Zambia is a large country connecting eastern and southern Africa and is a transit route for many overland travellers. Stop there a while however and you’ll see it’s got a lot to offer, in particular the top class safari destination of South Luangwa National Park, away from the tourist masses in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. Not to mention of course one of the natural wonders of the world in Victoria Falls on the border with Zimbabwe which, along with a range of adrenaline activities, will keep you busy for days. Explore in depth highlights of Zambia.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
|---|---|---|
| groups tours with set departures |
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT +2 (Central Africa time) | Daylight savings: None |
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| Main languages: | English |
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| Other languages: | Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga |
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| Currency: |
Zambian kwacha (ZMK) €1 = ZMK0.00, $1 = ZMK5328, £1 = ZMK7086 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .zm | International Dialling Code: 260 |
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For help planning your trip to Zambia including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Zambia trip planning page.
Further information on Zambia
Discover more about Zambia - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 752,614 sq km (11,890 sq km under water)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Neighbours (border lengths): Angola (1,110km), Democratic Republic of the Congo (1,930km), Malawi (837km), Mozambique (419km), Namibia (233km), Tanzania (338km), Zimbabwe (797km)
Climate: Tropical but mild climate with a rainy season from November to March, a cool, dry season from April to July and a hot, dry season from August to October.
Highest mountain: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills (2,301m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Zambia from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Partly Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Flawed democracy | 67/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Mostly Unfree | 100/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Noticeable problems | 111/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | No rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 85/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 116/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Republic of Zambia Status: Independent Country
Population: 14,638,505 (rank: 70/196) Density: 19.4 people/sq km (rank: 160/196)
Ethnic groups: African 99.5% (includes Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde, Lunda, and other African groups), other 0.5% (includes Europeans, Asians, and Americans) (2000 Census)
Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
GDP (PPP): $25.47 billion GDP per capita: $1,800 (rank: 167/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.