Dialing code +260
ISO 2 code ZM
ISO 3 code ZMB
Capital Lusaka
Main Language English
Currency Kwacha (ZMK)
GDP $17.4 billion 127th
Population 13,460,305 69th

Geography

Continent Africa
Location Southern Africa east of Angola
Land 752,614 km2 39th
Terrain Mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Climate Tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
Natural Hazards Mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Note: Landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe

Neighbouring Countries

Angola Democratic Republic of the Congo Malawi Mozambique Namibia Tanzania Zimbabwe

History

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.
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Demographics

Life Expectancy 38.63 years 204th
Median Age 17.0 years 194th
Birth Rate 40.24 births/1,000 population 17th
Death Rate 21.34 births/1,000 population 5th
Sex Ratio 0.7 male(s)/female 154th
Literacy 80.6% 143rd
Population

13.5 million

Transportation

Roadways 91440 km 53rd
Railways 2157 km 69th
Airports 101 59th
Waterways 2250 km 38th
Heliports None
Airports paved 1 109th

Economy

Currency Kwacha (ZMK)
GDP $17.4 billion 127th
GDP per capita (PPP) $1500 178th