Zambia: Fact file
Updated November 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 | 13.257 million, 2010 est (UN Statistics Division 2009a) |
| Natural pop growth | 2.43%, 2005-2010 est (UN Statistics Division 2009b) |
| Urbanisation | 35.2%, 2007 est (UN Statistics Division undated) |
| Life expectancy | Female 45.6 yrs, male 44.6 yrs; 2005-2010 est (UN Statistics Division 2009c, 2009d) |
| Infant mortality | 95/1000, 2005-2010 est (UN Statistics Division 2009e) |
| HIV/AIDS prevalence | 15.2%, 15-49 yr 2007 est (UN Statistics Division 2009f) |
| Adult literacy rate | 68%; 2003-2008 est (UN Statistics Division 2010a) |
| Military expenditure | 1.9% of GDP; 2008 (UN Statistics Division 2010b) |
| Health expenditure | 6.2% of GDP; 2006 (UN Statistics Division 2008) |
| Legal system | English common law and customary law (Magagula 2009) |
| Independence | 24 October 1964 from UK |
| GDP | US$14.314 billion, 2008 est (UN Statistics Division 2010c) |
| GDP per capita | US$1,144, 2008 est (UN Statistics Division 2009g) |
| GDP growth rate | 6.0%, 2008 est (UN Statistics Division 2010d) |
| Main exports | Copper, metal products, crude materials, food and live animals (Frame 2008, 1277) |
| Currency | 100 Ngwee = 1 Kwacha |
| Unemployment | 17%, 2010 (Tonga 2010) |
| Inflation rate | 10.8%, 2008 (UN Statistics Division 2010e) |
| External debt ratio | 12.3% of GDP, 2009 (IMF 2010, 95) |
| Roads | Total 18 285 km (48% poor), paved 6 459 km (38% poor), unpaved 11 826 km (54% poor); 2008 (World Bank 2009) |
| 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 87%, other (including African Traditional) 7%, Hindu 1%, Muslims 1% (US Department of State 2010) |
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).
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FRAME, I 2008 (ed) Africa South of the Sahara 2008, Routledge.
MAGAGULA, AS 2009 "The Law and Legal research in Zambia", IN GlobaLex, Hauser School of Law Programme, [www] http://www.nyulawglobal.com/globalex/Zambia.htm [opens new window] (accessed 25 Nov 2010).
TONGA, D 2010 "Zambia's youth unemployment soars", AfricaBusiness.com6 October, [www] http://africabusiness.com/2010/10/06/zambia%E2%80%99s-youth-unemployment-soars/ [opens new window] (accessed 25 Nov 2010).
SADC 2007 "Zambia" IN Country Profiles, [www] http://www.sadcreview.com/pdfs07/zambia2007_08.pdf (offline 25 Nov 2010).
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UN STATISTICS DIVISION 2010f "Total expenditure on health as percentage of gross domestic product" IN UNdata, 19 Nov, [www] http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=health+expenditure&d=WHO&f=MEASURE_CODE%3aWHS7_143 [opens new window] (accessed 23 Nov 2010).
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