Zambia

Broadcast media

state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) operates 3 TV stations, is the principal local-content provider, and owns about 45% of multi-channel Zambia shares; several private TV stations and multi-channel subscription TV services are available; ZNBC operates 4 radio networks; 64 private radio stations are available (most regionally) and relays of at least 2 international broadcasters — including BBC and Radio France International – are accessible in Lusaka and Kitwe (2015)

Internet country code

.zm

Internet users

total: 3,956,252 | percent of population: 25.5% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94

Telephone system

general assessment: among the best in sub-Saharan Africa | domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation and network coverage is improving; domestic satellite system being installed to improve telephone service in rural areas; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms | international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 3 owned by Zamtel (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 101,407 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 144

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 12,017,034 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Agriculture - products

corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seeds, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (manioc, tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides

Budget

revenues: $3.654 billion | expenditures: $5.751 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-9.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199

Central bank discount rate

9.1% (31 December 2012) | 19% (31 December 2011) | country comparison to the world: 28

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15.5% (31 December 2016 est.) | 13.25% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Current account balance

$-934 million (2016 est.) | $-767.5 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119

Debt - external

$9.562 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $8.785 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Distribution of family income - Gini index

57.5 (2013) | 50.8 (2004) | country comparison to the world: 8

Economy - overview

Zambia had one of the world’s fastest growing economies for the ten years up to 2014, with real GDP growth averaging roughly 6.7% per annum, though growth slowed in 2015 and 2016 to just under 3%, due to falling copper prices, reduced power generation, and depreciation of the kwacha. Zambia’s lack of economic diversification and dependency on copper as its sole major export makes it vulnerable to fluctuations in the world commodities market and prices turned downward in 2015 due to declining demand from China; Zambia was overtaken by the Democratic Republic of Congo as Africa’s largest copper producer. | Despite recent strong economic growth and its status as a lower middle-income country, widespread and extreme rural poverty and high unemployment levels remain significant problems, made worse by a high birth rate, a relatively high HIV/AIDS burden, and by market-distorting agricultural and energy policies. Zambia has raised $7 billion from international investors by issuing separate sovereign bonds in 2012, 2014, and 2015, significantly increasing the country’s public debt burden to 56% of GDP; the government plans to refinance $2.8 billion worth of Eurobonds in 2017 to cut debt servicing costs. | Poor management of water resources has also contributed to a power generation shortage, which has hampered industrial productivity and contributed to an increase in year-on-year inflation to more than 20% in 2016. Zambia’s currency, the kwacha, also depreciated sharply against the dollar through 2015 and 2016, leading the central bank to restrict lending. Rampant spending in recent years has increased the fiscal deficit—over 8% in 2015—and may encourage the government to seek external financing from the IMF to fund the shortfall.

Exchange rates

Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar - | 10.3 (2016 est.) | 10.3 (2015 est.) | 8.6 (2014 est.) | 6.2 (2013 est.) | 5.1 (2012 est.)

Exports

$6.514 billion (2016 est.) | $7.362 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Exports - commodities

copper/cobalt, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton

Exports - partners

Switzerland 39.4%, China 18%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.7%, South Africa 6.4%, UAE 6%, Singapore 5.6% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$21.01 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$65.13 billion (2016 est.) | $62.19 billion (2015 est.) | $59.77 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 101

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 54% | government consumption: 21.9% | investment in fixed capital: 26.9% | investment in inventories: 0.1% | exports of goods and services: 45.5% | imports of goods and services: -48.4% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 5.4% | industry: 35.7% | services: 60% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,900 (2016 est.) | $3,900 (2015 est.) | $3,900 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 177

GDP - real growth rate

3.4% (2016 est.) | 2.9% (2015 est.) | 4.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Gross national saving

37.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | 38.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | 36.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.5% | highest 10%: 47.4% (2010)

Imports

$6.539 billion (2016 est.) | $7.436 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Imports - commodities

machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer, foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners

South Africa 31.2%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 12.3%, Kuwait 8.1%, China 7.6%, Mauritius 4.4%, UAE 4.2%, India 4% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

6.4% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 31

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

17.9% (2016 est.) | 10.1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 218

Labor force

6.69 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 85% | industry: 6% | services: 9% (2004)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$3.004 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | $4.009 billion (31 December 2011 est.) | $2.817 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 95

Population below poverty line

60.5% (2010 est.)

Public debt

58.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | 60.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.353 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $2.968 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Stock of broad money

$4.145 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.74 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$4.167 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.682 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Stock of narrow money

$1.582 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $1.288 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Taxes and other revenues

17.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173

Unemployment rate

15% (2008 est.) | 50% (2000 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

3.5 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 215

Crude oil - imports

11,200 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 73

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 216

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 216

Electricity - consumption

11.62 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - exports

1.176 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 56

Electricity - from fossil fuels

0.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 213

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

97.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Electricity - imports

785 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.37 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106

Electricity - production

13.28 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

Electricity access

population without electricity: 10,700,000 | electrification - total population: 26% | electrification - urban areas: 45% | electrification - rural areas: 14% (2013)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 216

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 211

Refined petroleum products - consumption

23,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 132

Refined petroleum products - exports

937.4 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Refined petroleum products - imports

7,917 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Refined petroleum products - production

14,290 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Area

total: 752,618 sq km | land: 743,398 sq km | water: 9,220 sq km | country comparison to the world: 40

Area - comparative

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

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

mean elevation: 1,138 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m | highest point: unnamed elevation in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 30 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

1,560 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 6,043.15 km | border countries (8): Angola 1,065 km, Botswana 0.15 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,332 km, Malawi 847 km, Mozambique 439 km, Namibia 244 km, Tanzania 353 km, Zimbabwe 763 km

Land use

agricultural land: 31.7% | arable land 4.8%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 26.9% | forest: 66.3% | other: 2% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)

Natural resources

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

Population - distribution

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

Terrain

mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Lusaka; note - a proposal to build a new capital city in Ngabwe was announced in May 2017 | geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E | time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: only if at least one parent is a citizen of Zambia | citizenship by descent: yes, if at least one parent was a citizen of Zambia | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years for those with an ancestor who was a citizen of Zambia, otherwise 10 years residency is required

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991 | amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly in two separate readings at least 30 days apart; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms requires approval by at least one-half of votes cast in a referendum prior to consideration and voting by the Assembly; amended 1996, 2015, last in 2016 (2017)

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Zambia | conventional short form: Zambia | former: Northern Rhodesia | etymology: name derived from the Zambezi River, which flows through the western part of the country and forms its southern border with neighboring Zimbabwe

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Eric T. SCHULTZ (since 12 December 2014) | embassy: Eastern end of Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, Lusaka | mailing address: P. O. Box 320065, Lusaka | telephone: [260] (211) 357-000 | FAX: [260] ) (211) 357-224

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Joseph CHILAIZYA (since 19 September 2016 | chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 | FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Executive branch

chief of state: President Edgar LUNGU (since 25 January 2015); Vice President Inonge WINA (since 26 January 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Edgar LUNGU (since 25 January 2015); Vice President Inonge WINA (since 26 January 2015) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 11 August 2016 (next to be held in 2021) | election results: Edgar LUNGU reelected president; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2.0%

Flag description

green field 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; green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red symbolizes the struggle for freedom, black the people of Zambia, and orange the country's mineral wealth; the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

24 October 1964 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and deputy chief justices, and at least 11 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice-president, and 11 judges); note - the Constitutional Court began operation in June 2016 | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the 9-member Judicial Service Commission headed by the chief justice, and ratified by the National Assembly; judges normally serve until age 65 | subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Industrial Relations Court; subordinate courts 3 levels, based on upper limit of money involved); Small Claims Court; local courts (2 grades, based on upper limit of money involved)

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

Legislative branch

description: unicameral National Assembly (164 seats; 156 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 8 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms); note - 6 additional electoral seats were added for the 11 August 2016 election, up from 150 electoral seats in the 2011 election | elections: last held on 11 August 2016 (next to be held in 2021) | election results: percent of vote by party - PF 42%, UPND 41.7%, MMD 2.7%, FDD 2.2%, other 1.9%,independent 9.5%; seats by party - PF 80, UPND 58, MMD 3, FDD 1, independent 14

National anthem

name: "Lumbanyeni Zambia" (Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free) | lyrics/music: multiple/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA | note: adopted 1964; the melody, from the popular song "God Bless Africa," is the same as that of Tanzania but with different lyrics; the melody is also incorporated into South Africa's anthem

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

National symbol(s)

African fish eagle; national colors: green, red, black, orange

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD [Charles MILUPI] | Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI] | Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Nevers MUMBA] | Patriotic Front or PF [Edgar LUNGU] | United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU; Federation of Free Trade Unions in Zambia | other: other labor and trade unions

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the former British 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, 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) to government. The subsequent vote in 1996, however, saw increasing harassment of opposition parties and abuse of state media and other resources. 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. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who won a special presidential byelection later that year. The MMD and BANDA lost to the Patriotic Front (PF) and Michael SATA 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 October 2014 and was succeeded by his vice president, Guy SCOTT, who served as interim president until January 2015, when Edgar LUNGU won the presidential byelection and completed SATA's term. LUNGU then won a full term in August 2016 presidential elections.

Military branches

Zambian Defense Force (ZDF): Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia National Service (support organization) (2015)

Military expenditures

1.53% of GDP (2016) | 1.75% of GDP (2015) | 1.63% of GDP (2014) | 1.36% of GDP (2013) | 1.36% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 59

Military service age and obligation

national registration required at age 16; 18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription; Zambian citizenship required; grade 12 certification required; mandatory HIV testing on enlistment; mandatory retirement for officers at age 65 (Army, Air Force) (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.03% (male 3,693,255/female 3,657,890) | 15-24 years: 20% (male 1,595,628/female 1,598,065) | 25-54 years: 28.72% (male 2,310,961/female 2,276,018) | 55-64 years: 2.93% (male 217,954/female 250,134) | 65 years and over: 2.33% (male 162,605/female 209,490) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

41.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.8% (2013) | country comparison to the world: 49

Contraceptive prevalence rate

49% (2013/14)

Death rate

12.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Demographic profile

Zambia’s poor, youthful population consists primarily of Bantu-speaking people representing nearly 70 different ethnicities. Zambia’s high fertility rate continues to drive rapid population growth, averaging almost 3 percent annually between 2000 and 2010. The country’s total fertility rate has fallen by less than 1.5 children per woman during the last 30 years and still averages among the world’s highest, almost 6 children per woman, largely because of the country’s lack of access to family planning services, education for girls, and employment for women. Zambia also exhibits wide fertility disparities based on rural or urban location, education, and income. Poor, uneducated women from rural areas are more likely to marry young, to give birth early, and to have more children, viewing children as a sign of prestige and recognizing that not all of their children will live to adulthood. HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Zambia and contributes to its low life expectancy. | Zambian emigration is low compared to many other African countries and is comprised predominantly of the well-educated. The small amount of brain drain, however, has a major impact in Zambia because of its limited human capital and lack of educational infrastructure for developing skilled professionals in key fields. For example, Zambia has few schools for training doctors, nurses, and other health care workers. Its spending on education is low compared to other sub-Saharan countries.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 91.9 | youth dependency ratio: 87.1 | elderly dependency ratio: 4.8 | potential support ratio: 20.8 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 85.6% of population | rural: 51.3% of population | total: 65.4% of population | urban: 14.4% of population | rural: 48.7% of population | total: 34.6% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

1.1% of GDP (2008) | country comparison to the world: 170

Ethnic groups

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.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

12.4% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7

HIV/AIDS - deaths

21,000 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1.2 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9

Health expenditures

5% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 141

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate

total: 61.1 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 66.4 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 55.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16

Languages

Bembe 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% | note: 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 (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 52.7 years | male: 51.1 years | female: 54.4 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 219

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English | total population: 63.4% | male: 70.9% | female: 56% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever | vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever | water contact disease: schistosomiasis | animal contact disease: rabies (2016)

Major urban areas - population

LUSAKA (capital) 2.179 million (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

224 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 48

Median age

total: 16.8 years | male: 16.6 years | female: 16.9 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 225

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.2 years | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2013/14 est.)

Nationality

noun: Zambian(s) | adjective: Zambian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.1% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 155

Physicians density

0.16 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population

15.972 million | note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

2.93% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

urban: 55.6% of population | rural: 35.7% of population | total: 43.9% of population | urban: 44.4% of population | rural: 64.3% of population | total: 56.1% of population (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female | total population: 1 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.63 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 15.2% | male: 14.6% | female: 15.8% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

Urbanization

urban population: 41.8% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 4.35% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

in 2004, Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for southern Africa and possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it an unattractive venue for money launderers; major consumer of cannabis

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 25,063 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2017)

Airports

88 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 63

Airports - with paved runways

total: 8 | over 3,047 m: 1 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 80 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 | 914 to 1,523 m: 53 | under 914 m: 21 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9J (2016)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 11,796 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 79,092,826 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines

oil 771 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Mpulungu (Zambezi)

Railways

total: 3,126 km | narrow gauge: 3,126 km 1.067-m gauge | note: includes 1,860 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2014) | country comparison to the world: 57

Roadways

total: 40,454 km | paved: 9,403 km | unpaved: 31,051 km (2005) | country comparison to the world: 87

Waterways

2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula Rivers) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 37