Republic of Zambia President: Levy Mwanawasa (2002) Current
government officials Land area:
285,994 sq mi (740,724 sq km); total area: 290,586 sq mi (sq
km) Population (2007 est.): 11,477,447
(growth rate: 1.7%); birth rate: 40.8/1000; infant mortality rate:
100.7/1000; life expectancy: 38.4 density per sq mi: 40 Capital and largest city (2003
est.): Lusaka, 1,773,300 (metro. area),
1,265,000 (city proper) Other large
cities: Ndola, 349,300; Kitwe, 306,200; Kabwe, 219,600, Chingola,
151,100 Monetary unit: Kwacha Languages: English (official); major vernaculars: Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda,
Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga; about 70 other indigenous languages Ethnicity/race: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2% Religions: Christian 50%–75%, Islam and Hindu 24%–49%, indigenous beliefs
1% Literacy rate: 81% (2003
est.) Economic summary: GDP/PPP
(2007 est.): $11.16 billion; per capita $1,300. Real growth
rate: 5.3%. Inflation: 10.7%. Unemployment: 50%
(2000 est.). Arable land: 7%. Agriculture: corn,
sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco,
cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs,
poultry, milk, eggs, hides. Labor force: 4.989 million;
agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%. Industries: copper
mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals,
textiles, fertilizer, horticulture. Natural resources: copper,
cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower.
Exports: $3.928 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.): copper/cobalt 64%,
cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton. Imports: $3.092
billion f.o.b. (2006 est.): machinery, transportation equipment,
petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing.
Major trading partners: South Africa, UK, Switzerland,
Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, UAE (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines
in use: 94,700 (2005); mobile cellular: 949,600 (2005). Radio
broadcast stations: AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001).
Radios: 1.2 million (2001). Television broadcast stations:
9 (2002). Televisions: 277,000 (1997). Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001). Internet users: 231,000
(2005). Transportation: Railways:
total: 2,157 km km (2006). Highways: total: 91,440 km; paved:
20,117 km ; unpaved: 71,323 km (2001 est.). Waterways: 2,250
km, including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, Lake Tanganyika. Ports
and harbors: Mpulungu. Airports: 111 (2006). International conflicts: dormant dispute
remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries
converge. Major sources and definitions |
