Source: MAPS IN MINUTES™ © RH Publications (1997)

A landlocked country lying on a plateau in central Africa, surrounded by Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Namibia (the Caprivi Strip).

Physical

The Zambezi and its tributaries the Kafue and Luangwa run through Zambia, while in the north the Chambeshi drains into swampy areas round Lake Bangweulu. In the south-west there are forests of teak.

Economy

Zambia has rich mineral resources, including copper, coal, lead, zinc, manganese, cobalt, and gemstones. Exports are dominated by copper, followed by cobalt and electricity (from hydroelectric plants on the Zambezi and other rivers). Other industries include emerald mining, construction, food and drink, and chemicals. However, about five-sixths of the workforce is engaged in agriculture, mostly at a subsistence level, and almost two-thirds of the population lives in poverty. The importance of such cash crops as tobacco and sugar cane has declined. Tobacco, flowers, and cotton are significant exports; other crops include maize, sorghum, rice, groundnuts, sunflower seeds, vegetables, sugar cane, cassava, and coffee.

History

Zambia was settled by Nguni people in flight from Zululand in 1835, but was also subject throughout much of the 19th century to Arab slave-traders. Agents from Cecil Rhodes entered the country (known at this time as Barotseland) in 1890. Rhodes’s British South Africa Company had been granted responsibility for it in its charter of 1889 and it began to open up the rich deposits of Broken Hill from 1902. The country was named Northern Rhodesia in 1911. It became a British protectorate in 1924 and between 1953 and 1963 was federated with Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, before becoming the independent republic of Zambia under President Kenneth Kaunda in 1964. Dependent on its large copper-mining industry, Zambia has experienced persistent economic difficulties due to its lack of a coastline and port facilities and to low copper prices. It suffered from economic sanctions against Rhodesia (1965–80), but was assisted by the construction of the Tan-Zam railway. It gave refuge to political exiles from its neighbours Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Angola, Namibia, and Mozambique, as well as from the ANC. In September 1990 Kaunda yielded to pressure to hold a referendum on the introduction of a multiparty system, and in November 1991 Frederick Chiluba was elected President. He inherited both severe economic problems and an inefficient and corrupt civil service, but was helped by promises that Zambia’s international debt-loan would be eased. Chiluba’s programme of economic reform was hampered by the drought that swept southern Africa in 1992–93. A state of emergency was declared (1997–98) following an attempted coup. Levy Mwanawasa was elected President in 2001. He was re-elected in 2006 but died in office in August 2008 to be succeeded by Rupiah Banda. Former President Chiluba was charged with corruption in 2003 and went on trial in 2006. He was surprisingly acquitted in 2009 (he had been found guilty of the theft of state funds in a case brought in London in 2007). Michael Sata of the opposition National Front was elected President in 2011. He died in office in 2015 and after a special election was succeeded by Edgar Lungu, his Vice-President. In the regular 2016 election Lungu defeated Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development.