| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Africa |
| Geographical Location |
15° 00' South Latitude
30° 00' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
752,614 sq km |
| Climate |
Tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April) |
| Natural Resources |
Copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Republic of Zambia |
| Capital City |
Lusaka |
| Government Type |
Republic |
| Administrative Divisions |
9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western |
| Independence Day |
24 October 1964 (from UK) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
11,261,795 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Zambian |
| Ethnic Groups |
African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2% |
| Religion |
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 |
| Population Growth Rate |
2.12% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Zambian kwacha (ZMK) |
| Industries |
Copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture |
| Labor Force |
4.63 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9% |
| Agriculture Products |
Corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee |
| Export Commodities |
Copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton |
| Export Partners |
Tanzania 14.1%, South Africa 13.2%, China 9.1%, Japan 7.9%, Thailand 7.9%, Switzerland 7.3%, Belgium 6.7%, Malaysia 4% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing |
| Import Partners |
South Africa 50.3%, Zimbabwe 13.2%, UAE 5.3% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
2,173 km |
| Highways |
91,440 km |
| Pipelines |
Oil 771 km (2004) |
| Airports |
109 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Mpulungu |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+260 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.zm |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the 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 a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign in 2002, which resulted in the prosecution of former President Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters in late 2003.
Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in the National Assembly. |
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