
This Page was last updated on the 14th November, 2008.
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|
Country |
Zambia |
|
Official Name |
Republic of Zambia |
| Former Name | Northern Rhodesia, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (indigenous occupants began to be displaced or absorbed by migrating tribes about 2,000 years ago; first Bantu-speaking immigrants began in 15th century, greatest [mainly from Luba and Lunda tribes of southern Congo and northern Angola] influx between late 17th and early 19th centuries; Ngoni peoples from south in 19th century; visited by European explorers, missionaries, and traders after the mid-19th century; David Livingstone at Victoria Falls in 1855; Cecil Rhodes obtained a mineral rights concession from local chiefs, Northern [Zambia] and Southern [Zimbabwe] Rhodesia proclaimed British sphere of influence in 1888; territory administered by South Africa Company between 1891 and 1923; Southern Rhodesia annexed and granted self-government in 1923; Northern Rhodesia became British protectorate in 1924; Northern Rhodesia joined Southern Rhodesia and Nyasal and [Malawi] to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland [Central African Federation] in 1953; two-stage election held in October and December 1962; resulted in an African majority in the legislative council and an uneasy coalition between the two African nationalist parties. The council passed resolutions calling for Northern Rhodesia's secession from the federation and demanding full internal self-government under a new constitution and a new national assembly based on a broader, more democratic franchise. Federation dissolved on 31 December 1963; Northern Rhodesia became Republic of Zambia on 24 October 1964.) |
|
Capital |
Lusaka |
|
Main Towns |
Kabwe, Kasama, Kitwe, Livingstone, Luanshya, Lusaka (pop. approx. 1 million), Mansa, Mufulira, Ndola, Solwezi |
|
Subdivisions |
9 provinces: Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western |
|
Independence |
24 October 1964 (from UK) |
| Constitution | 24 August 1991, amended in 1996 |
| National Holiday | Independence Day, 24 October (1964) |
|
UN Membership |
1 December 1964 |
|
OAU Membership |
16 December 1964 |
|
Commonwealth |
24 October 1964 |
|
Other Organisations |
In alphabetical order according to abbreviation/acronym: Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), African Development Bank (AfDB or AFDB), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Group of 19 (G-19), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Criminal Court (ICCt - signatory), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), Southern African Development Community (SADC), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Confederation of Labour (WCL), World Customs Organization (WCO, former Customs Cooperation Council [CCC]), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTrO). |
|
Population |
World Bank Figures: 9,687,760 (1999), 9,886,000 (2000), 10,071,836 (2001), 10,244,421 (2002), 10,402,959 (2003) |
|
Area |
290,586 sq. mls. (752,614 sq. kms.) |
|
Density |
11 per sq.km. (1995) |
|
Highest Point |
unnamed (in Mafinga Hills) 7,100 ft. (2,164 m.) |
|
Lowest Point |
Zambezi River 1,081 ft. (329 m.) |
|
Neighbours |
Angola (W), Malawi (E), Mozambique (SE), Namibia (SW), Zaire (N), Zimbabwe (S) |
|
Life Expectancy |
at birth: total population 40.03 years, male 39.76, female 40.31 years (2006 estimate) 46 years (1995), total population:
37.29 years, male: 37.06 years, female: 37.53 years (2001
est.) |
| Infant Mortality Rate | total:
99.29 deaths/1,000 live births, female: 91.77 deaths/1,000 live births
(2003 est.), male: 106.58 deaths/1,000 live births total: 88.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 95.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 80.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) 86.84 deaths/1000 live births (2006 estimate) |
| HIV/AIDS | adult
prevalence rate: 21.5% (2001 est.) 16.5% (2003 est.) IRIN Plus News - HIV/AIDS Treatment Map: Zambia - Updated: Sept 2004 |
|
Adult Literacy Rate |
total population: 78.2%,
male: 85.6%, female: 71.3% (1995 est.) |
|
Ethnic Groups |
African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%. Bantu - more than 80 groups including: Bemba, Kaonda, Lende, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga |
|
Languages |
English (official), Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga and about 70 other indigenous languages |
|
Religions |
Christian 85%, (Catholic 21%), Traditional Religion (Animist) 1% small minorites are Muslim (5%), Hindu, Sikh and Baha'i (1.5%) |
|
Type of Government |
Republic |
|
President |
Rupiah Banda was inaugurated as President on 5th November 2008 after a close-run Presidential Election. He succeeded Levy Mwanawasa who was President from 2 January 2002 until his death on August 19, 2008, having being re-elected 28 September, 2006 (taking 43% of the popular vote ). |
|
Prime Minister |
--- |
|
Political Parties |
Agenda for Zambia (AZ); Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD); Heritage Party (HP); Liberal Progressive Front (LPF); Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD); National Leadership for Development (NLD); National Party (NP); Patriotic Front (PF); Zambian Republican Party (ZRP); Social Democratic Party (SDP); United National Independence Party (UNIP); United Party for National Development (UPND). |
|
Ruling Party |
Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) |
|
Currency |
Kwacha (K, ZMK)(100 ngwee) |
|
GDP |
US$443 (1992) US$4,073m (1995)
|
|
GNP |
US$360 (1992) US$400 (1995) |
| Per Capita Income | Per capita GDP: US$430 (2003) GDP per capita: US$418 (2004) |
| Population Below Poverty Line | 86% (1993) |
| Land Use | arable land: 7.08% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.9% (2001) Irrigated land: 460 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural Resources | copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower, fertile land. |
| Oil and Natural Gas | Oil
production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
exports: NA (2001) imports: NA (2001) Pipelines: crude oil 1,724 km Pipelines: oil 771 km (2004) |
| Military | Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force, Police, National Service Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,418,776 (2003 est.) males age 18-49: 2,219,739 (2005 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: US$33.46 million, 0.9% of GDP (FY02) US$106.8 million, 1.8% of GDP (2004) |
| Economic Aid Received | US$651
million (2000 est.)
Aid per Capita (World Bank): US$64 (1999), US$80 (2000), US$35 (2001), US$63 (2002), US$54 (2003) Donors provided US$38 million in development assistance to Zambia in 2004. The World Bank is Zambia's largest multilateral donor. Other key multilateral donors include the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Union, UN agencies, and the African Development Bank. Counting direct bilateral assistance and assistance through multilateral agencies, the U.S. is Zambia's largest country donor. (Source: US Dept. of State, Background Note, September 2005) Zambia is to receive a US$3.9 bn debt write off after reaching completion point in April 2005 under the IMF-World Bank HIPC initiative. |
|
Debt |
Severely indebted (HIPC) |
|
Major Imports |
machinery, transportation
equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs,
clothing |
|
Imports from |
South Africa 47.6% UK 12.6% Zimbabwe 4.3% $1.934 billion f.o.b.(2005 estimate) |
|
Major Exports |
copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton |
|
Exports to |
South Africa 25.5%,
Switzerland 9.2%, Malawi 7.8%, Thailand 7.7% (2001) |
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The White Fathers, Sutton Coldfield, 14, November 2008 |
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