,000 km; improved, unimproved earth 22,870 km

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

NA telephones; facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa

local:: NA
intercity:: high capacity micrwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities
international:: 2 INTELSAT earth stations (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 11, FM 5, shortwave 0
radios:: NA

Television

broadcast stations:: 9
televisions:: NA

Defense Forces

Army, Air Force, Police