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Africa :: Zambia
page last updated on January 29, 2013
Flag of Zambia
(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
Location of Zambia
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Map of Zambia
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Introduction ::Zambia
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The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. 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, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. 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 reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his Vice President Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected President in September 2011.
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Geography ::Zambia
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Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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15 00 S, 30 00 E
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total: 752,618 sq km
country comparison to the world: 39
land: 743,398 sq km
water: 9,220 sq km
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slightly larger than Texas
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total: 5,664 km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
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0 km (landlocked)
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none (landlocked)
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tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
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mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
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lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed elevation in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
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copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
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arable land: 6.99%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 92.97% (2005)
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1,560 sq km (2003)
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105.2 cu km (2001)
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total: 1.74 cu km/yr (17%/7%/76%)
per capita: 149 cu m/yr (2000)
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periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)
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air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)
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People and Society ::Zambia
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noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian
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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)
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Bemba (official) 30.1%, Nyanja (official) 10.7%, Tonga (official) 10.6%, Lozi (official) 5.7%, Chewa 4.9%, Nsenga 3.4%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (official) 2.2%, Kaonde (official) 2%, Lala 2%, Luvale (official) 1.7%, English (official) 1.7%, other 22.5% (2000 Census)
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Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
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13,817,479 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
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0-14 years: 46.3% (male 3,210,553/ female 3,183,169)
15-64 years: 51.3% (male 3,549,980/ female 3,538,503)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 144,145/ female 191,129) (2012 est.)
population pyramid:
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total: 16.5 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 16.6 years (2012 est.)
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2.89% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
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43.1 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
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13.4 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
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-0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
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urban population: 36% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 3.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
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LUSAKA (capital) 1.413 million (2009)
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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: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
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440 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 25
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total: 70.6 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 19
male: 76.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
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total population: 52.57 years
country comparison to the world: 208
male: 51.35 years
female: 53.83 years (2012 est.)
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5.85 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
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4.8% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 142
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0.055 physicians/1,000 population (2006)
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1.9 beds/1,000 population (2008)
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improved:
urban: 59% of population
rural: 43% of population
total: 49% of population
unimproved:
urban: 41% of population
rural: 57% of population
total: 51% of population
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13.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
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980,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
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45,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
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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)
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14.9% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 54
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1.3% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 159
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 80.6%
male: 86.8%
female: 74.8% (2003 est.)
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total: 7 years
male: 8 years
female: 7 years (2000)
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Government ::Zambia
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conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia
former: Northern Rhodesia
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republic
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name: Lusaka
geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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10 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
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24 October 1964 (from the UK)
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Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
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24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits
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mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council
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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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18 years of age; universal
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chief of state: President Michael Chilufya SATA (since 23 September 2011); Vice President Guy SCOTT (since 30 September 2011); the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Michael Chilufya SATA (since 23 September 2011); Vice President Guy SCOTT (since 30 September 2011)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
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elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 September 2011 (next to be held in 2016); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Michael Chilufya SATA elected president; percent of vote - Michael SATA 43.3%, Rupiah BANDA 36.2%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 18.5%, other 2.0%
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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 20 September 2011 (next to be held in 2016)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PF 60, MMD 55, UPND 28, ADD 1, FDD 1, independents 3; seats not determined 2
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Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases)
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Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD [Charles MILUPI]; Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Nevers MUMBA]; National Restoration Party or NAREP [Elias CHIPIMO]; Party of Unity for Democracy and Development or PUDD [Dan PULE]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; 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]
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NA
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ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Bernard KANGWA
chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826
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chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. STORELLA
embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka
mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone: [260] (211) 357-000
FAX: [260] (211) 357-224
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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
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African fish eagle
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name: "Lumbanyeni Zambia" (Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free)
lyrics/music: multiple/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA
note: adopted 1964; the melody, from the popular song "God Bless Africa," is the same as that of Tanzania but with different lyrics; the melody is also incorporated into South Africa's anthem
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Economy ::Zambia
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Zambia's economy has experienced strong growth in recent years, with real GDP growth in 2005-12 more than 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 increased copper mining output and profitability to 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 US$6 billion in debt relief. Poverty remains a significant problem in Zambia, despite a stronger economy. Zambia's dependency on copper makes it vulnerable to depressed commodity prices, but record high copper prices and a bumper maize crop in 2010 helped Zambia rebound quickly from the world economic slowdown that began in 2008. Zambia has made some strides to improve the ease of doing business. A high birth rate, relatively high HIV/AIDS burden, and market distorting agricultural policies have meant that Zambia's economic growth has not dramatically decreased the stubbornly high poverty rates.
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$23.68 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
$22.24 billion (2011 est.)
$20.87 billion (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
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$20.68 billion (2012 est.)
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6.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
6.6% (2011 est.)
7.6% (2010 est.)
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$1,700 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
$1,600 (2011 est.)
$1,600 (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
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agriculture: 20.2%
industry: 33.5%
services: 46.3% (2012 est.)
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5.839 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
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agriculture: 85%
industry: 6%
services: 9% (2004)
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14% (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
50% (2000 est.)
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64% (2006)
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lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 38.8% (2004)
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50.8 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 20
52.6 (1998)
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20.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
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revenues: $4.092 billion
expenditures: $5.369 billion (2012 est.)
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19.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
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-6.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
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31.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
26.7% of GDP (2011 est.)
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6.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
8.7% (2011 est.)
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8.39% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 11
14.49% (31 December 2008)
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13% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
18.84% (31 December 2011 est.)
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$1.919 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
$1.631 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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$4.906 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
$4.075 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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$3.956 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
$3.293 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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$4.009 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 91
$2.817 billion (31 December 2010)
$2.804 billion (31 December 2009)
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corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides
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8.8% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
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-$1.048 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
$215 million (2011 est.)
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$8.346 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
$8.672 billion (2011 est.)
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copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton
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China 34.8%, Switzerland 18.2%, South Africa 7.8%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 5.4%, South Korea 4.4% (2011)
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$7.279 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
$6.454 billion (2011 est.)
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machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer, foodstuffs, clothing
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South Africa 36.7%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 20.6%, China 10%, Kuwait 5.9% (2011)
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$2.616 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
$2.324 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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$5.445 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
$4.619 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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$NA
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$NA
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Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar -
5,100 (2012 est.)
4,860.7 (2011 est.)
4,797.1 (2010 est.)
5,046.1 (2009)
3,512.9 (2008)
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calendar year
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Energy ::Zambia
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10.2 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
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7.704 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
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110 million kWh (2010)
country comparison to the world: 73
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33 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
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1.679 million kW (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
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0.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
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99.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
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0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
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0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
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10,790 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
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0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
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9,664 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
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19,260 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
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21.18 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
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17,570 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
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0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
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2.416 million Mt (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
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Communications ::Zambia
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85,700 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 149
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8.165 million (2011)
country comparison to the world: 87
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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
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state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) operates 1 TV station and is the principal local-content provider; several private TV stations; multi-channel subscription TV services are available; ZNBC operates 3 radio networks; about 2 dozen private radio stations; relays of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible in Lusaka and Kitwe (2007)
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.zm
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16,571 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 122
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816,200 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 105
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Transportation ::Zambia
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88 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 65
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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 (2012)
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total: 80
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 53
under 914 m: 21 (2012)
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oil 771 km (2010)
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total: 2,157 km
country comparison to the world: 69
narrow gauge: 2,157 km 1.067-m gauge
note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2008)
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total: 91,440 km
country comparison to the world: 50
paved: 20,117 km
unpaved: 71,323 km (2001)
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2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 39
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Mpulungu
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Military ::Zambia
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Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, National Service (paramilitary youth organization) (2012)
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national registration required at age 16; 18-27 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription; Zambian citizenship required; mandatory HIV testing upon enlistment; mandatory retirement for officers at age 65 (Army, Air Force) (2012)
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males age 16-49: 3,041,069
females age 16-49: 2,948,291 (2010 est.)
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males age 16-49: 1,745,656
females age 16-49: 1,688,670 (2010 est.)
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male: 158,592
female: 158,805 (2010 est.)
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1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
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Transnational Issues ::Zambia
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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
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refugees (country of origin): 23,500 (Angola); 12,509 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 5,559 (Rwanda) (2011)
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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
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