PROFILE

OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Zambia

Geography
Area: 752,614 sq. km. (290,585 sq. mi.); slightly larger than Texas.
Cities: Capital--Lusaka (pop. approx. 1 million).
Other cities: Kitwe, Ndola, Livingstone, Kabwe.
Terrain: Varies; mostly plateau savanna.
Climate: Generally dry and temperate.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Zambian(s).
Population (2005): Approx. 11.5 million.
Annual growth rate (2005): 1.6%.
Ethnic groups: More than 70 ethnic groups.
Religions: Christian, indigenous beliefs, Muslim, Hindu.
Languages: English (official), about 70 local languages and dialects, including Bemba, Lozi, Kaonde, Lunda, Luvale, Tonga, and Nyanja.
Education: No compulsory education; 7 years free education. Net primary school enrollment: 67%. Literacy--women: 60.6%; men: 81.6%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--95/1,000. Life expectancy (2005)--38.1 years. HIV prevalence (15-49)--16%.
Work force: Agriculture--75%; mining and manufacturing--6%; services--19%.

Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: October 24, 1964.
Constitution: 1991 (as amended in 1996).
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state and head of government), cabinet. Legislative--unicameral National Assembly. Judicial--Supreme Court, high court, magistrate courts, and local courts.
Ruling political party: Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD).
Suffrage: Universal adult.
Subdivisions: Nine provinces subdivided into 72 districts.

Economy
GDP (2005, current prices): $7.3 billion.
Annual growth rate (2005): 5.1%.
Per capita GDP (2005, current prices): $627.
Natural resources: Copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydroelectric power, fertile land.
Agriculture: Products--corn, sorghum, rice, groundnuts, sunflower seeds, vegetables, horticultural products, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, livestock, coffee, and soybeans.
Industry: Types--mining, transport, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, and textiles.
Trade (2005): Exports--$2.2 billion: copper, cobalt, lead, and zinc, cut vegetables, cotton. Major markets--South Africa, United Kingdom, Tanzania, Malawi, Japan. Imports--$2.2 billion: crude oil, refined petroleum products, manufactured goods, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs. Major suppliers--South Africa, China, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
Major donors: Donors provided $38 million in development assistance to Zambia in 2004. The World Bank is Zambia's largest multilateral donor. Other key multilateral donors include the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Union, UN agencies, and the African Development Bank. Counting direct bilateral assistance and assistance through multilateral agencies, the U.S. is Zambia's largest country donor.