If you were asked about what your first thoughts are about Zambia, what would they be?, most peoples perception about Zambia would probably consist of poverty, HIV/AIDS, malaria and little else, although these things are a reality in Zambia, the country is much more than these labels.

 

Geography

 

Zambia is a land locked country in southern Africa, surrounded by the Demorcratic Republic of Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west.  The country is 3 times the size of the United Kingdom and roughly about the same size as the state of Texas in the United States.  The landscape consists of high plateaus, with some hills and mountains, dissected by river valleys.  The capital city is Lusaka, located in the south-central part of the country and the total population of Zambia is 14 million people, it is one of the most highly urbanised countries in sub Saharan Africa with the population being concentrated mainly around Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt Province to the northwest, as a result the rural areas are sparsely populated.

 

People and Language

 

The indigenous black African population comprises of approximately 72 ethnic groups, most of which are Bantu-speaking.  Almost 90% of Zambians belong to the nine main ethno linguistic groups; the Nyanja-Chewa, Bemba, Tonga, Tumbuka, Lunda, Luvale, Kaonde, Nkoya and Lozi.  In the rural areas, each ethnic group is concentrated in a particular geographic region of the country.  However, all the ethnic groups can be found in significant numbers in Lusaka and the Copperbelt.  The rest of the population consists of people from other African nations, those of mixed racial heritage as well as Europeans and Asians.  Although several languages are spoken within the general population of which the major vernaculars include Bemba, Kaonde, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja and Tonga the official language of Zambia is English which is used in business and is the medium of instruction at school.

 

Culture

 

Zambia is a country with a rich cultural heritage.  Throughout the year each tribal group celebrates several major cultural festivals which, on the whole, are rarely seen by visitors. Generally these ceremonies celebrate harvests, war conquests, movement from summer to winter palaces or their chiefs. The events celebrate customs, rituals, history and spiritual beliefs, and are filled with lots of colour, singing, dancing, drumming and of course feasting.  If you would like to find out more about the ceremonies that occur throughout the year in Zambia click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Religion

 

Zambia is officially a Christian nation according to the 1996 constitution, but a variety of religious traditions exist in the country.  The religions that are practiced by people include Christianity (various denominations) 50%-75%, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Bahaism, Judaism 24%-49% and indigenous beliefs 1%.

 

Economy

 

The Zambian economy has historically been based on the copper mining industry, although due to the decline in copper prices in the 1970s leading to a 30 year low, the Zambian government is pursuing an economic diversification program so that the economy isn’t as reliant on copper mining.  As a result of this diversification the government is looking to exploit other components of Zambia's rich resource base by promoting agriculture, tourism, mineral mining, gemstone mining, and hydro-power.  

 

Climate

 

The climate of Zambia is tropical with a rainy season from November through to April which is termed summer and a dry season May through to October which is termed as winter.   

 

Wildlife

 

Zambia is a beautiful country which has a spectacular variety of wildlife and one of the best National Parks in Africa, South Luangwa. It is one of the few countries in the world where you can see both black and white rhinos, as well as lions, elephants, leopards, zebras, giraffe and an incredible array of birds, reptiles and insects. 

 

If you are interested in finding out more about Zambia you can take a look on the Zambia Tourism board website www.zambiatourism.com.  You can also click here to find out somemore fascinating facts about Zambia.