Zambia

Branches

Army, Air Force, paramilitary forces, Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $96 million, 2.7% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 1,934,845 males fit for military service: 1,020,851 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 11, FM 5, shortwave 0

Radios

1,889,140

Telephone system

facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

80,900 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

9

Televisions

215,000 (1995 est.) Defense

Agriculture

corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, beef, eggs

Budget

revenues: $665 million expenditures: $767 million, including capital expenditures of $300 million (1991 est.)

Currency

1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $734 million (1993)

Economic overview

Despite continuing progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy is showing little improvement. Inflation, while slowing somewhat, continues to be a major concern to the CHILUBA government. Four of Zambia's 20 banks collapsed in 1995, and the nation's debt stood at about $7 billion. Zambia's copper mining sector, which accounts for over 80% of the nation's foreign currency intake, is struggling. Production rates are down as are world copper prices. Food production is insufficient to meet the country's needs due to previous droughts and an end to government subsidization of agriculture. While the government's economic program aims for 6% growth in each of the next three years, a growth rate of 3-5% is more likely.

Electricity

capacity: 2,440,000 kW production: 7.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 650 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1 - 909.09 (December 1995), 833.33 (1995), 769.23 (1994), 434.78 (1993), 156.25 (1992), 61.7284 (1991)

Exports

$1.075 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco partners: EU countries, Japan, South Africa, US, India, Thailand, Malaysia

External debt

$7 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.9 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 32% industry: 22% services: 46% (1994 est.)

GDP per capita

$900 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Illicit drugs

increasingly a regional transshipment center for methaqualone and heroin

Imports

$845 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, manufactures partners: EU countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, US

Industrial production growth rate

-1% (1992)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

55% (1994 est.)

Labor force

3.4 million by occupation: agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and construction 6%, transport and services 9%

Unemployment rate

22% (1991)

Area

total area: 752,610 sq km land area: 740,720 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Texas

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros and elephant populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks natural hazards: tropical storms (November to April) international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 30 00 E

Geographic note

landlocked

International disputes

quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled

Irrigated land

320 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 5,664 km border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zaire 1,930 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Land use

arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 47% forest and woodland: 27% other: 19%

Location

Southern Africa, east of Angola

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m highest point: in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Lusaka

Constitution

2 August 1991

Data code

ZA

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991) elected for a five-year term by popular vote; Vice President General Godfrey MIYANDA (since NA August 1994) appointed by the president; election last held 31 October 1991 (next to be held October 1996); results - Frederick CHILUBA 84%, Kenneth KAUNDA 16% cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

FAX

[1] (202) 332-0826

FAX

[260] (1) 252-225

Flag

green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag

Independence

24 October 1964 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the president

Legal system

based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form: Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia

National Assembly

elections last held 31 October 1991 (next to be held October 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (150 total) MMD 125, UNIP 25; note - the MMD's majority was weakened by the defection of 13 of its parliamentary members during 1993 and the defeat of its candidates in four of the resulting byelections

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Political parties and leaders

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Frederick CHILUBA; United National Independence Party (UNIP), Kenneth KAUNDA; National Party (NP), Humphrey MULEMBIA; Labor Party (LP), Chibiza MFUNI; Zambia Democratic Congress (ZDC), Dean MUNG'OMBA; Liberal Progressive Front (LPF), Roger CHONGWE, president

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Roland K. KUCHEL embassy: corner of Independence Avenue and United Nations Avenue, Lusaka mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955, 252-230

Age structure

0-14 years: 49% (male 2,272,981; female 2,244,403) 15-64 years: 48% (male 2,157,106; female 2,256,935) 65 years and over: 3% (male 110,433; female 117,214) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

44.73 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

23.65 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Infant mortality rate

96.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 36.31 years male: 36.15 years female: 36.46 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write in English (1995 est.) total population: 78.2% male: 85.6% female: 71.3%

Nationality

noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

9,159,072 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.11% (1996 est.)

Religions

Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.55 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 104 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 35 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 54 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 37,359 km paved: 6,575 km (including 56 km of expressways) unpaved: 30,784 km (1992 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 1,724 km

Ports

Mpulungu

Railways

total: 2,164 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track) note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri M'poshi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of Zambia Railways

Waterways

2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, Lake Tanganyika