Zambia
Africa Β· Capital: Lusaka
How it is run: Zambia is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Zambia is home to 21.9 million people in Eastern Africa, where people speak English.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
21.9 million people
That is 0.3% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
752,612 kmΒ²
Bigger than Texas β a long road trip from one side to the other.
ποΈ How crowded
About 29 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
22nd most people in Africa
17th largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
English
π° Money
Zambian kwacha (ZK)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
66.5 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$1,318
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
45.9% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
41% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+260
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.zm
π§ People here are called
Zambian
π·οΈ Name at home
Zambia
Also written: Republic of Zambia.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Zambia is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Zambia
French
Zambie
Arabic
Ψ²Ψ§Ω Ψ¨ΩΨ§
Chinese
θ΅ζ―δΊ
Japanese
γΆγ³γγ’
Russian
ΠΠ°ΠΌΠ±ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
ZΓ’mbia
German
Sambia
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 10.8Γ as many people as Zambia.
- Zambia covers roughly 7,168 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Zambia lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 10,957 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Zambia is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Zambia
ποΈ Capital
Lusaka
π Region
Africa Β· Eastern Africa
π€ Country code
ZM
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Zambia π
π§ Where on the map
15.0Β° S, 30.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Southern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+2 β when it is noon in London it is about 14:00 in Lusaka.
- πΏπ² is the flag of Zambia. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is ZM.
- Zambia is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Zambia sits in Eastern Africa, in the southern and eastern half of the globe.
- Zambia lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Zambia is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Zambia has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Zambia?
- If Zambia spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Zambia?
Lusaka
Which money do people spend in Zambia?
Zambian kwacha (ZK)
How many countries share a land border with Zambia?
8 β Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
Roughly how many people live in Zambia?
21.9 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.