TOTAL AREA: 752,610 sq km (290,223 sq mi); LAND AREA: 740,720 sq km (285,647 sq mi)
COMPARATIVE AREA: slightly larger than Texas
LAND BOUNDARIES: 5,664 km (3,519 mi) total; Angola 1,110 km (690 mi), Malawi 837 km (520 mi), Mozambique 419 km (260 mi), Namibia 233 km (145 mi), Tanzania 338 km (210 mi), Zaire 1,930 km (1,199 mi), Zimbabwe 797 km (495 mi)
COASTLINE: none--landlocked
MARITIME CLAIMS: none--landlocked
DISPUTES: short section of boundary with Zaire is indefinite; quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika is indefinite pending settlement of the Zaire-Zambia boundary
CLIMATE: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
TERRAIN: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
INDEPENDENCE: 24 October 1964 (from UK; formerly Northern Rhodesia)
CONSTITUTION: 25 August 1973
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
NATIONAL HOLIDAY: Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
CHIEF OF STATE: Dr. Kenneth David KAUNDA, President (since October 1964)
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Malimba MASHEKE, Prime Minister (since March 1989)
SUFFRAGE: universal at age 18
ELECTIONS: general election held 26 October 1988; next general election scheduled for 1993
POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERS: United National Independence Party (UNIP), Kenneth Kaunda; former opposition party banned in December 1972 when one-party state proclaimed
VOTING STRENGTH: (1988 election) 54% of eligible voters participated; Kaunda, the only candidate for president, received a 95.5% yes vote; National Assembly seats were contested by vetted members of UNIP
DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION: Charge d'Affaires Lazarous KAPAMBWE; Chancery at 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-9717 through 9721
U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE POST: Ambassador Jeffrey DAVIDOW; Embassy at corner of Independence Avenue and United Nations Avenue, Lusaka (mailing address is P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka); telephone
FLAG: ith 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
.ECONOMY OF ZAMBIA
OVERVIEW: For more than a decade the economy has been in severe recession with rising unemployment, declining imports, and growing foreign debt. Economic difficulties stem from a sustained drop in copper prices, declining copper production, four years of drought, and ineffective economic policies. In 1987 real GDP stood only slightly higher than that of 10 years before, while an annual population growth of more than 3% has brought a decline in per capita GDP of 25% during the same period. A high inflation rate has also added to Zambia's economic woes in recent years.
GDP: $2.0 billion, per capita $240; real growth rate - 0.2% (1987)
INFLATION RATE (CONSUMER PRICES): 58.0% (1987)
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: NA%
BUDGET: revenues $540 million; expenditures $787 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1987 est.)
EXPORTS: $866 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities-- copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco; partners-- EC, Japan, South Africa, US
IMPORTS: $765 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities-- machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, manufactures; partners-- EC, Japan, South Africa, US
EXTERNAL DEBT: $5 billion (July 1988)
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION: growth rate - 0.7% (1986)
ELECTRICITY: 1,900,000 kW capacity; 8,244 million kWh produced, 1,090 kWh per capita (1988)
INDUSTRIES: copper mining and processing, transport, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, and fertilizer
AGRICULTURE: corn, tobacco, cotton; net importer of most major agricultural products
RAILROADS: 1,266 km, (786 mi) all 1.067-meter gauge; 13 km double track
HIGHWAYS: 36,370 km (22,585 mi) total; 6,500 km paved, 7,000 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 22,870 km improved and unimproved earth
INLAND WATERWAYS: 2,250 km, (1,397 mi) including Zambezi and Luapula Rivers, Lake Tanganyika
PIPELINES: 1,724 km (1,070 mi) crude oil
PORTS: Mpulungu (lake port)
CIVIL AIR: 10 major transport aircraft
AIRPORTS: 125 total, 108 usable; 13 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 19 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa; high-capacity radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; 71,700 telephones; stations--9 AM, 2 FM, 11 TV; satellite stations--1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean
.DEFENSE FORCES OF ZAMBIA
BRANCHES: Army, Air Force, Police, Paramilitary
MILITARY MANPOWER: males 15-49, 1,632,229; 856,014 fit for military service
MILITARY BUDGET: NA
.TRAVEL IN ZAMBIA
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Passport and visa required. All visas $15, valid up to 6 months, requires 2 photos and applications. Visitors must obtain visa in advance. Cash only, allow 3 weeks for processing. Vaccination certificate not required unless arriving from an area infected with yellow fever.
HEALTH: Cholera, yellow fever, and typhoid vaccinations recommended. Tapwater in Lusaka is considered potable, but boiling is advised. Malaria suppressants are essential. Do not bathe in streams or lakes. Health requirements change; check latest information.
TOURIST OFFICE: Ministry of Tourism, P.O. Box 30575, Lusaka. Zambia National Tourist Board, P.O. Box 30017, Lusaka.
WEATHER AND CLOTHING: Summer clothing is worn mid-August to Mid- May. Sweaters advised the rest of the year.
TELEPHONE: When direct dialing to Zambia from the U.S., dial 011 (international access code) + 260 [country code] + (city code) + local number. Outgoing service is adequate but expensive.
TIME: 7 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time, and 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
ELECTRIC CURRENT: 220V
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day (Jan 1); Youth Day (2nd Saturday in Mar); Good Friday, Holy Saturday (variable); Labor Day (May 1); Africa Freedom Day (4th Tuesday in May); Heroes Day (1st Monday in July); Unity Day (2nd Tuesday in July); Farmer's Day (1st Monday in Aug); Independence Day (Oct 24); Christmas Day (Dec 25).
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: Victoria Falls is becoming the center of a modern resort area. Kafue and Luangwa Valley National Parks are among the largest in Africa.
IMPORTANT!! All requirements/recommendations are subject to change. Be sure to check latest information.