Bantu-speaking groups mainly from the Luba and Lunda Kingdoms in the Congo River Basin and from the Great Lakes region in East Africa settled in what is now Zambia beginning around A.D. 300, displacing and mixing with previous population groups in the region. The Mutapa Empire developed after the fall of Great Zimbabwe to the south in the 14th century and ruled the region, including large parts of Zambia, from the 14th to 17th century. The empire collapsed as a result of the growing slave trade and Portuguese incursions in the 16th and 17th centuries. The region was further influenced by migrants from the Zulu
Kingdom to the south and the Luba and Lunda Kingdoms to the north after invading colonial and African powers displaced local residents into the area around the Zambezi River, in what is now Zambia. In the 1880s, British companies began securing mineral and other economic concessions from various local leaders. The companies eventually claimed control of the region and incorporated it as the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in 1911. The UK Government took over administrative control from the British South Africa Company in 1924. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred British economic ventures and colonial settlement.
Northern Rhodesia’s name was changed to Zambia upon independence from the UK in 1964 under independence leader and first President Kenneth KAUNDA. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement, and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule and propelled the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) into power. The subsequent vote in 1996, however, saw increasing harassment of opposition parties and abuse of state media and other resources. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems, with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was re-elected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who won a special presidential byelection later that year. The MMD and BANDA lost to the Patriotic Front (PF) and Michael SATA in the 2011 general elections. SATA, however, presided over a period of haphazard economic management and attempted to silence opposition to PF policies. SATA died in October 2014 and was succeeded by his vice president, Guy SCOTT, who served as interim president until January 2015, when Edgar LUNGU won the presidential byelection and completed SATA’s term. LUNGU then won a full term in August 2016 presidential elections. Hakainde HICHILEMA was elected president in August 2021.
Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Area: total: 752,618 sq km | land: 743,398 sq km | water: 9,220 sq km
Zambia is landlocked. Land boundaries: total: 6,043.15 km.
Border countries (8): Angola 1,065 km; Botswana 0.15 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,332 km; Malawi 847 km; Mozambique 439 km; Namibia 244 km; Tanzania 353 km; Zimbabwe 763 km.
Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
Pop: total: 20,799,116 | male: 10,407,253 | female: 10,391,863 (2024 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Bemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (northwestern) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)
Languages: Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (Northwestern) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.)
note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia’s major languages are members of the Bantu family; Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects.
Religions: Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha’i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)
Zambia’s poor, youthful population consists primarily of Bantu-speaking people representing nearly 70 different ethnicities. Zambia’s high fertility rate continues to drive rapid population growth, averaging almost 3% annually between 2000 and 2010, and reaching over 3.3% in 2022. The country’s total fertility rate has fallen by less than 1.5 children per woman during the last 30 years and still averages among the world’s highest, almost 6 children per woman, largely because of the country’s lack of access to family planning services, education for girls, and employment for women. Zambia also exhibits wide fertility disparities based on rural or urban location, education, and income. Poor, uneducated women from rural areas are more likely to marry young, to give birth early, and to have more children, viewing children as a sign of prestige and recognizing that not all of their children will live to adulthood. HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Zambia and contributes to its low life expectancy.
Zambian emigration is low compared to many other African countries and is comprised predominantly of the well-educated. The small amount of brain drain, however, has a major impact in Zambia because of its limited human capital and lack of educational infrastructure for developing skilled professionals in key fields. For example, Zambia has few schools for training doctors, nurses, and other health care workers. Its spending on education is low compared to other Sub-Saharan countries.
Capital: Lusaka (named after a village called Lusaka, located at Manda Hill, near where Zambia’s National Assembly building currently stands; the village was named after a headman (chief) LUSAKASA)
Independence: 24 October 1964 (from the UK)
Constitution: History: several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991.
Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly in two separate readings at least 30 days apart; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms requires approval by at least one half of votes cast in a referendum prior to consideration and voting by the Assembly; amended 1996, 2015, 2016; note – in late 2020, an
amendment which would have altered the structure of the constitution was defeated in the National Assembly
Mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICC jurisdiction
Presidential Republic
Chief of state: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021).
note – the president is both chief of state and head of government.
Head of government: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly.
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 12 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026)
Election results:
2021: Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote – Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%, Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8%
2016: Edgar LUNGU re-elected president; percent of vote – Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2%
Unicameral National Assembly (167 seats statutory, 166 seats current; 156 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, and up to 8 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms); 3 ex-officio members elected by National Assembly membership.
Elections: last held on 12 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026)
Election results: percent of vote by party – UPND 53.9%, PF 38.1%, PNUP 0.6%, independent 7.4%; seats by party – UPND 82, PF 62, PNUP 1, independent 11; composition – men 142, women 25, percentage women 15%
Election results: National Council – percent of vote by party – NA; seats by party – SWAPO 28, LPM 6, IPC 2, PDM 2, UDF 2, NUDO 1, independent 1; composition – men 36, women 6, percentage women 14.3%
National Assembly – percent of vote by party – SWAPO 65.5%, PDM 16.6%, LPM 4.7%, NUDO 1.9%, APP 1.8%, UDF 1.8%, RP 1.8%, NEFF 1.7%, RDP 1.1%, CDV .7%, SWANU .6%, other 1.8%; seats by party – SWAPO 63, PDM 16, LPM 4, NUDO 2, APP 2, UDF 2, RP 2, NEFF 2, RDP 1, CDV 1, SWANU 1; composition – men 58, women 46, percentage women 44.2%; total Parliament percentage women 35.6%
Parliament Road,
P.O. Box 31299,
Lusaka
Zambia.
10101
Telephone: +260 211 292425-36
Fax: +260 211 292252
Email:
Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) is an Umbrella of Civil Society Organisations whose main goal is promoting vibrant, independent and well-coordinated civil society organisation in Zambia.
Address
Plot 19057, Off Akashambatwa Road, Olympia Park Ext., Lusaka , P.O. Box 32997 Lusaka 10101, Lusaka, Democratic Republic of the Congo
+260 211 236 219 | +260978136521
Email: [email protected]
Namibia and Zambia are set to make cross-border travel between their countries easier by allowing citizens to use national identification
Namibia and Zambia are set to make cross-border travel between their countries easier by allowing citizens to use national identification
