Zambia

Zambia is an immensely spacious and uncultivated country. The country is located in the middle of Southern Africa and is not located near the sea. The size of the country and the physical inaccessibility of many rural areas are a barrier to development.

Zambia is politically stable and democratic and has been without internal conflicts for years.. Zambia had been a wealthy country for years due to profits from copper mining, but because of mismanagement and corruption the country became poor. In de past few years dependence on help from abroad has been reduced considerably, and foreign debts have been remitted

General data:

  • Surface area: 752,614 km2 (18 x the Netherlands)
  • Capital: Lusaka
  • Inhabitants: 12.5 million (2008)
  • Population growth: 2%
  • Inhabitants of rural areas: 65%
  • Illiteracy: 35%
  • Religions: Christians (80%), Muslims and Hindus (5%), and indigenous religions (15%)
  • Languages: English, Nyanja, Bemba, Tonga, Lozi, and many others
  • Climatic conditions: tropical, cool in high plateaus

Health data:
  • Life expectancy at birth: 41.7 years (2007)
  • Infant mortality rate: 10.2% (2006)
  • Number of HIV/AIDS infected people: 14.3% (2007)
  • Number of HIV/AIDS infected people in rural areas: 10.3% (2007)

Economic data:
  • GNP: US$ 6,8 billion (2005, EIU estimate)
  • Economic growth: 4.6% (Average 2002-07)
  • Inflation: 16.6% (Dec. 08)
  • Working population per sector:
  • Agriculture and fishing (85%)
  • Industry (6%)
  • Trade and services (9%)
  • Export: US$ 1,947 billion (2005)
  • Importants products: copper, cobalt
  • Most important partners: Tanzania, South-Africa, China, Japan
  • Import: US$ 1,934 billion (2005)
  • Important partners: South-Africa, Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates, UK

Dependency external help
  • Total foreign loans: 2004: 7.4B$, 2006: 500M$
  • Official Development Assistance (ODA): 1.425M$ (2006)
  • Help as % of government budget: 2002: 43%, 2008: 24%

Data rural area
  • % of the total population below $1.25 per day: 64% in 2006
  • % of the total rural population below $1.25 per day: 74% in 2006
  • % of the total population below $ 2 per day: 82% in 2006
  • Access to electricity in rural areas: 3.2% in 2006
  • Access to safe water in rural areas: 43% in 2006:
  • Access to health Centres in rural areas: 55% in 2006

Sources: World Development Indicators (Worldbank 2008)
Zambia OECD report (2008)
ECDPM, Changing Aid relations Zambia (April 2008)

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