FAX: (1) 252-225

FAX: (202) 332-0826

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
David B. DUNN

embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues

mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka

telephone: (1) 250-955

Flag description: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag

Zambia Economy

Economy - overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go. Privatization of government-owned copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. In late 2000, Zambia was determined to be eligible for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Inflation and unemployment rates remain high, but the GDP growth rate should rise in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.5 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $880 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18%

industry: 27%

services: 55% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 86% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 39.2% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27.3% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 3.4 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Unemployment rate: 50% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $900 million

expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA million (1999 est.)

Industries: copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer

Industrial production growth rate: 6.1% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 7.642 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.55%

hydro: 99.45%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 5.926 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 1.6 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 419 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee

Exports: $928 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: copper, cobalt, electricity, tobacco

Exports - partners: Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, South
Africa, US, Malaysia (1997)

Imports: $1.05 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners: South Africa 48%, Saudi Arabia, UK, Zimbabwe (1997)

Debt - external: $6.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $1.99 billion (1995)

Currency: Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Currency code: ZMK

Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 4,024.53 (January 2001), 3,110.84 (2000), 2,388.02 (1999), 1,862.07 (1998), 1,314.50 (1997), 1,207.90 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Zambia Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 77,935 (in addition there are about 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 6,000 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa

domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms

international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 1.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 9 (1997)

Televisions: 277,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .zm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 15,000 (2000)

Zambia Transportation

Railways: total: 2,164 km (1995)

narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track)

note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of the Zambia Railways system; Zambia Railways assets are scheduled for concessioning in 2001

Highways: total: 66,781 km

paved: NA km

unpaved: NA km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 2,250 km

note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers

Pipelines: crude oil 1,724 km

Ports and harbors: Mpulungu

Airports: 112 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 99

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 65

under 914 m: 31 (2000 est.)

Zambia Military

Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Service, police

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,246,640 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,193,047 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $76 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY97)

Zambia Transnational Issues

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and possibly Europe; regional money-laundering center

@Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Introduction

Background: The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated to keep whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence.

Zimbabwe Geography

Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 390,580 sq km

land: 386,670 sq km

water: 3,910 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 3,066 km

border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to
March)

Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m

highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use: arable land: 7%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 13%

forests and woodland: 23%

other: 57% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,930 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked

Zimbabwe People

Population: 11,365,366

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.68% (male 2,223,332; female 2,172,479)

15-64 years: 57.69% (male 3,319,982; female 3,236,286)

65 years and over: 3.63% (male 208,785; female 204,502) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.15% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 24.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 23.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 62.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 37.13 years

male: 38.51 years

female: 35.7 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.28 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 25.06% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.5 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 160,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Zimbabwean(s)

adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%

Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,
Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 85%

male: 90%

female: 80% (1995 est.)

Zimbabwe Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form: Zimbabwe

former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Harare

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial
status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central,
Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North,
Matabeleland South, Midlands

Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution: 21 December 1979

Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Executive President Robert
Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon
Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23
December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government

head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly

elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 16-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); co-vice presidents appointed by the president

election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%

Legislative branch: unicameral parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for six-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors)

elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)

election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 47.2%, MDC 45.6%, ZANU-Ndonga 0.7%, United Parties 0.7%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 63, MDC 56, ZANU-Ndonga 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders: Movement for Democratic Change or MDC
[Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; Popular Democratic Front or PDF [Austin
CHAKAODZA]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African
National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Ndabaningi SITHOLE]; Zimbabwe
African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert MUGABE];
Zimbabwe Unity Movement or ZUM [Edgar TEKERE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Constitutional
Assembly or NCA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Simbi Veke MUBAKO

chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: (202) 332-7100