Zambia

Zambia, formerly Northern Rhodesia, officially the Republic of Zambia, independent republic in south-central Africa. With an area of 290,584 sq mi (752,614 sq km), Zambia is bordered by Zaïre on the north; Tanzania on the northeast; Malawi and Mozambique on the east; Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia on the south; and Angola on the west.

Land and climate

The country occupies a mostly flat plateau some 3,000 to 4,500 ft (914 to 1,372 m) above sea level and broken by deep valleys formed by the Luangwa and Zambezi rivers. The plateau is largely savanna and open woodland, and the course of the Zambezi includes Victoria Falls and Lake Kariba, formed by the Kariba Dam. Both Victoria Falls and Lake Kariba are on Zambia's border with Zimbabwe. In the northeast part of the country, the Muchinga Mountains rise some 7,000 ft (2,124 m). Zambia's climate is tropical, but its effects are moderated by altitude.

People

The Zambian people are black Africans, mostly Bantu peoples, with over 70 different tribes and a variety of languages. There are also European and Asian minorities. More than half the people follow animist beliefs. The balance profess Christianity, either Roman Catholicism or Protestantism. While English is the official language, many Bantu languages are also spoken. The capital of Zambia is Lusaka.

Economy

The majority of Zambia's people are engaged in subsistence farming, but the country is also one of the world's major producers of copper, which accounts for the bulk of its export earnings. Cobalt is the second-largest export earner and Zambia also supports lead, zinc, manganese, and sulfur. The agricultural sector produces cash crops, including tobacco, sugarcane, and wheat. Despite its resources, Zambia underwent considerable economic dislocation as a result of its active opposition to Southern Rhodesia in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s the country faced severe food shortages principally due to drought.

History

Present-day Zambians are descendants of Bantu peoples who migrated to the region between the 16th and 18th centuries. European traders and missionaries came in the 19th century, most notably David Livingstone, who came in 1851. In 1888 Cecil Rhodes led the way for British commercial interests. As Northern Rhodesia the area became a British protectorate in 1911. Copper deposits were discovered in the 1920s, leading to rapid and lucrative development but at the expense of the native inhabitants. A nationalist movement arose in 1946, and despite its rigorous opposition to the plan, Northern Rhodesia was combined by the British into the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which included Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (now Malawi). Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland left the federation in 1963 and Northern Rhodesia became the independent Republic of Zambia in 1964, under the presidency of Kenneth Kaunda. The fledgling country protested against and eventually opposed the white regime of Ian Smith in Southern Rhodesia. Though contributing to the isolation of the Smith regime and the eventual emergence of Zimbabwe, the policy proved costly. After more than 25 years Kaunda was defeated in democratic elections in 1991, and was succeeded by Frederik Chiluba. In 1997 the military tried to overthrow the government but failed.