Name
The country's name derives from the Zambezi River, which flows through its western part and forms its southern border with Zimbabwe.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Zambia
14.66° S, 26.40° E
No coast at all — every one of its 6,043 km of border is shared with another country.
coastline 0 km · 185th/229 · land borders 6,043 km · 22nd/230
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 17,861,030
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 752,618 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 752,777 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 24 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- ZM · ZMB
- GDP (nominal)
- $26.33 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $3,700
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Zambia 752,618 km²Somalia 637,657 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Zambia sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age19 years208th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy66.9 years196th of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate3.67 children per woman30th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population17,861,03065th of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area752,618 km²40th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline0 km185th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Background
Bantu-speaking groups, mainly from the Luba and Lunda Kingdoms in the Congo River Basin and Great Lakes region, settled the area around 300 CE. After Great Zimbabwe fell to the south, the Mutapa Empire developed in the 14th century and ruled the region, including large parts of Zambia, until the 17th century. The empire collapsed amid the growing slave trade and Portuguese incursions in the 16th and 17th centuries. British companies secured concessions from local leaders in the 1880s and incorporated the region as the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in 1911. The UK took administrative control from the British South Africa Company in 1924, while mining advances spurred ventures and colonial settlement in the 1920s and 1930s.
Northern Rhodesia became Zambia upon independence from the UK in 1964 under Kenneth Kaunda; declining copper prices, economic mismanagement, and prolonged drought hurt the economy in the 1980s and 1990s. The 1991 election ended one-party rule and brought MMD to power, but later elections saw harassment, resource abuse, and administrative problems. Mwanawasa won reelection in 2006; Banda succeeded him after his 2008 death, then lost to Sata and PF in 2011. After Sata died in 2014, Scott served interim president until Lungu won the 2015 presidential byelection and 2016 presidential election; Hichilema was elected in 2021.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Climate
Altitude modifies the tropical climate, which has a rainy season. Periodic drought and tropical storms are natural hazards.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
People and society
Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde, and Namwanga are ethnic groups in Zambia. Lunda (north Western), Mambwe, Luvale, Lamba, Ushi, Lenje, Bisa, Mbunda, and other groups also form part of its population.
Religious affiliations include Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i, while some people have no religion. Zambia has an urbanization level among the highest in Africa, and population density is high in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Government
A presidential republic governs Zambia. Its legal system is a mixed system of English common law and customary law. The latest constitution was adopted 24 August 1991 and promulgated 30 August 1991. Independence from the UK came on 24 October 1964. Independence Day is the national holiday, dated 24 October (1964).
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Flag and symbols
A green field carries a soaring orange eagle in the upper-right corner, above a panel of three vertical bands: red on the left, black, and orange. Green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation; red stands for the struggle for freedom, black for the people, and orange for the country's mineral wealth. The eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems. The national symbol is the African fish eagle.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $26.33 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $79.21 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $3,700
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +4%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 15%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 6%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $11.45 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $10.85 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 66.9 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 19 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 29.6 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 4.91 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 3.67 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +2.51% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 46.3%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Literacy
- 71.1%
- Field “People and Society → Literacy → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Languages
- Bemba33.4%
- Nyanja14.7%
- Tonga11.4%
- Lozi5.5%
- Chewa4.5%
- Nsenga2.9%
- Tumbuka2.5%
- Lunda1.9%
- Kaonde1.8%
- Lala1.8%
- Lamba1.8%
- Englishofficial1.7%
- Luvale1.5%
- Mambwe1.3%
- Namwanga1.2%
- Lenje1.1%
- Bisa1%
- others0.2%
- Field “People and Society → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Religions
- Protestant75.3%
- Roman Catholic20.2%
- other1.8%
- Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 752,618 km²Land 743,398 km² · Water 9,220 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 0 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 6,043 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 1,138 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 2,330 m Mafinga Central
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 5
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Plateaus 1
Largest cities 14
Population · Natural Earth