Zambia: Fact file

Updated May 2008

Name Republic of Zambia
Area 752 612 sq km (Frame 2008, 1273)
Capital Lusaka
Major cities Kitwe, Ndola, Chipata, Chibombo, Lundazi, Petauke, Choma, Solizwe, Mazabuka (Frame 2008, 1273)
Boundaries DRC, Tanzania, Mozambique, Botswana, Angola (landlocked)
Population 11.5 million, 2005 (UNDP 2007/8)
Pop growth rate 1.9%, 2005-15 (UNDP 2007/8)
Urbanisation 35.0%, 2005 (UNDP 2007/8)
Life expectancy Female 40.6 yrs, male 40.3 yrs, 2005 (UNDP 2007/8)
Infant mortality 102/1000, 2005 (UNDP 2007/8)
HIV/AIDS prevalence 15.6%, adults, 2007 est (Republic of Zambia 2008, vii)
Adult literacy rate Female 59.8%, male 76.3%, 2005 (UNDP 2007/8)
Military expenditure 2.3% of GDP; 2005 (UNDP 2007/8)
Health expenditure 3.4% of GDP; 2004 (UNDP 2007/8)
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$918, 2007 est (IMF 2007/8)
GDP growth rate 5.3%, 2007 est (IMF 2007/8)
Main exports Copper, metal products, crude materials, food and live animals (Frame 2008, 1277)
Currency 100 Ngwee = 1 Kwacha
Unemployment 14%, 2006 (IMF 2008c, 3)
Inflation rate 10.7%, 2007 est (IMF 2007/8)
External debt ratio 6.0% of GDP, 2007 (IMF 2008b, 118)
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 73 ethnic groups, which include the Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga and the Lozi (Frame 2008, 1260)
Languages Official: English; Over a million speakers: Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga; Over half a million speakers: Lozi, Nsenga; 36 others (Ethnologue.com undated)
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 25 Apr 2007).

COUNTRIES AND THEIR CULTURES 2000 "Culture of ZAMBIA", [www] http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Zambia.html [opens in window] (accessed 25 Apr 2008).

ETHNOLOGUE.COM UNDATED "Languages of Zambia" [www] http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Zambia [opens new window] (accessed 25 Apr 2008).

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 21 Apr 2008).

IMF 2008b Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2007/AFR/ENG/sreo0407.pdf, 118 [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 22 Apr 2008).

IMF 2008c "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 22 Apr 2008).

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 5 may 2008).

SADC 2007 "Zambia" IN Country Profiles, [www] http://www.sadcreview.com/pdfs07/zambia2007_08.pdf [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 25 Apr 2008).

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 2001 "Nation profile: Zambia", [www] http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/nationprofiles/Zambia/rbodies.html [opens new window] (accessed 25 Apr 2008).

UNDP 2007/8 "Zambia", IN Human Development Report 2007/8, [www] http://hdrstats.undp.org/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_ZMB.html [opens new window] (accessed 25 Apr 2008).

WIKIPEDIA 2008 "Transport in Zambia", [www] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Zambia [opens new window] (accessed 25 Apr 2008).