Vital Statistics
Areal extent: 752,614 sq.km.~
Population (2000): 9,959,037**
Population density: 13.2 per sq. km.
Capital: Lusaka
Largest city/population 1990: Lusaka/982,400~
Urban population 1980/1997: 40/44*
Population growth 1990-1997: 2.8% p.a.*
Life expectancy 1975-80/1995-2000: 49.3/43.0
Fertility rate 1975-80/1995-2000: 7.2/5.5
Adult literacy rate 1997: 75.1¬
GNP per capita 1997: $370¬
GNP per capita annual growth rate (%): 1975-1995: -2.2¬
Human Development Index rank/value 1999: 151/0.431¬
Population below poverty line: 86% (1993 est.)**
GDP by sector: agriculture - 24% industry - 25% services - 51% (2000)**
Exports: $876 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)**
Export destinations: UK 25.2%, South Africa 24.5%, Switzerland 9.4%, Malawi 7.5% (2000)**
Imports: $12.05 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)**
Import destinations: South Africa 67.1%, UK 9.8%, Zimbabwe 7.5%, US 5.9% (2000)**
External debt: $5.8 billion (2001)**
Debt service ratio 1997: 19.9¬
UNDP Human Development Index rank/value (2003) ranking/index: 163/0.386
Link to UNDP Human Development Indicators - Zambia page
President: Levy Mwanawasa elected 27th December 2001, majority:
- 5yr. term of office, re-electable.
Vice-President: Nevers Mumba (since May 2003)
National Government: President and his cabinet (for details of personnel, click here). Government currently formed by Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) which won the election on 27th December 2001.
National Assembly: 159 members, 150 elected by universal suffrage on a first past the post basis - all serve a 5 yr. term; 8 appointed members and the speaker
Main political parties: For a full list of political parties currently registered in Zambia, click here or see below.
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

* = World Bank 1999
** = CIA World Factbook 2002
~ = Instituto del Tercer Mundo 1997
¬ = Human Development Report 1999
^ = Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) 2000

Government and official websites

• Government of the Republic of Zambia
• Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Washington, D.C., USA
• Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources
  • Environmental Council of Zambia
• Zambia Revenue Authority
• Zambia Privatisation Agency
• National Roads Board
• Zambia National Tourist Board
• Securities and Exchange Commission
• Bank of Zambia

Political parties

Parties with websites:

• Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD)
• National Citizens' Coalition (NCC)
• United Party for National Development (UPND)
• Zambia Republican Party (ZRP)
  
  All parties:
  Labor Party or LP [Chibiza MFUNI]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Democratic Process or MDP [Chama CHAKOM BOKA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy MWANAWASA]; National Party or NP [Daniel LISULO]; Republican Party or RP [Ben MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline Konie]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or Zadeco [Eden JERRY, acting head]