Zambia - Geography and People |
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Geography Official name: Republic of Zambia Area: 752,614 sq. Km. Cities: Capital Lusaka (pop. 982.000) Other cities: Kitwe (348.000), Ndola (500.000), Livingstone (83.000), Kabwe (381.000) Terrain: Varies; mostly plateau savannah. Climate: Generally dry and temperate. People Nationality: Noun and adjective - Zambian (s) Population (2000): 10.2 million Annual growth: 3.1% Ethnic groups: More than 70 tribal groups. Religions: Christian, indigenous beliefs, Muslim, Hindu Languages: English (official), about 70 local languages and dialects, including Bemba, Tonga, Nyanja, Lozi, Luvale, Ndembu (Lundu) and Kaonde. Education: Year compulsory-7. Attendance- Less than 50% in grades 1-7. Less than 20% of primary school graduates are admitted to secondary school. Literacy-73%. Health: Infant mortality rate-109/1,000. Life expectancy -43.5 yrs. Male; 47 yrs. Female. Work force: Agriculture-60. Industry and commerce-40%. Zambia's population comprises more than 70 Bantu-speaking tribes. Some tribes are small, and only two have enough people to constitute at least 10% of the population. Most Zambians are subsistence farmers. The predominant religion is a blend of traditional beliefs and Christianity. Expatriates, mostly British (about 15,000) or South African, live mainly in Lusaka and in the Copperbelt in northern Zambia, where they are employed in mines and related activities. Zambia also has a small but economically important Asian Population, most of whom are Indians. The country is 42% urban. 
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