Republic of Zambia

President: Levy Mwanawasa (2002)

Land area: 285,994 sq mi (740,724 sq km); total area: 290,586 sq mi (sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 11,502,010 (growth rate: 2.1%); birth rate: 41.0/1000; infant mortality rate: 86.8/1000; life expectancy: 40.0; density per sq mi: 40

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Lusaka, 1,773,300 (metro. area), 1,265,000 (city proper)

Other large cities: Ndola, 349,300; Kitwe, 306,200; Kabwe, 219,600, Chingola, 151,100

Monetary unit: Kwacha

Languages: English (official); major vernaculars: Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga; about 70 other indigenous languages

Ethnicity/race: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Religions: Christian 50%–75%, Islam and Hindu 24%–49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Literacy rate: 81% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $10.23 billion; per capita $900. Real growth rate: 5%. Inflation: 19%. Unemployment: 50% (2000 est.). Arable land: 7%. Agriculture: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides. Labor force: 4.8 million; agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%. Industries: copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture. Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower. Exports: $1.947 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton. Imports: $1.934 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing. Major trading partners: South Africa, UK, Switzerland, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, UAE (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 130,000 (including more than 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (2002); mobile cellular: 90,000 (2002). Radio broadcast stations: AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001). Radios: 1.2 million (2001). Television broadcast stations: 9 (2002). Televisions: 277,000 (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001). Internet users: 25,000 (2002).

Transportation: Railways: total: 2,173 km (2002). Highways: total: 66,781 km; paved: n.a.; unpaved: n.a. (1999 est.). Waterways: 2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, Lake Tanganyika. Ports and harbors: Mpulungu. Airports: 109 (2002).

International conflicts: dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge.


 

Go to Country details page