Zambia

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Bantu-speaking groups mainly from the Luba and Lunda Kingdoms in the Congo River Basin and from the Great Lakes region in East Africa settled in what is now Zambia beginning around A.D. 300, displacing and mixing with previous population groups in the region. The Mutapa Empire developed after the fall of Great Zimbabwe to the south in the 14th century and ruled the region, including large parts of Zambia, from the 14th to 17th century. The empire collapsed as a result of the growing slave trade and Portuguese incursions in the 16th and 17th centuries. The region was further influenced by migrants from the Zulu Kingdom to the south and the Luba and Lunda Kingdoms to the north, after invading colonial and African powers displaced local residents into the area around the Zambezi River, in what is now Zambia. In the 1880s, British companies began securing mineral and other economic concessions from local leaders. The companies eventually claimed control of the region and incorporated it as the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in 1911. The UK took over administrative control from the British South Africa Company in 1924. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred British economic ventures and colonial settlement. <br><br>Northern Rhodesia’s name was changed to Zambia upon independence from the UK in 1964, under independence leader and first President Kenneth KAUNDA. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement, and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule and propelled the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) into power. The subsequent vote in 1996, however, saw increasing harassment of opposition parties and abuse of state media and other resources. Administrative problems marked the election in 2001, with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his death in 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who won a special presidential byelection later that year. BANDA and the MMD lost to Michael SATA and the Patriotic Front (PF) in the 2011 general elections. SATA, however, presided over a period of haphazard economic management and attempted to silence opposition to PF policies. SATA died in 2014 and was succeeded by his vice president, Guy SCOTT, who served as interim president until 2015, when Edgar LUNGU won the presidential byelection and completed SATA's term. LUNGU then won a full term in the 2016 presidential elections. Hakainde HICHILEMA was elected president in 2021.

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Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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15 00 S, 30 00 E

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Africa

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almost five times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Texas

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0 km (landlocked)

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none (landlocked)

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

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mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

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

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1,560 sq km (2012)

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<p>Congo river source (shared with Angola, Republic of Congo, and Democratic Republic of Congo [m]) - 4,700 km; Zambezi river source (shared with Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth</p>

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Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

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one of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira, as shown in this population distribution map

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periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)

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landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural river boundary with Zimbabwe; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)

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Bemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (north Western) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)

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Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family; Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects

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Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)

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2.51% (2025 est.)

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29.6 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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one of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira, as shown in this population distribution map

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3.181 million LUSAKA (capital), 763,000 Kitwe (2023)

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19.2 years (2018 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

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85 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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3.67 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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1.81 (2025 est.)

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0.32 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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8.1% (2016)

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11.8% (2018 est.)

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55.7% (2018 est.)

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air pollution and acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; loss of biodiversity; poaching; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment

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

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16.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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104.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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presidential republic

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

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mixed system of English common law and customary law

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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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18 years of age; universal

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Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD <br>Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD <br>Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD <br>Party of National Unity and Progress or PNUP <br>Patriotic Front or PF <br>United Party for National Development or UPND 

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ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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24 October 1964 (from the UK)

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Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

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<strong>description: </strong>green field with a soaring orange eagle in the upper-right corner; a panel of three vertical bands is under the eagle, in red (left side), black, and orange<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red for the struggle for freedom, black for the people, and orange for the country's mineral wealth; the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems

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African fish eagle

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green, red, black, orange

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<p>lower-middle-income sub-Saharan economy; regional hydroelectricity producer; trade ties and infrastructure investments from China; IMF assistance to restructure debt burden; one of youngest and fastest-growing labor forces; systemic corruption; extreme rural poverty</p>

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$26.326 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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sugarcane, cassava, maize, soybeans, milk, vegetables, wheat, groundnuts, sweet potatoes, beef (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

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3.5% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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7.407 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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60% (2022 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

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16.8% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

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<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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Switzerland 27%, China 15%, India 13%, UAE 12%, DRC 10% (2023)

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<strong>note:</strong> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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raw copper, refined copper, gold, precious stones, electricity (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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South Africa 25%, China 15%, UAE 10%, India 5%, Japan 5% (2023)

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<strong>note:</strong> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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refined petroleum, fertilizers, trucks, sulphur, tractors (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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<strong>note:</strong> present value of external debt in current US dollars

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47 state-controlled and private TV stations; state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) has 2 TV channels, controls 1, and owns shares in 2 more; 137 radio stations, with 133 private and 4 state-owned (2019)

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.zm

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9J

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120 (2025)

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4 (2025)

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<strong>note:</strong> includes 1,860 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA)

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Zambia Defense Force (ZDF): Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia National Service<br><br>Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security: Zambia Police (2025)

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<strong>note 1:</strong> the Zambia National Service is a support organization that also does public work projects; its main objectives revolve around land development, agriculture, industries, youth skills training as well as arts, sports and culture; the ZDF also includes a Defense Force Medical Service<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the Zambia Army comprises the Regular Force, the Home Guard, and the Territorial Reserve

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approximately 16,000 active Defense Forces (2025)

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the ZDF's inventory is largely comprised of Chinese, Russian, and Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with smaller quantities of items from other suppliers such as Israel, South Africa, and the US (2025)

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18-25 years of age (17 with parental consent) for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription; initial service of 7 years followed by 5 in the Reserves (2025)

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930 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)

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the Zambia Defense Forces (ZDF) are responsible for territorial defense, border security, and providing support to African and UN peacekeeping operations; it also has some domestic security responsibilities in cases of national emergency and is involved in socio-economic support; in recent years, ZDF has been directed to assist in agricultural production; the ZDF is part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force and participates in multinational training exercises; it has received training assistance from China and the US<br><br>the ZDF traces its roots to the Northern Rhodesia Regiment, which was raised by the British colonial government to fight in World War II; the ZDF was established in 1964 from units of the dissolved Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland armed forces; it participated in a number of regional conflicts during the 1970s and 1980s; Zambia actively supported independence movements such as the Union for the Total Liberation of Angola (UNITA), the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), and the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) (2025)