Zambia: Fact file
Updated March 2010
| Name | Republic of Zambia |
| Area | 752 612 sq km |
| Capital | Lusaka |
| Major cities | Kitwe, Ndola, Chipata, Chibombo, Lundazi, Petauke, Choma, Solizwe, Mazabuka (Frame 2008, 1273) |
| Boundaries | DRC, Tanzania, Mozambique, Botswana, Angola (landlocked) |
| Population | 12.3 million, 2007 (UNDP 2009) |
| Natural pop growth | 2.6%, 2005-2010 (UNDP 2009) |
| Urbanisation | 39.4%, 1990 (UNDP 2009) |
| Life expectancy | Female 45 yrs, male 44 yrs, 2007 (UNDP 2009) |
| Infant mortality | 95/1000, 2005-2010 est (UN Statistics Division 2010a) |
| HIV/AIDS prevalence | 15.6%, adults, 2007 est (Republic of Zambia 2008, vii) |
| Adult literacy rate | Female 60.7%, male 80.8%, 2007 (UNDP 2009) |
| Military expenditure | 2% of GDP; 2005 (UN Statistics Division 2010b) |
| Health expenditure | 5.6% of GDP; 2005 (UN Statistics Division 2010c) |
| Legal system | English common law and customary law (Countries and Their Cultures 2000) |
| Independence | 24 October 1964 (from UK) |
| GDP | US$11.156 billion, 2007 est (IMF 2008a) |
| GDP per capita | US$416, 2008 (IMF 2009, 65) |
| GDP growth rate | 5.8%, 2008 (IMF 2009, 62) |
| Main exports | Copper, metal products, crude materials, food and live animals (Frame 2008, 1277) |
| Currency | 100 Ngwee = 1 Kwacha |
| Unemployment | 14%, 2006 (IMF 2008b, 3) |
| Inflation rate | 12.4%, 2008 (IMF 2009, 66) |
| External debt ratio | 7.3% of GDP, 2008 (IMF 2009, 84) |
| Roads | 91 440 km, paved 20 117 km; 6 779 km main (Wikipedia 2008) |
| Rail | 2 164 km narrow gauge (Wikipedia 2008) |
| Airports | +130, 8 paved; 5 international (Lusaka, Ndola, Livingstone, Mfuwe) (SADC 2007, 270; Avigation Networks Undated) |
| Ethnic groups | There are 25 main groups, which include the Bemba (18.1%), Tonga (12.7%), Chewa (7.2%), Lozi (5.6%), Nsenga (5.5%), Tumbuka (4.2%), Ngoni (4.0%), Lala (3.3%) Kaonde (3.0%) and Lunda (2.5%) (Central Statistical Office Zambia 2000, 48) |
| Languages | Official: English 1.7%; National: Bemba 30.1%, Nyanja 10.7%, Tonga 10.6%, Lozi 5.7%, Chewa 4.9%, Nsenga 3.4% and Tumbuka 2.5%; Others: Lunda 2.2%, Lala 2%, Kaonde 2%, Lamba 1.9%, Luvale 1.7%, Lenje 1.4%, Namwanga 1.3%, Mambwe 1.2%, Ngoni 1.2%, Bisa 1%, Ila 0.8%, Lungu 0.6%, Senga 0.6% (Central Statistical Office Zambia 2000, 42). |
| Religion | Christian 82.5%, African Traditional 14.3%, Baha'i 1.8%, Muslims 1.1% (Religious Freedom 2001) |
References
AVIGATION NETWORKS UNDATED "Airports in Zambia", [www] http://worldaerodata.com/countries/Zambia.php [opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
CENTRAL STATISTICAL OFFICE ZAMBIA 2000 "Chapter 4: Language and Ethinicity", IN Zambia 2000 Census Report, Vol 10, [www] http://www.zamstats.gov.zm/media/chapter_4_language_and_ethnicity_-_final.pdf [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
COUNTRIES AND THEIR CULTURES 2000 "Culture of ZAMBIA", [www] http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Zambia.html [opens in window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
FRAME, I 2008 (ed) Africa South of the Sahara 2008, Routledge.
IMF 2008a World Economic Outlook Database, April 2008, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/01/weodata/index.aspx [opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
IMF 2008b "Zambia: Statistical Appendix" IN IMF Country Report No. 08/30, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2008/cr0830.pdf, 118 [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
IMF 2009 Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa, October, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2009/AFR/eng/sreo1009.pdf, [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA 2008 "Zambia Country Report: Multi-sectoral AIDS Response Monitoring and Evaluation Biennial Report 2006-2007", [www] http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2008/zambia_2008_country_progress_report_en.pdf [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
SADC 2007 "Zambia" IN Country Profiles, [www] http://www.sadcreview.com/pdfs07/zambia2007_08.pdf [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 2001 "Nation profile: Zambia", [www] http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/nationprofiles/Zambia/rbodies.html [opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
UNDP 2009 "Zambia HDI Rank - 164", IN Human Development Report 2009, [www] http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_ZMB.html [opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
WIKIPEDIA 2008 "Transport in Zambia", [www] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Zambia [opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
UN STATISTICS DIVISION 2010a "Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 births)" IN UNdata, [www] http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=MExico&d=PopDiv&f=variableID%3A77%3BcrID%3A484 [opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
UN STATISTICS DIVISION 2010b "Military expenditure (% of GDP)" IN UNdata, [www] http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=GDP&d=WDI&f=Indicator_Code%3AMS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS [opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
UN STATISTICS DIVISION 2010c "Total expenditure on health as percentage of gross domestic product" IN UNdata, [www] http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=Gross+domestic+product&d=WHO&f=inID%3AHSR20 [opens new window] (accessed 19 Mar 2010).
