Article Outline
Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, landlocked republic, southern Africa, bordered on the north-west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo; on the north-east by Tanzania; on the east by Malawi; on the south-east by Mozambique; on the south by Zimbabwe, Botswana, and the Caprivi Strip of Namibia; and on the west by Angola. Formerly the British colony of Northern Rhodesia, then part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Zambia became independent on October 24, 1964. The area of Zambia is 752,614 sq km (290,586 sq mi). Lusaka is the capital of the country.
A thin finger of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known locally as the “pedicle”, projects into central Zambia, almost cutting the country in half. The majority of the population, and the country’s economic resources are located in the western part; the east, especially the north-east, is largely isolated. Most of Zambia is high plateau with a flat or gently undulating terrain. Elevations average between about 1,070 and 1,370 m (3,500 and 4,500 ft). There are some hill ranges, notably the Muchinga Mountains, which are the highest peaks in Zambia, reaching elevations of up to 2,068 m (6,785 ft). They lie to the south of Lake Tanganyika, which abuts into the north-east of Zambia.
The major river of Zambia is the Zambezi, which defines the border with Zimbabwe, and which is only navigable here in short stretches because of rapids and falls, notably the Victoria Falls (known in Zambia and Zimbabwe as Mosi-Oa-Tunya; “the smoke that thunders”). Its tributaries include the Kafue and the Luangwa, in the south and west, and the Luapula in the east. In the north-east, the River Chambeshi drains into Lake Bangweulu, which lies at the centre of a vast swampy region. Lake Kariba, one of the world’s largest artificial lakes, was formed by the construction of the Kariba Dam on the Zambezi.
Although lying within the Tropical Zone, much of Zambia enjoys a pleasant subtropical climate because of the high altitude. There are three seasons: cool and dry, May-August; hot and dry, August-November; and the wet season, November-April. The average temperature during July, the coldest month of the year, is 17.2° C (63° F); the wettest month, January, has an average temperature of 21.7° C (71° F). October is usually the hottest month (30° C/86° F). Annual rainfall ranges from 762 mm (30 in) in the south to 1,397 mm (55 in) in the north.
