Sources: Economist Intelligence UNIT – EIU, March 2009, UNDP Human Development Report 2008.
Capital: Lusaka
Area: 752, 614 sq km
Population: 11,669,534
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces – Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western.
Official language: English, major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga and about 70 other indigenous languages
Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK)
Political structureHead of state: President Rupiah Banda (elected on 30 October 2008 after the death of previous president Levy Mwanawasa on 18 august 2008).
National assembly: 158 seats; 150 members elected by popular vote, 8 members appointed by the president.
Elections: Presidential and Parliamentary elections every fifth year, next elections in 2011.
Major political parties: Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD; Patriotic Front or PF, United Party for National Development or UPND.
Social indicatorsPopulation growth rate: 1,654%
Ethnic groups: African 98,7%, European, 1,1%, other 0,2%
Human development index: 163 (out of 179 countries)
Life expectancy at birth: 38,59 years
HIV-AIDS – adult prevalence rate: 17%
Adult literacy (age 15 and over): 68%
Economic indicatorsCurrency: Kwacha
Exchange rate: Kwacha per US dollar – 3,512.9
GDP – real growth rate: 6,2%
Consumer prices: 11,8 %
Exports: USD 5.632 billion f.o.b.
Imports: USD 4.423 billion f.o.b.
Current account balance: - USD 478 million
External debt: USD 2.913 billion