Zambia

Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia (in English: Republic of Zambia) is a landlocked country located in the central -south of the African continent. It borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the northeast, Malawi and Mozambique to the east, Zimbabwe and Botswana to the south, Namibia to the southwest and Angola to the west. Its current name comes from the Zambezi River, the main one in the country. The population is mainly concentrated around its capital, Lusaka, in the south and the Copperbelt province in the north, the main economic centers of the country.

Originally inhabited by Khoisan peoples, the region was altered by Bantu expansion during the 13th century. Following European explorers in the 18th century century, the British colonized the region and formed the protectorates of Northeast Rhodesia and Barotseland around end of the XIX century. These merged in 1911 to form Northern Rhodesia. For most of the colonial period, Zambia was governed by an administration appointed from London on the advice of the British South Africa Company.

Zambia declared its independence from the United Kingdom on October 24, 1964, with Kenneth Kaunda as its first president through the United National Independence Party (UNIP), which held power from 1964 to 1991. Kaunda served as a key role in regional diplomacy, cooperating closely with the United States in seeking solutions to conflicts in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Angola, and Namibia. From 1972 to 1991, Zambia was a one-party state under the banner of " One Zambia, one nation" coined by Kaunda. Social Democrat Frederick Chiluba of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy won the 1991 elections, beginning a period of decentralization and socioeconomic growth. Since then, Zambia has become a multi-party state and has experienced several peaceful transitions of power.

Zambia has abundant natural resources, including minerals, fresh water, forestry, and arable land. The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is headquartered in Lusaka. The current president is Hakainde Hichilema.

History

Modern Zambia was originally populated by Khoisan hunter-gatherer tribes, who were displaced some two thousand years ago by more technologically advanced, migratory peoples. Likewise, from the XII century, the great Bantu migration began that would populate a large part of the continent.

Among these peoples were the Tonga (also called Batonga) who were the first to settle in Zambia. The Nkoya probably arrived even earlier, settling in the territory since the northern Luba-Lunda reigns.

Other groups continued to arrive, with a great influx between the 17th and 19th centuries. This immigration came from the Luba and Lunda originating from the current Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Angola. Throughout the 19th century the Nguni arrived from the south as a consequence of the Mfecane.

European colonization

Scottish scout statue David Livingstone on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls.

Visited by the Portuguese in the [[18th century]], present-day Zambia was explored by the British David Livingstone. Colonial penetration began in 1890, through the British South Africa Company. Its great architect was Cecil Rhodes, president of the British South African Company, who dedicated himself to exploiting the minerals in the area and whose last name gave names to two countries: Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe).

The former Northern Rhodesia, in 1953 the United Kingdom tried to unite it with Southern Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe) and Malawi, but the interests of the white settlers of Southern Rhodesia caused Northern Rhodesia to separate in 1964, forming the new state of Zambia. In 1964 Kenneth Kaunda was elected as the first (and only) Prime Minister of Northern Rhodesia.

Republic of Zambia

Kenneth Kaunda, first President of Zambia.

In 1973 the country closed the borders with the Republic of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), in protest against the regime of Ian Smith which was considered racist by the Zambian government. In 1979, Rhodesian commandos destroyed in Lusaka the headquarters of the Marxist-Leninist guerrilla movement, the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), which carried out terrorist acts with the support of the Zambian government. In 1982, economic austerity measures led to a general strike against Kaunda. The crisis worsened with the international drop in the price of copper.

Kaunda was re-elected several times, remaining in the presidency until 1991, the year in which he is replaced by Frederick Chiluba. Amid various accusations of embezzlement and other cases of corruption in his administration, Chiluba resigned from office in January 2002, being succeeded by his vice president Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, who began an anti-corruption campaign in his country, but died on August 19, 2008. Mwanawasa is succeeded by Rupiah Banda (who was vice president at the time of his death). Banda held office from November 2008 to September 2011, being replaced in power by Michael Sata, who was nicknamed "El Rey Cobra" (King Cobra) during his candidacy. Following his sudden death on October 28, 2014, Sata is succeeded on an interim basis by Vice President Guy Scott, the first white president of sub-Saharan Africa since the apartheid regime. In 2015, Edgar Chagwa Lungu became president.

Government and politics

Zambia is a republic, in which the executive power is held by the president –who is also the head of state and government– and the vice-president, elected for a period of five years by popular vote. There was also the position of prime minister, abolished during the Chiluba government in 1991.

The government is made up of a cabinet chosen by the president from among the members of the National Assembly. The legislative power is unicameral; It is exercised by the National Assembly, which has 150 members elected by simple majority for a period of 5 years.

The judicial power is held by the Supreme Court, although the judges are appointed by the president; Below the Supreme Court are the High Court, the Magistrates' Courts, and local courts in each of the provinces.

Zambia is one of the most politically stable countries in Africa, and one of the few that has not suffered coups or known authoritarian regimes throughout its history.

Human rights

In terms of human rights, regarding membership of the seven bodies of the International Bill of Human Rights, which include the Human Rights Committee (HRC), Zambia has signed or ratified:

Status of major international human rights instruments

Zambia	International treaties
	CESCR		CCPR			CERD	CED	CEDAW		CAT		CRC			MWC	CRPD
	CESCR	CESCR-OP	CCPR	CCPR-OP1	CCPR-OP2-DP			CEDAW	CEDAW-OP	CAT	CAT-OP	CRC	CRC-OP-AC	CRC-OP-SC		CRPD	CRPD-OP
Pertenence
Signed and ratified, signed, but not ratified, neither signed nor ratified, without information, it has agreed to sign and ratify the body concerned, but also recognizes the competence to receive and process individual communications from the competent bodies.

Homosexuality is illegal and is punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The country is considered one of the most dangerous for a gay traveler.

Territorial organization

Provinces of Zambia.

Zambia is divided into ten provinces, each administered by a deputy minister who essentially performs the functions of a governor. Each province is divided into districts, making a total of 89 throughout the country.

The 10 provinces (in brackets, the name of their respective capital) are:

1. Central Province (Kabwe)
2. Copperbelt Province (Ndola)
3. Luapula Province (Mansa)
4. Lusaka Province (Lusaka)
5. Province of Muchinga (Chinsali)
6. Northwest Province (Solwezi)
7. North Province (Kasama)
8. Western Province (Mongu)
9. Eastern Province (Chipata)
10. South Province (Livingstone)

Geography

Map of Zambia.

Zambia is a landlocked country, its extension is estimated at about 752,618 square kilometers. The Zambian territory is mainly mountainous and presents numerous depressions and tectonic subsidence. The highest point is in the Mafinga Mountains at 2,301 meters and the lowest at 329 m on the Zambezi River (which is considered the most important river in Zambia), which gives the country its name. The average altitude does not exceed 1,500 m, and the depressions are frequently swampy, and are occupied by rivers such as the Kafue, a tributary of the Zambezi, or by lakes such as the Bangüeolo (Bangweulu), Moero (Mweru), and Kariba. In the east of the country, and in a northeast-southwest direction, extend the Muchinga Mountains, which rise to 2164 m (Mount Myika). The savannah and the jungle predominate.

The main river courses are the Zambezi River, the Kafue and the Luangwa. In the south of the country, on the Zambezi River, bordering Zimbabwe, are Victoria Falls. The falls are one of the main tourist attractions in southern Africa in Zimbabwe and also in the Livingstone region of Zambia. The total water surface in the country is about 9,220 square kilometers, representing 1.23% of the total surface.

Northwest: Angola	North: Democratic Republic of the Congo	Northeast: Tanzania
West: Angola		This: Malaui
Southwest: Namibia	South: Zimbabwe	Sureste: Mozambique

Climate

Victoria Falls. World Heritage by UNESCO.

Zambia's climate is tropical, tempered by altitude. Under the Köppen climate classification, most of the country is classified as humid subtropical or tropical wet and dry, with small tracts of semi-arid climate of this stage in the southwest and along the Zambezi valley.

There are two main seasons, the rainy season (from November to April), corresponding to summer, and the dry season (May/June to October/November), which corresponds to winter. The dry season is subdivided into two: the cool dry season (May/June to August) and the hot dry season (September to October/November). The altitude gives the country a pleasant subtropical climate, rather than tropical conditions during the cold season from May to August. However, average monthly temperatures remain above 20 °C for most of the year. country for eight or more months of the year.

Ecology

Satellite map of Zambia.

The dominant biome in Zambia is the savannah. Much of the central, northern and western part of the country is covered by the central Zambezi miombo bushveld ecoregion. To the southeast alternate the southern miombo bushveld and the Zambezi mopane bushveld.

To the north, between Lakes Moero and Tanganyika, is a small enclave of Itigi and Sumbu scrub. To the southwest stretches the Zambezi teak savannah; further north the western Zambezi grassland and Zambezi dry forest alternate. The mountainous areas of the extreme northeast of the country correspond to the montane mosaic of grassland and forest of the Southern Rift. The entire territory is dotted with wetlands, classified in the ecoregion called the Zambezi Flooded Prairie.

Economy

Nkana copper mine in Kitwe.

The economy depends, to a large extent, on copper, a mineral of which Zambia is one of the world's leading producers and which represents 90% of the value of exports. This country belongs to the so-called "copper belt", an extension of the Shaba deposits (Democratic Republic of the Congo). The oil is imported and arrives from the port of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). Within the industrial sector, the mineral treatment branch stands out (especially copper refining); Cement production and industries derived from agriculture also stand out: vegetable oils, cotton manufactures, sugar, soaps, etc.

Agriculture is underdeveloped, and despite generating 85% of total formal and informal employment in the country, it is basically focused on subsistence crops: maize (it is the main crop and the basis of the Zambian diet), sweet potato, peanuts, cassava and millet. It also presents commercial crops (cotton, coffee, sugar cane, tobacco). In the cattle ranch it is possible to mention the bovine cabin. In the lakes and fluvial courses the fishing activity is practiced.

International tourism, seeking the country's natural spaces (waterfalls, safaris...) constitutes an important source of income.

Demographics

Evolution of the population of Zambia.

The Zambian population is concentrated in the upper Zambezi and along the north-south railway corridor, where the cities of this country are located, one of the most urbanized in black Africa. 44% of the population lives in cities or urban areas, the rest of the population living in the countryside or in the valleys of the savannah. Except for the capital, Lusaka, the rest of the main cities are in the mining region close to the D.R. of the Congo.

As of 2010, Zambia has a population of 13,046,508. 98.7% are black, 1.1% are white (Europeans or descendants, which total 70,000 in the whole country, although almost all are concentrated in Lusaka) and the remaining 0.2% is made up of Asian immigrants, especially Japanese and Chinese. The coexistence between whites and blacks is quite cordial. The average number of children per woman is 5.07. 80.6% of the population is literate.

Demographic evolution according to the last four censuses

Health

Zambian women in rural areas.

It is estimated that 12.3% of the adult population between 16 and 49 years old is infected with the HIV virus (AIDS), which means that 1,100,000 people are living with the virus for the year 2007; that year 56,000 people because of this virus. Life expectancy at birth was 51.83 years in 2014, with 12 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants. Infant mortality is a ratio of 102 per 1,000 births.

Population of main cities

Education

Children in a school near Monze, south of Zambia.

In 2003, the literacy rate was estimated at 80.7% (86.9% for men and 74.7 for women). Zambia's education is divided into two levels: basic education (1 to 9 years) and secondary (10 to 12 years). At 9 years of age, it is already considered a good level of education for children. UNESCO estimated in 2002 that 80% of school-age children enrolled. Most children drop out of school at age 7, by which time admission must already be paid.

The options to access a higher level of education, after completing basic education and accessing secondary school are very limited in the country. After completing their training cycle in secondary education, the few students who continue studying must do so in private schools. The main universities in Zambia are the University of Zambia (UNZA), Mulungushi University (MU) and Copperbelt University (CBU).

Languages

The official language of Zambia is English, which is used for both official business and the lingua franca, and is generally taught in schools. In addition to English, 72 other local languages are spoken, with Nyanja standing out in Lusaka. Other languages that stand out are Bemba, Kaounde, Tonga, Lunda and Luvale.

The government has already discussed introducing other languages into school curricula, such as Portuguese. French is studied in some private schools while in secondary it is optional. A German course was also introduced at the University of Zambia (Lusaka).

Native languages by province

In the Western Province, the main languages are Lozi, Mbunda, Subiya, Kwangwa, Totela, Nyengo and Nkoya; in the northwestern province are Chokwe, Luvale, Kaonde and Lunda; and in the Southern Province we have the famous 'Bantu-botatwe' group of three languages which includes Tongan, Ila and Lenje (also found in most of the Central Province). The central province is also the territory of Soli and Swaka speakers. Soli speakers are also found in Lusaka province. Originally, the Copperbelt Province was the land of the Lamba speakers, but is now dominated by speakers of the modified Bemba language that emerged in the 1920s (now known as Town Bemba). In the eastern part of Zambia we find people who speak Chewa, Senga and Tumbuka. To the north we have the provinces of Norte and Luapula, where we find the group of Bemba dialects that include the Twa of Bangweulu, Unga, Lembwe, Kabende, Lomotua, Chishinga, Mukulu, Ng'umbo, Ngoma, Nwesi, Luunda.

Religion

Zambia is officially a Christian nation under the 1996 constitution, with a wide variety of religious traditions. Traditional religious thoughts blend easily with Christian beliefs in many of the country's syncretic churches. About three quarters of the population is Protestant, while about 20% are Catholic followers. Christian denominations include Catholicism, Anglicanism, Pentecostalism, New Apostolicism, Lutheranism, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Branhamites, and assorted of evangelical denominations.

These grew and prospered from the original missionary settlements (Portuguese and Catholicism in eastern Mozambique) and Anglicanism (British influences) from the south. Except for some technical positions (for example, doctors), Western missionary roles have been taken over by native believers. After Frederick Chiluba (a Pentecostal Christian) became president in 1991, Pentecostal congregations expanded greatly throughout the country. In Zambia 1 out of every 18 inhabitants belongs to Seventh-day Adventists, which is one of the highest percentages in the world.

Similarly, 1 in 11 Zambians are members of the New Apostolic Church. With membership in excess of 1,200,000 the Zambian district of the church is the third largest after Middle Congo and East Africa (Nairobi).

The Baha'i population of Zambia numbers over 160,000, or 1.5% of the population. The Masetlha Mmutle William Foundation, run by the Bahá'í community, is particularly active in areas such as literacy and primary health care. Approximately 1% of the population are Muslims, most of whom live in urban areas and play a large economic role in the country. There are around 500 people who belong to the Ahmadiyya sect. There is also a small Jewish community, made up mostly of Ashkenazim.

Culture

Traditional market.

Nshima (up on the right) with three types of relish.

The culture of this nation is the product of indigenous traditions combined with European (especially English) influences. Before the colonization of the country, the natives lived in independent tribes with their own way of life. After the arrival of the British, some towns were united in villages or towns; while others adopted the customs of Europe and moved to the settlers' settlements. However, the traditions were maintained in rural areas and those that were difficult to access or far from the control of whites. The product of interactions between African customs and European culture was given the name 'Zambian Culture'.

Parties

Sports

Soccer is the most popular sport in the country, followed by athletics. The greatest achievement in the country's associated football was achieved by the national team in 2012, defeating Côte d'Ivoire in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations on penalties, after the tie at the end of the match. This marked the country's first continental title, having previously lost two Africa Cup finals. Another great achievement in football occurred at the Seoul Olympics in 1988, where the team defeated Italy 4-0, in which Kalusha Bwalya scored a hat trick. Unfortunately, Zambian sport also experienced a tragedy: on April 27, 1993, the plane that carried the Zambian team to the city of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, where a match between the two teams was to be played to define the pass to the 1994 World Cup, fell into the sea off the coast of Gabon, killing all the passengers inside. The top national football competition is the Zambia First Division.

Athlete Samuel Matete excelled internationally in the 400m hurdles, and former Australian rugby player George Gregan is a native of the country.

Other popular sports in Zambia include rugby, boxing and cricket. Zambia also achieved a silver medal (at Atlanta 1996) and a bronze (at Los Angeles 1984) at the Olympic Games.