0-14 years: 45.1% (male 2,685,142/female 2,659,771)

15-64 years: 52.6% (male 3,122,305/female 3,116,846)

65 years and over: 2.3% (male 114,477/female 164,199) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.5 years

male: 16.5 years

female: 16.6 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.631% (2010 est.)

Birth rate:

40.24 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate:

21.34 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Net migration rate:

-2.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 35% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 101.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 105.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 96.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 38.63 years

male: 38.53 years

female: 38.73 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.07 children born/woman (2010 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

15.2% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.1 million (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

56,000 (2007 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Zambian(s)

adjective: Zambian

Ethnic groups:

African 99.5% (includes Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde, Lunda, and other African groups), other 0.5% (includes Europeans, Asians, and Americans) (2000 Census)

Religions:

Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:

Bemba 30.1% (official), Nyanja 10.7% (official), Tonga 10.6% (official), Lozi 5.7% (official), Chewa 4.9%, Nsenga 3.4%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda 2.2% (official), Kaonde 2% (official), Lala 2%, Luvale 1.7% (official), English 1.7% (official), other 22.5% (2000 Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 80.6%

male: 86.8%

female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 7 years

female: 7 years (2000)

Education expenditures:

2% of GDP (2005)

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Zambia

conventional short form: Zambia

former: Northern Rhodesia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Lusaka

geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence:

24 October 1964 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution:

24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits

Legal system:

based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008); note - President BANDA was acting president during the illness leading up to the death of President Levy MWANAWASA on 18 August 2008, he was then elected president on 30 October 2008 to serve out the remainder of MWANAWASA's term; the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 30 October 2008 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president; note - due to the death of former President Levy MWANAWASA, early elections were held to identify a replacement to serve out the remainder of his term

election results: Rupiah BANDA elected president; percent of vote - Rupiah BANDA 40.1%, Michael SATA 38.1%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 19.7%, Godfrey MIYANDA 0.8%, other 1.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are elected by popular vote, 8 members appointed by the president, to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 28 September 2006 (next to be held in October 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; seats not determined 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:

Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [vacant]; Party of Unity for Democracy and Development or PUDD [Dan PULE]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Reform Party [Nevers MUMBA]; United Democratic Alliance or UDA (a coalition of RP, ZADECO, PUDD, and ZRP); United Liberal Party or ULP [Sakwiba SIKOTA]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or ZADECO [Langton SICHONE]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Shelia Z. SIWELA

chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719

FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH

embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka

mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka

telephone: [260] (211) 250-955

FAX: [260] (211) 252-225

Flag description:

green field with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag; green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red symbolizes the struggle for freedom, black the people of Zambia, and orange the country's mineral wealth; the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems

Economy - overview:

Zambia's economy has experienced strong growth in recent years, with real GDP growth in 2005-08 about 6% per year. Privatization of government-owned copper mines in the 1990s relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper output has increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices and foreign investment. In 2005, Zambia qualified for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative, consisting of approximately USD 6 billion in debt relief. Poverty remains a significant problem in Zambia, despite a stronger economy. The decline in world commodity prices and demand hurt GDP growth in 2009, but a sharp rebound in copper prices and a bumper maize crop have helped Zambia begin to recover. Lack of economic diversity subjects Zambia to fluctuations in copper prices and in the weather.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$18.46 billion (2009 est.)

$17.37 billion (2008 est.)

$16.43 billion (2007 est.)

note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$13 billion (2009 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.3% (2009 est.)

5.7% (2008 est.)

6.2% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2009 est.)

$1,500 (2008 est.)

$1,400 (2007 est.)

note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 19.7%

industry: 32.4%

services: 47.9% (2009 est.)

Labor force:

5.398 million (2009 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 85%

industry: 6%

services: 9% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

50% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

86% (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.2%

highest 10%: 38.8% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.8 (2004)

52.6 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $2.308 billion

expenditures: $2.777 billion (2009 est.)

Public debt:

25.5% of GDP (2009 est.)

28.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13.4% (2009 est.)

12.4% (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

14.49% (31 December 2008)

11.73% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

19.06% (31 December 2008)

18.89% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.034 billion (31 December 2008)

$995.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.618 billion (31 December 2008)

$1.709 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$2.138 billion (31 December 2008)

$1.968 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.346 billion (31 December 2007)

$1.186 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides

Industries:

copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Industrial production growth rate:

11% (2009 est.)

Electricity - production:

9.752 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

8.838 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports:

268 million kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports:

222 million kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

159.5 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - consumption:

16,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports:

275 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports:

14,730 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Current account balance:

-$102 million (2009 est.)

-$618.9 million (2008 est.)

Exports:

$4.375 billion (2009 est.)

$4.957 billion (2008 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton

Exports - partners:

China 21.37%, Saudi Arabia 8.93%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 8.55%, South Korea 8.32%, Egypt 8.08%, South Africa 6.96%, India 5% (2009)

Imports:

$3.735 billion (2009 est.)

$4.555 billion (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:

South Africa 51.78%, UAE 7.7%, China 5.85%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 4.22% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.562 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.096 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.313 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$3.095 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar - 5,237.4 (2009), 3,512.9 (2008), 3,990.2 (2007), 3,601.5 (2006), 4,463.5 (2005)

Telephones - main lines in use:

90,600 (2008)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.539 million (2008)

Telephone system:

general assessment: among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa

domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation and network coverage is improving; domestic satellite system being installed to improve telephone service in rural areas; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms

international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 3 owned by Zamtel

Broadcast media:

state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) operates 1 TV station and is the principal local-content provider; several private TV stations are available; multi-channel subscription TV services are obtainable; ZNBC operates 3 radio networks; about 2 dozen private radio stations also broadcasting; relays of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Lusaka and Kitwe (2007)

Internet country code:

.zm

Internet hosts:

14,951 (2009)

Internet users:

700,000 (2008)

Airports:

94 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 8

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 86

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 63

under 914 m: 18 (2010)

Pipelines:

oil 771 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 2,157 km

narrow gauge: 2,157 km 1.067-m gauge

note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 91,440 km

paved: 20,117 km

unpaved: 71,323 km (2001)

Waterways:

2,250 km; (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Mpulungu

Military branches:

Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Zambian Army, Zambian Air Force, National Service (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription; Zambian citizenship required; mandatory HIV testing upon enlistment (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,824,372

females age 16-49: 2,685,883 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,401,481

females age 16-49: 1,274,583 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 151,586

female: 150,839 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Disputes - international:

in 2004, Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 42,565 (Angola); 60,874 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,100 (Rwanda) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for southern Africa and possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it an unattractive venue for money launderers; major consumer of cannabis