Note: The menu shows the 36 African countries where Africare has worked, not the other African countries.

 

Zambia (Map courtesy of The World Factbook)

Zambia

REGION: Southern Africa
CAPITAL CITY: Lusaka
POPULATION: 11,479,000
LAND AREA: The size of Utah, Colorado and Wyoming combined

Like most of Southern Africa, Zambia suffered extensive destruction during the apartheid South Africa-backed regional destabilization war of the 1970s and 1980s. Today, the country hosts tens of thousands of refugees from ongoing and previous conflicts in neighboring countries. Also in common with most of the Southern region, Zambia has HIV/AIDS prevalence rates that are among the highest in the world. Most Zambians depend on farming, although only 7 percent of the land is arable. Most live below the "extreme poverty line" of less than $1 a day. Since before independence, Zambia's economic destiny has been driven by copper, with which it is richly endowed. In 1975, however, world copper prices collapsed ― devastating the country's economy. More recently, copper earnings have improved. Nevertheless, Zambia has been working to reduce overdependence on that one, volatile revenue source. Among Zambia's renowned tourist attractions are the Victoria Falls along the Zambezi River, the Bangweulu Swamps and the Luangwa River valley.

 

Country Stats

Life expectancy: 40.5 years (USA: 77.9)

Under-5 child mortality: 182/1,000 live births (USA: 7/1,000)

HIV prevalence, ages 15-49: [15.9 - 18.1]% (USA: [0.4 - 1.0]%)

Physicians per 100,000 people: 12 (USA: 256)

People undernourished: 46% (USA: 0%)

People with access to safe drinking water: 58% (USA: 100%)

Adult literacy: 68% (USA: 99%)

Annual income, one way to look at it (GDP per capita, PPP US$): $1,023 (USA: $41,890)

Annual income, another way to look at it (GDP per capita): $623 (USA: $41,890)

People living on less than $1 a day: 63.8% (USA: 0%)

(HIV prevalence statistics, UNAIDS. All other statistics, 2007/2008 Human Development Report, UNDP)

 

(Updated, Dec. 18, 2007)