Back information
Area: total area 752,614 sq km
Population:10.7 m (2003) Capital City: Lusaka (population about 1.4m)
People: There are over 73 different ethnic groups among Zambia's indigenous population. Major groups are the Bemba of the north and the Copperbelt, the Tonga of the south and Lozi of the west.
Languages: Over 72 languages have been identified, of which 7 are recognised as 'official'. English is the language of government.
Religion(s): The majority is Christian. Muslims and Hindus are the largest other religions represented.
Currency: Kwacha
Major Political Parties: Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), United National Independence Party (UNIP), United Party for National Development (UPND), Patriotic Front (PF) and Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD).
Government: Multi-party democracy. Hybrid form of presidential and parliamentary systems of government.
Head of State: President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa SC

GEOGRAPHY

The Republic of Zambia is a land-locked country occupying an elevated plateau in south central Africa. Eight other countries border Zambia: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe. Zambia's shortest route to the sea is via Zimbabwe to Beira in Mozambique.

ECONOMY

Basic Economic Facts

GDP: US$ 3.5bn
GDP per capita: US$ 350
Annual Growth: 4.3% (October 2003 estimate)
Inflation: 21% (2003 estimate)
Major Industries: Copper, Service Industries, Tourism, Agriculture
Major trading partners: Japan and South Africa
Aid & development: UK Bilateral Aid in 2003 = £46mn
Exchange rate: February 2004 Kwacha 7,900 = £1

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Zambia's Relations with Neighbours

Zambia is a member of the Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Zambia continues to host refugees from neighbouring DRC and Angola.

Zambia's Relations with the International Community

Zambia enjoys a full and positive relationship with many sectors of the international community, including international Humanitarian Aid agencies and Human Rights and press freedom organisations such as Human Rights Watch, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), other major donors such as the Scandinavian countries, the United States and the EU.

HEALTH

Infant mortality rates are amongst the worst in sub Saharan Africa. One in five mothers is HIV positive - Zambia has one of the world’s highest incidences of HIV/AIDS. It kills around 100,000 people each year. Apart from AIDS, the main causes of death are malaria tuberculosis, diarrhoea, pneumonia and other preventable or treatable infections.