Zambia

presidential republic

name: Lusaka geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after a village with a headman (chief) called LUSAAKAS

chief of state: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021) head of government: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 12 August 2021 election results: 2021 : Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote - Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%, Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8% 2016 : Edgar LUNGU reelected president; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2%; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government expected date of next election: 2026

legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 167 (156 directly elected; 8 appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 44420 parties elected and seats per party: United Party for National Development (UPND) (82); Patriotic Front (PF) (60); Independents (13); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 15% expected date of next election: August 2026

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and at least 11 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 11 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the advice of the 9-member Judicial Service Commission, which is headed by the chief justice, and ratified by the National Assembly; judges normally serve until age 65 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Industrial Relations Court; subordinate courts (3 levels, based on upper limit of money involved); Small Claims Court; local courts (2 grades, based on upper limit of money involved)

history: several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly in two separate readings at least 30 days apart; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms requires approval by at least one half of votes cast in a referendum prior to consideration and voting by the Assembly

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

1.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Zambia Defense Force (ZDF): Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia National Service Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security: Zambia Police (2025) note 1: the Zambia National Service is a support organization that also does public work projects; its main objectives revolve around land development, agriculture, industries, youth skills training as well as arts, sports and culture; the ZDF also includes a Defense Force Medical Service note 2: the Zambia Army comprises the Regular Force, the Home Guard, and the Territorial Reserve

18-25 years of age (17 with parental consent) for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription; initial service of 7 years followed by 5 in the Reserves (2025)

the Zambia Defense Forces (ZDF) are responsible for territorial defense, border security, and providing support to African and UN peacekeeping operations; it also has some domestic security responsibilities in cases of national emergency and is involved in socio-economic support; in recent years, ZDF has been directed to assist in agricultural production; the ZDF is part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force and participates in multinational training exercises; it has received training assistance from China and the US the ZDF traces its roots to the Northern Rhodesia Regiment, which was raised by the British colonial government to fight in World War II; the ZDF was established in 1964 from units of the dissolved Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland armed forces; it participated in a number of regional conflicts during the 1970s and 1980s; Zambia actively supported independence movements such as the Union for the Total Liberation of Angola (UNITA), the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), and the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) (2025)

930 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)

$79.207 billion (2024 est.) $76.129 billion (2023 est.) $72.251 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$3,700 (2024 est.) $3,700 (2023 est.) $3,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4% (2024 est.) 5.4% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

15% (2024 est.) 10.9% (2023 est.) 11% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

71.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$11.454 billion (2023 est.) $12.444 billion (2022 est.) $11.728 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$10.854 billion (2023 est.) $10.022 billion (2022 est.) $7.691 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

6% (2024 est.) 6% (2023 est.) 6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $5.388 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $6.19 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

copper mining and processing, emerald mining, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

sugarcane, cassava, maize, soybeans, milk, vegetables, wheat, groundnuts, sweet potatoes, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 22,021,971 (2025 est.) male: 11,066,079 female: 10,955,892

2.51% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 42.1% (male 4,418,980/female 4,337,187) 15-64 years: 55.1% (male 5,726,265/female 5,736,732) 65 years and over: 2.8% (2024 est.) (male 262,008/female 317,944)

29.6 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 66.9 years (2024 est.) male: 65.2 years female: 68.7 years

urban population: 46.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Bemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (north Western) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)

Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.) note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family; Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects

Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)

total population: 71.1% (2018 est.) male: 81.7% (2018 est.) female: 62.2% (2018 est.)

copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower

refugees: 88,918 (2024 est.) IDPs: 131,349 (2024 est.)

120 (2025)

total: 3,126 km (2014) narrow gauge: 3,126 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge note: includes 1,860 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA)

total: 2 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 1

total subscriptions: 23.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 33% (2023 est.)