Zambia country characteristics. Zambia. Media

Zambia map

Satellite image of the territory

The most important mineral resources of Zambia are: coal, copper ore, cobalt, lead, zinc, tin, gold. There are deposits of iron ore, uranium, nickel, fluorites, some precious stones, etc. Coal deposits are located in the south of the country, near the northwestern coast of Lake Karibu, and also in the central regions of Zambia. In terms of copper reserves, Zambia occupies one of the leading positions among all countries of the world (according to data for 2008 - 9th place). Copper deposits are confined to the Copper Belt of Central Africa, on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tin deposits are rather small, they are all located in the south of the country.

Climate

Inland waters

Zambezi River

The basin of the Zambezi River, which flows along the western and southern borders of the country, occupies about three-quarters of the country's territory, the rest belongs to the Congo River basin. A small area in the northeast of the country belongs to the endorheic basin of Lake Rukwa, located in Tanzania. The watershed between the Congo, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, and the Zambezi, which flows into the Indian Ocean, approximately coincides with the state border of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Zambezi River originates in the extreme northwest of Zambia, then passes through the territory of Angola and again returns to Zambia, forming most of its southern border. On the border of Zambia with Zimbabwe, there are several waterfalls on the Zambezi, including the famous Victoria Falls. The largest tributaries of the Zambezi within Zambia are the Kafue and Luangwa rivers. Major rivers in the Congo Basin

A river in southern Africa that flows into the Indian Ocean. The fourth in the list of the great rivers of the Black Continent is after the Nile, Congo (Zaire) and Niger. Linked to six countries - Zambia, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The Zambezi has a complex nature associated with flood and drought seasons. Its main attraction is the Victoria Falls, and the greatest value of its shores is the richest animal world, which this part of Africa is famous for thanks to the Zambezi.

UNION OF EARTH AND WATER

Casambo Wazy - this is how David Livingston heard the name of this river in one of the local dialects. It meant "great river".

The Zambezi is one of the four great rivers of Africa after the Nile. Congo (Zaire) and Niger. The source of the Zambezi is born in a swampy area in northern Zambia on the Lunda plateau at an altitude of 1500 m and rushes to the southwest, and after about 240 km makes a smooth turn to the south. absorbing small rivers along the way and feeding on groundwater. Its entire journey in the upper reaches, like faithful guards, is accompanied by dense deciduous forests. Leaving them on the territory of Angola, the Zambezi flows further among the tall grass savannah and miombo of a dry light forest: the trees in it stand at a considerable distance from each other, low shrubs and lianas grow between them. In the area of ​​the Chavuma Falls, the Zambezi, after passing through the rapids, returns to Zambia. The height of the plateau here is already about 1100 m, and the width of the river is more than 350 m (during the rainy season). From Chavuma Falls to Ngwambe Falls, the Zambezi receives the large tributaries of Kabombo and Lungwebungd, and the Barotse floodplain begins. and after another 30 km, the landscape of the Zambezi coast becomes flat, the current here slows down and turns to the southeast. 80 km downstream, the Luanjinga River flows into the Zambezi from the west. Barotse is flooded during the rainy season and then the Zambezi can reach 25 km in width. Below, a series of rapids and rapids begins, ending with the Ngonye waterfall. This stretch of the Zambezi is navigable. After it, the full-flowing Kwando (Chobe) river flows into the Zambezi. The border between Angola and Zambia passes along it in this area, then a short border with Namibia, the end of the narrow corridor of this country, wedged between Angola, Botswana and Zimbabwe back in 1891 under an agreement between the British Cape colony and the German protectorate of German Southwest Africa. Having merged with Kwando, the Zambezi flows already at an altitude of 920 m above sea level, turns east and slows down, as if preparing to collapse the Victoria Falls - the most famous natural asset, powerful and beautiful.

The waterfall, which the natives call Mosioatunya (“thundering smoke”), was the first European to see the famous African explorer David Livingston (1813-1873). It happened on November 17, 1855, during his journey through the Zambezi.

He gave the waterfall the name of the British queen. And he wrote about him like this: “The places so beautiful must have been looked at by angels in flight.” The width of the Victoria Falls is about 1800 m, the height of the water fall is from 80 to 108 m, during the rainy season it overthrows 9100 m3 of water per second. The spray and fog above the falling stream rise to 400 m and higher. The sound can be heard 30 km away, hence the “thundering smoke”. For the next 200 km, the Zambezi flows between hills 200-250 m high, basalt rocks 20-60 m high, accelerating on rapids and rapids. Another attraction and the main hydraulic structure on the Zambezi is the Kariba dam and its reservoir, which arose in 1959 in the Caribbean Gorge. The Itezhi-Tezhi Dam on the Kafue River, the largest left tributary in the middle reaches of the Zambezi, adds its share of energy to it.

At the confluence of the next left tributary - the Luangwa - the Zambezi path along Mozambique begins - 650 km, and they are navigable. Another large hydraulic structure is located here, the Cahora Bassa dam and reservoir, built in 1974. The width of the Zambezi in Mozambique is from 5 to 8 km. 8 rainy season. Only 320 km from the mouth of the Zambezi falls into the gorge of the Lupata canyon with a width of no more than 200 m. The Shire River, flowing from Lake Nyasa (Malawi), flows into the Zambezi 160 km from the mouth. The largest branches of the delta, covered with mangrove forests, are Milaimb, Kongoun, Luabo and Timbw. But only one, Shende, is navigable, and the only Zambezi port of the same name is also located on it.

Starting on the Congo-Zambezi plateau, the river, on its way from northwest to southeast, with a large arc to the north in its central part, crosses several large flat basins separated by plateaus that arose on the African plate in the Precambrian period. The change in relief every time changes the nature of the Zambezi current - from calm and unhurried to stormy near rapids and waterfalls.

OWN AMONG OWN

Everyone who lives on the banks of the Zambezi - both animals and people - obey its rhythm of the seasons and fight for existence in the same way as it happened thousands of years ago.

The river valley in its upper and middle reaches is located in a climatic zone in which the trade winds of the Northern and Southern hemispheres converge. After several months of scorching heat in mid-November, the skies over the Zambezi are covered with heavy storm clouds, from which a wall of rain collapses, and the entire animal world rushes to the water, which spills in places on the plains up to 25 km away, only small islands of land protrude to the surface. Large herds of black and wildebeest, buffalo, zebras, lion prides, families of elephants and rhinos, countless flocks of spoonbills, herons, cranes of various species and pelicans rush here from the deep regions of Central and South Africa. They are accompanied by hyenas and hyena-like dogs. Monkeys move through the trees, among which the most numerous species are baboons. In the shallow waters formed by the spill, juvenile fish are teeming, and herds of catfish rush here. From the Indian Ocean, the gray bull shark moves upstream, capable of existing in both sea and fresh water. In some areas of the Zambezi, herds of hippos accumulate at this time.

In full accordance with the laws of natural selection, life-and-death fights take place on the shores, and phlegmatic-looking crocodiles are carefully watching their progress.

And then drought sets in again: the grass dries up, the small tributaries of the river dry up, for many species of animals there is almost no food except for some roots, dried fruits of trees and succulent leaves. Animals migrate to other places on the continent. But Zambezi and in this time of heat will give drink to all who remain.

The colorful holiday of the Lozi people is connected with the seasonal cycle. living in the floodplain Barotse, or Barotseland. The festival is called Kuomboka, which means "getting out of the river." Lozi led by their leader (litunga) set off from the flooded places. On the front boat, the king, who is taller than the litunga, has an elephant, or rather his statue, and next to him is a statue of his “wife” in the form of a crane. The action is accompanied by loud drumming and singing. The Lozi are one of the most ancient peoples of the Bantu group, who settled on the lands near the Zambezi (but not only here) several millennia ago. Another people living since ancient times near the Zambezi, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers and also belonging to the Bantu, is the Shona.

The empire of their ancestors Monomotapa (Mwene-Mutapa) arose in the 6th century, flourished in the 13th-15th centuries. and fell apart by the beginning of the 18th century. as a result of internecine conflicts and wars with the southern Ndebele people. It had influence far beyond its borders, possessed such a rich oral folklore and such a high culture of agriculture, metallurgy, ceramics and jewelry making that some African explorers are inclined to consider Monomotapa even a separate civilization. This empire had trade relations with the Arab world from the 10th century. The ruins of its capital, the walled city of Great Zimbabwe near the modern city of Masvingo in Zimbabwe, is a monument of world significance. These are mainly the remains of gigantic towers built of blocks of granite and surrounded by powerful walls.

Even in the Zambezi Valley, which is almost free from the technogenic press of modern civilization, there is no escape from environmental problems. Reservoirs have made their own adjustments to the biological balance of the river: new species of aquatic plants and fish have appeared. The Caribbean reservoir is located in a seismically hazardous zone, its water surface area is 5580 km2, its depth is up to 97 m. Such a mass of water creates serious pressure on volcanic rocks, and this is believed to have caused at least eight recent earthquakes in the south of the continent. There is also the problem of pollution of the Zambezi waters with chemicals runoff.

CURIOUS FACTS

■ When David Livingston was in the area of ​​Victoria Falls, he was accompanied by a detachment of local warriors of 300 people. But only two of them dared to approach the waterfall together with the "mad Englishman".

■ In the valley of the Zambezi River, in the jungles of Zambia and Zimbabwe, in the Wa-Domo tribe, most people have only ... two fingers on their feet, and both are big. The owners of such feet are also called "people-ostriches" ("sapadi"). There are two opinions of scientists about this anatomical anomaly. The first is some kind of virus. The second is a consequence of closely related marriages. But in all other respects, these people are completely normal, and they move very dexterously through the trees and run fast.

■ Kariba HPP provides electricity to most of Zambia and Zimbabwe, Kahora Bassa HPP - the rest of Zimbabwe and South Africa. There is also a small power plant in Victoria Fola.

■ In 1975, negotiations were held on the Victoria Bridge in a railway carriage between the two warring parties in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). They argued for nine hours, arguing something to each other, but they were too often distracted to admire the waterfall, and so they didn’t agree on anything.

■ Women of the Batonka tribe look, in the opinion of Europeans, very strange, but in the opinion of their fellow tribesmen, they are perfect: in the name of beauty, six front teeth are removed from them, this procedure is carried out by a special tribe's teether. In addition, to protect against mosquitoes, they smear their faces and exposed parts of the body with red ocher.

■ The Zambezi has its own god. His name is Nyaminami. it has the body of a serpent and the head of a fish. The tribes that have long lived on the banks of the river pray to him that he does not rage too much when the time of floods comes. In 1957, the elders of the Batonka tribe. living in the lower reaches of the Zambezi, dissatisfied with the construction of the Kariba dam, turned to Nyaminyami for help, whom they believed the dam would separate from his wife. And in the same year, a severe flood on the Zambezi, caused by an earthquake, hit the dam with streams of water. She survived, but many of her outbuildings were destroyed.

ATTRACTION

■ Waterfalls: Victoria Falls, one of the world's greatest waterfalls (listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site), Chavuma on the border of Zambia and Angola, and Ngonye in Zambia.
■ Zambezi Delta.
■ Lake Kariba (Caribbean Reservoir) - as a recreation area.
■ The ruins of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
■ National parks in the Zambezi Basin: Mana Pools (UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site), Zambezi, Mosioatunya. Victoria Role, Cameo, Liuwa Plains, Liuwa Sioma Nguezi, Chobe, Hwange, Lower Zambezi.
■ Crocodile farm (Livingston).

Atlas. The whole world is in your hands #133

17-09-2015, 10:47

• Zambezi
  The fourth longest river in Africa. The area of ​​the basin is 1,570,000 km², the length is 2574 km. The source of the river is in Zambia, the river flows through Angola, along the border of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to Mozambique, where it flows into the Indian Ocean. The most important attraction of the Zambezi is the Victoria Falls, one of the greatest waterfalls in the world.
• Kalungwishi
  River in Zambia. It flows through the northeastern part of the country, in the provinces of North and Luapula. First, it flows about 150 km to the west, and then another 70 km to the northwest. It flows into the large Lake Mweru, located on the border of Zambia with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The length is 220 km, the basin area is 45,000 km². Not navigable.
• Kafue
  A river in Africa that flows through Zambia. It is a left tributary of the Zambezi River. The length of the river is from 960 km to 1577 km, the area of ​​its drainage basin is 154,829 km². The average water consumption is 314 m³/s. On the Kafue River, in the period from 1974 to 1977, the Itezhi-Tezhi dam was built. The dam has a height of 62 m, a length of 1800 m and a reservoir area of ​​390 km².
• Luangwa
  A river in Africa, a left tributary of the Zambezi. The length is about 770 km, the basin area is 145,700 km². It originates west of the northern tip of Lake Nyasa, flows into the Zambezi River near the city of Luangwa. It flows through the territory of Zambia, in the lower reaches it is the border river between Zambia and Mozambique. It is one of the largest rivers in South Africa and one of the main tributaries of the Zambezi.
• Luapula
  The river in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for almost its entire length, forms the border between these states. Connects Lake Bangweulu and Lake Mweru. It is considered one of the upper reaches of the Congo River. The river gave the name to one of the provinces of Zambia - Luapula. Before flowing into Lake Mweru (the last 100 km), Luapula is divided into several branches, forming a delta, which is most often called the Luapula swamps.
• Lungwebungu
  River in Angola and Zambia. tributary of the Zambezi. The sources are in central Angola at an altitude of about 1400 m, flowing towards the southeast. It has a floodplain from 3 to 5 km wide, flooded during the rainy season. Length - 645 kilometers. The river is extremely meandering. It flows into the Zambezi 105 km north of Mongu, being its major tributary in the upper reaches. This river, like many other rivers in south-central Africa, has high seasonal fluctuations, they are overflowing during the rainy season and extremely dry during the dry season.
• Chambeshi
  River in Zambia. The source is located in the mountains in the northeast of Zambia, not far from Lake Tanganyika, at an altitude of 1760 m above sea level. It flows in a southerly direction, after 480 km it flows into the Luapula River. At the end of the rainy season in May, the river brings large masses of water that replenish the swamps and inundate the vast floodplain in the southeast, supporting the Bangweulu swamp ecosystem. The water from the swamps then flows out through the Luapula River.

Zambia (Zambia), Republic of Zambia (Republic of Zambia).

General information

state in southeastern Central Africa. It borders in the north with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania, in the east with Malawi, in the southeast with Mozambique, in the south with Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, in the west with Angola. The area is 752.6 thousand km 2. Population 11.49 million (2007). The capital is Lusaka. The official language is English. The monetary unit is the kwacha. Administrative-territorial division: 9 provinces (table).

Zambia is a member of the UN (1964), Commonwealth (1964), OAU (1964), African Union (2002), Non-Aligned Movement (1964), IBRD (1965), WTO (1995), IMF (1965), Southern African Development Community ( 1980), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA; 1994).

N. V. Vinogradova.

Political system

Zambia is a unitary state. The Constitution was adopted on August 30, 1991 (as amended on May 28, 1996). The form of government is a presidential republic.

The head of state and executive power is the president, elected by the population for a term of 5 years (with the right of one re-election). A citizen of Zambia who is at least 35 years old, has Zambian parents, and has lived in Zambia for at least 20 years, can be elected President.

The highest body of legislative power is the unicameral parliament (National Assembly). Consists of 150 deputies elected by the population and 8 members appointed by the president. The term of office of Parliament is 5 years.

Government - The Cabinet of Ministers, headed by the President, consists of the Vice President and ministers. Members of the Cabinet are appointed by the President from among the deputies of Parliament and are responsible to the National Assembly.

Zambia has a multi-party system. The leading parties are the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), the United National Independence Party (UNIP), the United Party for National Development, the Forum for Democratic Development.

Nature

Relief. Most of the territory of Zambia is occupied by medium-altitude, slightly undulating basement plateaus 1100-1350 m high, slightly inclined to the south and separated by extensive depressions of predominantly tectonic origin (valleys of the upper reaches of the Zambezi River in the west, the valley of the Luangwa River in the east, the lake basins of Mweru, Bangweulu, etc.) . Gentle swampy surfaces predominate, complicated by periodically flooded rounded depressions (“dambo”). Above the general level of the plateau, island mountains (the so-called spears) and mountain ranges (the Muchinga Mountains, height up to 1893 m) rise. The spurs of the Nyika Plateau in the extreme northeast of the country (Mwanda Peak, height 2150 m, the highest point of Zambia) are distinguished by the most dissected relief.

Geological structure and minerals. The territory of Zambia is located in the southern part of the Precambrian African Platform, between the Archean cratons of Central African, Tanzanian and Zimbabwe. The Bangweulu block in northeastern Zambia is composed of Lower Proterozoic granite-gneisses and migmatites, granites (1880-1860 million years old) and felsic volcanic rocks, which are overlain by a layer of sandstones, quartzites and mudstones of the Lower-Middle Proterozoic (accumulated 1800-1250 million years ago). From the north, the Bangweulu block is bounded by the Early Proterozoic Ubendi fold system, composed of metamorphic rocks and granites. The Irumid Middle Proterozoic folded belt (1350-1100 million years) stretches across the entire territory of Zambia from the southwest to the northeast. Metamorphosed sandy-argillaceous deposits, as well as Archean gneisses and granites (platform basement rocks) take part in its structure. Intrusions of granites and charnockites are developed. Late Proterozoic folded belts are represented by the so-called Lufilian arc (in the north and northwest of Zambia) and the Zambezi and Mozambique belts (in the southeast). The Lufilian arc, which is part of the Damar-Katanga fold belt extending from the west, and the Zambezi belt are formed by marine terrigenous-carbonate deposits of the Upper Proterozoic and shillings. Outcrops of basement rocks are known. From the east, the Mozambique granulite-gneiss belt enters the territory of Zambia (the main phase of folding is 850-750 million years ago, the final phase is 690-540 million years ago). Late Proterozoic and Early Cambrian granitoids are widespread in the southeast of Zambia. The grabens of the middle reaches of the Zambezi River, the Luangwa, Lukusashi and Kafue rivers are filled with conglomerates, sandstones, tillites, coals, siltstones and basalts of the Karoo complex (Upper Carboniferous - Jurassic), which are partially overlain by Cretaceous continental rocks. Significant areas in western Zambia are covered with Quaternary eolian deposits of the Kalahari group. In the Pliocene-Quaternary, riftogenic grabens appeared in the eastern part of Zambia, expressed in relief as mountain valleys with steep slopes (the valley of the Luangwe River and the middle reaches of the Zambezi River) and lake depressions (Mweru, Tanganyika).

Zambia is rich in minerals. The most important are copper and cobalt ores. Zambia is one of the ten countries in the world with the largest copper reserves.

The main deposits belong to the Copper belt of Central Africa.

The ores of the stratiform deposits of this belt (Nchanga, Baluba, Mopani, Nkana, Luanshya, etc.) also contain very large reserves of cobalt. Most of the gold reserves are associated with small gold deposits (Chumbwe, Dunrobin, Matala, etc.) and the Kansanshi copper-pyrite deposit. Deposits of coal (in the south and in the center of the country), pyrite (Nampundwe), nickel (Munali), gemstone raw materials (amethyst, emerald, aquamarine, tourmaline, garnets, alluvial diamonds), limestones, dolomites, gypsum, clays, sand and gravel. In Zambia, deposits of ores of iron, manganese, lead, zinc, silver, selenium, tin, tungsten, uranium, and phosphorus are also known.

Climate. Zambia is located within the subequatorial climate zone.

During the year, there is a clear change of three seasons: from May to July, a relatively cool and dry season lasts; from August to October - hot and dry; from November to April - warm and humid. The average temperatures of the warmest month (October) range from 23 ° C in the mountains to 27 ° C in the valleys of the Luangwa River and the middle reaches of the Zambezi, the coldest (July) - from 14 to 22 ° C, frosts are possible at night in mountainous areas. The amount of precipitation generally decreases from northwest to southeast from 1250 to 700 mm per year. More than 1500 mm of precipitation per year falls on the windward slopes of the Muchinga Mountains. The driest regions of the country are the valleys of the middle reaches of the Zambezi and Luangwa rivers (600-700 mm of precipitation per year). More than 80-90% of precipitation falls from January to March.

Inland waters. The river network is dense and branched. Over 4/5 of the country's territory belongs to the Zambezi River basin.

From its source in northwestern Zambia, the Zambezi River first extends beyond Zambia, but south of 12° 30' south latitude flows through the southwestern part of the country and along its southern border, receiving the largest tributaries Kafue and Luangwa. Below the confluence of the Chobe River (Linyanti) on the Zambezi is the Victoria Falls - one of the largest in the world in terms of width. The northeastern part of the country is drained by the rivers of the Congo Basin: the Luapula with a tributary of the Chambeshi, and others. The rivers of Zambia are predominantly rain-fed. During the rainy season (January - March), flood waters flood vast areas in the valley of the upper Zambezi (from the mouth of the Kabompo River to the Ngonye waterfalls for over 100 km), in the valley of the Kafue River, etc. The rivers of Zambia have a high hydropower potential. On the Zambezi River is the Kariba reservoir, one of the largest in the world; on the Kafue River - the Itezhi-Tezhi reservoir.

The main lakes of Zambia (Bangweulu, the southeastern part of Lake Mweru, the southern part of Lake Tanganyika, Mweru-Wantipa) are located in depressions of tectonic origin. The areas of lakes are subject to seasonal fluctuations. Significant areas are occupied by wetlands (bogs of Lukanga, Bangweulu, Mweru-Vantipa, etc.).

Annually renewable water resources are 105 km3; water supply 9.7 thousand m 3 / person. in year. For economic needs, no more than 2% of water resources are used annually (of which 77% is spent on agricultural needs, 16% - on domestic water supply, 7% is consumed by industrial enterprises).

Soils, flora and fauna. The soil cover is dominated by sandy and thin ferrozems. In the wetter regions in the north of the country, red ferralitic soils are common; lateritization processes are typical, leading to the formation of hard lateritic crusts up to 6 m thick. Dark-colored slithozems are developed in the Luangwa river valley.

In the composition of the flora (over 4700 species of vascular plants), 40% are trees and shrubs. Forests and woodlands occupy 57% of the territory of Zambia (2005). The main type of vegetation is the dry forests of miombo with sparse stands of mainly brachistegia, julbernardia, and isoberline genera, in some places replaced by the derived type of vegetation "chipya" (pterocarpus, parinaria, etc.) and secondary acacia savannahs. In the most arid regions (the Luangwa valleys and the middle course of the Zambezi), mopane savanna woodlands predominate. In the north-west of the country, small tracts of evergreen forests of cryptosepalum with dense undergrowth and an abundance of lianas (kombretum, uvaria, etc.) have been preserved; in the southwest, patches of deciduous forests of Rhodesian teakwood. Mountain forests are distinguished by a high diversity of orchids (over 360 species). Within the limits of the dambo and river valleys periodically flooded by flood waters, grasslands with temeda, hyparrenia, ludecia, and others are common; the vegetation of the swamps is represented by thickets of reeds and papyrus.

The ecosystems of Zambia are characterized by high faunal diversity. Over 250 species of mammals are known, including 11 endangered species. Miombo and savannas are characterized by large herbivores: African elephant, African buffalo, giraffe, rhinos (2 species), zebra; a variety of bovids (over 20 species), including Kafuen lychee (endemic to Zambia), sitatunga, impala, great kudu, jumping antelope, blue wildebeest. The number of large carnivores (lion, leopard) has been declining since the 1970s; genets, mongooses, jackals, etc. are more numerous. Some animals (buffalo, impala, lion) are subject to limited licensed hunting. The largest representative of the theriofauna of inland waters is the hippopotamus. The avifauna (over 770 species of birds) includes many endemics. Reptiles are diverse (over 140 species); among them - the Nile crocodile, several species of turtles, African python. Poisonous snakes are found everywhere (Mozambican and Egyptian cobras, black mamba, several types of African vipers). Over 400 species of fish; Lake Tanganyika is distinguished by the greatest diversity and endemism of the ichthyofauna. Among commercial fish, tilapia is especially famous (several species, including Mozambique). Of the insects, termites and mosquitoes are common. Over 1 / 2 of the territory of Zambia is infected with the tsetse fly - a carrier of pathogens of deadly diseases in cattle.

To protect rare and endangered species of animals, 77 protected natural areas have been created, covering about 30% of the country's territory, including 22 national parks with a total area of ​​6.34 million hectares (2006). Kafue National Park (2.24 million hectares) is one of the largest in the world. Wetlands of international importance include the Lokinvar and Blue Lagoon National Parks; Swamp of Bangweulu. Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, which includes the Zambian part of the Victoria Falls, is included in the World Heritage List.

Lit.: Fanshawe D. B. The vegetation of Zambia. Lusaka, 1971; Dunhan K.M. Vegetationenvironment relations of a Middle Zambezi floodplain // Plant Ecology. 1989 Vol. 82. X? one; Zambia. country report. L., 1999; Zambia: millennium development goals. , 2005.

D. V. Solovyov; N. A. Bozhko (geological structure and minerals).

Population

Bantu peoples make up 89.5% of the population (2007, estimate), of which Bemba 25.5%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.2%, Toni 4.8%, Luba 2.3% , Lunda - 2%, Mbundu - 1.4%, Shona - 0.3%, Tetela - 0.3%, Swahili - 0.2%. Of the Khoisan peoples, the San (0.5%). Among the rest - Afrikaners (0.4%), Gujaratis (0.2%), Greeks (0.1%).

The high natural population growth (2.1% in 2006) is due to the high birth rate (41 per 1,000 inhabitants), more than twice the death rate (19.9%). The fertility rate is 5.4 children per woman. Infant mortality is 87 per 1000 live births. The average age of the population is 16.5 years. Young people (under 15 years old) make up 46.3% of the population, people of working age (15-65 years old) - 51.3%, over 65 years old - 2.4% (2006). Average life expectancy is 40 years (men - 39.8 years, women - 40.3 years). There are 99 men for every 100 women. The average population density is 15.3 people / km 2. The most densely populated provinces are Lusaka (78.1 people / km 2) and Copperbelt (over 52 people / km 2; especially along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where a number of large cities are located). Zambia is one of the most urbanized countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with about 50% of the population living in cities. Large cities (thousand people, 2007): Lusaka (1347), Kitwe (416), Idola (402), Kabwe (193), Chingola (148). Economically active population 4.9 million (2006). 85% of employees are employed in agriculture, 9% in the service sector, and 6% in industry. Unemployment rate 50% (2000). About 80% of the population lives below the poverty line.

N. V. Vinogradova.

Religion

According to various sources, about 80-85% of the population are Christians (according to other sources, from 50 to 75%), about 10-15% are Muslims and Hindus (according to other sources, from 24 to 49%). Baha'i and Judaic (Ashkenazi) communities are not numerous - respectively, about 1.5 and less than 1% of the population (2006-07). There are no statistical data on the number of adherents of local traditional beliefs due to the fact that they are practiced by the majority of the population together with other religions (primarily Christianity and Hinduism).

Christians predominate in the north of Zambia in large cities, as well as in the so-called Copper Belt. There are the Zambian diocese (pulpit in Lusaka) of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church, parishes of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches [Church of the province of Central Africa (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi)], communities of numerous Protestant denominations. The most influential Protestant organizations are the United Church of Zambia, which includes Reformed, Presbyterian, Congregational and Methodist communities, the Reformed Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Afro-Christian syncretic cults include the Kitawala sect and the Lumpa Church, whose adherents live in the central and northern regions of Zambia (mainly representatives of the Bemba people). In 1992, the Zambians were officially declared a "Christian nation", while maintaining a tradition of religious tolerance.

Sunni Muslims (Hanifites and Shafiites) and Ismailis live in large cities. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, there is a trend towards the spread of Islam among the poorest rural population.

Historical outline

The oldest monuments of human activity on the territory of Zambia belong to Ashel. The remains of a fossil man (Kabwe and others) have been found. More recent archaeological sites refer to the circle of "Sango" cultures, known in a large part of sub-Saharan Africa; for the Neolithic, monuments of the Nachikuzh culture (polished axes, numerous grain graters, etc.) and, in the south, the traditions of Wilton are indicative. In the early Iron Age (no later than the 4th century AD), the Calambo and other cultures spread here, belonging to the circle of ceramic cultures “with a grooved (cut-out) ornament.” The ethnic composition of the population of Zambia was formed as a result of the migrations of the Bantu peoples, who almost completely assimilated the earlier population (Koisan peoples). With the settlement of the Bantu on the territory of Zambia, agriculture, cattle breeding, blacksmithing began to develop, and a number of early state associations were formed. In the 17th-19th centuries, part of modern Zambia was part of the state of Lunda. At the end of the 18th century, the Kazembe state formation arose in the northeast of Zambia; in the middle of the 18th century, the state of Lozi (Barotse), later known as Barotseland, was formed in the southwestern regions of Zambia.

At the end of the 18th century, the penetration of the Portuguese into Zambia began [expeditions of M. G. Pereira (1796), F. J. de Lacerda y Almeida and F. J. Pinto (1798-99)]. In the middle of the 19th century, Great Britain began to show interest in Zambia. In 1890, emissaries from the British South Africa Company (BSAC) imposed a series of treaties on the concession to develop mineral resources on the leaders of local tribes. In the same year, Great Britain declared this region a sphere of its interests and occupied the eastern regions of the headwaters of the Zambezi River, which were called Southern Rhodesia. In 1891, the colonialists advanced north of the Zambezi River, Barotseland was declared a protectorate of Great Britain. In 1899, the lands of North-Western Rhodesia came under the control of the BSAK, and in 1900, North-Eastern Rhodesia. In 1911, these territories were united and received the name Northern Rhodesia. In the early 1920s, large copper deposits were discovered here. In 1923-24, the British government bought out administrative functions from the BSAC, after which it declared a protectorate over Northern Rhodesia. The development of the mining industry contributed to the influx of European settlers. The forcible transfer of Africans to the so-called reserves began, the traditional system of agriculture fell into decay. Otkhodnichestvo spread among the local population (the bulk were employed on farms and industrial enterprises owned by Europeans).

In the 1940s and 1950s, a movement for the independence of the country began. In 1946, the first political organization of the indigenous population of Northern Rhodesia, the Federation of Welfare Associations, was created. In 1948, on its basis, an African party was formed - the Congress of Northern Rhodesia (since 1951, the African National Congress of Northern Rhodesia; ANC), which advocated the mandatory representation of Africans in government, the introduction of universal suffrage on the principle of "one person - one vote". In 1952, the Congress of African Trade Unions of Northern Rhodesia was created. These political organizations opposed the British plan to unite Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Despite the resistance of the Africans, in 1953 Northern Rhodesia was included in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

In 1958, the National Congress of Zambia headed by K. D. Kaunda separated from the ANC (it was banned by the authorities in 1959). Instead of the National Congress of Zambia, the United National Independence Party (UNIP) was created, which led the national liberation movement, the struggle to eliminate the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. On March 29, 1963, the government of Northern Rhodesia received the official consent of Great Britain to withdraw from the Federation. The constitution was adopted. In January 1964, Northern Rhodesia became self-governing. In the same year, general elections were held for the Legislative Council, in which UNIP received a majority of votes. From its representatives, the first African government of Northern Rhodesia was formed, which was headed by Kaunda.

On October 24, 1964, the independent Republic of Zambia (named after the Zambezi River) was formed as part of the British Commonwealth of Nations (see Commonwealth). Kaunda became its president. The constitution entered into force, according to which the lands seized by the colonialists from the Africans became the property of the state, the reserves were abolished, and the multi-party system was fixed. In the same year, Zambia became a member of the UN, the OAU, the Non-Aligned Movement, and established diplomatic relations with the USSR.

In 1967, the National Council of UNIP approved the program document of the Humanism in Zambia party, developed by K. D. Kaunda, which set the task of building democratic socialism in Zambia, based on traditional African institutions of mutual assistance. In 1968, a new economic policy was proclaimed, the priority directions of which were to reduce the share of foreign investment, encourage national entrepreneurship, and nationalize the copper industry and other sectors of the economy. In December 1972, a one-party system of government was introduced in Zambia (the constitution of 1973 approved this principle).

In the 1970s, as a result of the decline in world copper prices, the value of Zambian exports fell sharply, the country's economy entered into a protracted crisis. Government measures to improve the situation did not bring visible results. Rising prices, unemployment, interruptions in the supply of basic foodstuffs have destabilized the situation in the country. In the late 1980s, massive protests against Kaunda began in Zambia. On November 30, 1990, under pressure from the opposition, a law on a multi-party system was adopted. In December of the same year, the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) party was registered in Zambia, whose slogans were the democratization of the country, the fight against corruption, and the improvement of the living standards of the population. In the following months, 11 more parties were officially recognized. In the elections of 10/31/1991, the DMD won a majority of seats in parliament, and the leader of the DMD, F.J.T., became president of Zambia. Chiluba (born 1943), for a long time headed the Congress of Trade Unions of the country.

The victory of the opposition did not lead to an improvement in the domestic political situation. In March 1993, the government declared the activities of UNIP illegal and introduced a state of emergency for a period of 3 months. In May 1996, the parliament amended the country's constitution (adopted in 1991), according to which only persons who had Zambian parents and had lived in Zambia for at least 20 years could run for the presidency. K. D. Kaunda, the main political rival of F. J. T. Chiluba in the forthcoming elections, was denied the opportunity to run for president (his father was from Malawi). UNIP and 6 other opposition parties boycotted the elections. On November 18, 1996, Chiluba was re-elected for a second term, and the DMD won 131 out of 150 seats in parliament.

The opposition, dissatisfied with the election results, filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court and tried to inspire mass protests. The culmination of the political struggle was an unsuccessful attempt at a coup d'état, undertaken on 10/28/1997 by the military. The government declared a state of emergency (maintained until February 1998), KD Kaunda was arrested. The actions of F.J.T. Chilubs were negatively received by the international community, the IMF and the World Bank suspended funding for most aid programs to Zambia (except for targeted ones).

On December 27, 2001, a candidate from the DMD, L.P. Mvanawasa (born 1948), was elected president of the country. He accused Chiluba and his entourage of misusing public funds. The opposition contested the results of the 2001 elections and demanded that the president be impeached. The struggle for deputy mandates in parliament continued. Gradually, Mwanawase managed to stabilize the situation, representatives of the opposition parties were included in the government. In 2003, as part of a constitutional reform, the rights of an advisory body, the House of Chiefs, were expanded. On September 28, 2006, Mwanawasa was re-elected President of Zambia. The DMD won a convincing victory in the parliamentary elections. The Mwanawasa government aims to implement programs of socio-economic transformation, the fight against poverty and corruption.

Lit .: History of Zambia in modern and recent times. M., 1990; Sichone O., Chikulo B. Democracy in Zambia: challenges for the Third Republic. Harare, 1996; Chuvaeva M.A., Ksenofontova N.A. The Republic of Zambia: A Handbook. M., 1996; Prokopenko L. Ya. Zambia: features of the formation of a multi-party system (90s). M., 2000; Contemporary African Leaders. political portraits. M., 2001; Stock R. F. Africa south of the Sahara. L.; N.Y., 2004.

L. Ya. Prokopenko.

economy

Zambia belongs to the group of the least developed countries in the world, largely dependent on foreign aid (mainly from the US, EU countries, Japan, Canada), as well as from the IMF. The economy is export-oriented and dependent on world prices for copper (the country's main export product). Government policy is aimed at diversifying the economy, priority areas (2002) are manufacturing, agriculture, energy and foreign tourism (117 million dollars, about 500 thousand tourists; 2002). Since the end of the 20th century, there has been a process of privatization of state-owned companies. According to official data, by the beginning of the 2000s, 257 state and semi-state enterprises had been privatized; 56% of privatized companies are acquired by Zambian entrepreneurs.

The volume of GDP is 11.5 billion dollars (according to purchasing power parity; 2006), per capita - 1000 dollars. Real GDP growth 6% (2006). Human Development Index 0.394 (2003; 166th out of 177 countries). In the structure of GDP, the service sector accounts for 51.2%, industry - 28.9%, agriculture - 19.9%.

Industry. The basis of the economy is the extraction and processing of copper ore. The peak of production occurred in 1969 (720 thousand tons of refined copper), however, the fall in copper prices on the world market since the mid-1970s led to a decrease in production volumes (227.4 thousand tons in 2000) and export earnings. Growth in production (336.8 thousand tons in 2002; 600 thousand tons in 2006; number of jobs in the industry: 35 thousand in 2001; 48 thousand in 2004) and export of copper since the beginning of the 21st century is largely due to a new increase in world prices for the metal and high and stable demand for it from China. The main developed deposits of copper and copper-nickel ores are concentrated in the central part of Zambia, in the province of Copperbelt (Nchanga, Baluba, Konkola, Mufulira, Luanshya, Nkana, etc.); in the eastern part of the country, the Kansanshi field is being developed (since 2003); in the northwest by the Australian company Equinox Copper Ventures Ltd. construction is underway (2007; completion scheduled for 2009) of Africa's largest Lumwana mine. The leading companies are Konkola Copper Mines (51% of the shares are owned by the British Vedanta Resources, 28.4% by Zambia Copper Investments Ltd. and 20.6% by Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-IH; over 200 thousand tons copper per year), "Mopani Copper Mines" (73.1% of the shares - the Swiss "Giencore International AG", 16.9% - "First Quantum Minerals Ltd." and 10% - "Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines IH"; about 175 thousand tons of copper per year) and "Luanshya Copper Mines" (85% of the shares - the Swiss "J&W Investment Group of Switzerland" and 15% - "Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines"; about 24 thousand tons of copper per year). The largest copper smelter is located in Kitwe (capacity up to 200 thousand tons of copper per year), other plants - in Mufulira, Ndola, Nchang, Luanshya. Export of copper over 450 thousand tons (2006). Copper is exported mainly through the ports of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Durban (South Africa). Zambia is the world's second largest producer of cobalt extracted from complex copper-cobalt ores (7.8 thousand tons in 2004; about 20% of world production); factories in Kitwe (over 2 thousand tons per year), Luanshe, Nchang. Pyrite is also mined (Nampundwe; 280 thousand tons in 2004), nickel (Munali), coal (280 thousand tons in 2004), gemstone raw materials (thousand kg, 2004): amethysts 1100, tourmalines 26, aquamarines 8, emeralds 2.1 , garnets, a small amount of diamonds, malachite.

Zambia fully covers its electricity needs from its own resources. Electricity generation 9.96 billion kWh, consumption 6.69 billion kWh, export 2.98 billion kWh (mainly to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zimbabwe; 2004). Most of the electricity is generated at Kafue Gorge on the Kafue River, Kariba North and Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River.

There is a refinery in Ndola (6.2 thousand tons of oil products in 2004; oil comes via an oil pipeline from Tanzania). Chemical enterprises (factories in Lusaka, Kitwe; production of explosives in Mufulira, fertilizers and sulfuric acid in Kafue, Kitwe, glycerin in Ndola), metalworking (Lusaka, Kitwe, Ndola, Mufulira, Luanshya), textile (Lusaka, Kafue), food , woodworking (Mulobezi), paper industry. On the basis of local raw materials (dolomite, limestone, gypsum, feldspar), glass (Kapiri-Mposhi) and cement (Chilanga, Ndola) plants operate. Auto assembly in Ndola (trucks of Toyota, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen brands), Lusaka, Livingston (cars). Tractor manufacturing in Livingston, bicycle factory in Mufulira.

Agriculture. Agriculture is inefficient, most food is imported. Subsistence farms predominate, there are few large plantation farms (mainly owned by Europeans). A small part (about 7%) of arable land is cultivated. In order to increase agricultural production and increase the level of food self-sufficiency, measures are being taken to increase the diversity of cultivated crops, create new agricultural zones, and combat droughts. In 2003-05, the harvest of corn, the main food crop, increased by 92.5% and amounted to 1,161 thousand tons. Horticulture is developing rapidly (fruit harvest 74 thousand tons in 2005). They also grow (collection, thousand tons; 2005): sugar cane 1800, cassava 950, wheat 135, sweet potato 53, peanut 42, millet 35, coffee 6.9, tobacco 4.8. Since the early 2000s, Zambia began to export tobacco, corn, cotton fiber, and fruits. Cattle breeding is limited due to the wide spread of tropical diseases, in particular trypanosomiasis, transmitted through tsetse fly bites. Measures are being taken to reduce livestock mortality, serious attention is being paid to vaccination. Fishing (annual catch - about 70 thousand tons).

Transport. The length of motor roads is 91.4 thousand km, of which 20.1 thousand km are paved (2001). The length of railways is 2173 km. The main railway lines are: Ndola-Kabwe-Lusaka-Livingston and on to Zimbabwe and Ndola-Kapiri-Mposhi-Mpika-Nakonde and on to Tanzania. 10 airports have paved runways. International airports in Lusaka (strip length over 3 thousand m), Ndola, Livingston. The length of the waterways is 2250 km (including Lake Tanganyika, the Zambezi and Luapulu rivers). The main port is Mpulungu (on the southern shore of Lake Tanganyika; cargo turnover is about 50 thousand tons per year). The length of oil pipelines is 771 km (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, - Idola, total length 1700 km; 2006).

Foreign economic relations. The value of merchandise exports is $3.9 billion, imports are $3.1 billion (2006). Main export items: copper (64% of the value), cobalt, electricity. Main trading partners: China, Japan, countries of Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Switzerland, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe. Machinery and equipment, oil products, fertilizers, foodstuffs, clothes are imported mainly from South Africa, Great Britain, Zimbabwe.

Lit .: Alexandrov Yu. A., Lipets Yu. G. Zambia. M., 1973; Chuvaeva M.A., Ksenofontova N.A. Zambia: A Handbook. M., 1996; Business Zambia: Economy and Relations with Russia. 1999-2002. M., 2003; Zambia - Malawi - Mozambique. Growth triangle. Nairobi, 2003.

N. V. Vinogradova.

Armed forces

The Armed Forces (AF) of Zambia number 15.1 thousand people (2006), consist of the Ground Forces (SV) and the Air Force. There are also paramilitary formations (1.4 thousand people). Military annual budget $48.1 million (2005). The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces is the president of the country. The direct leadership of the Armed Forces is carried out by the Minister of Defense.

SV (13.5 thousand people) include 3 brigades, 3 regiments (tank, artillery, engineering) and 9 infantry battalions. The SV is armed with 60 tanks, 90 armored personnel carriers, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, about 240 field artillery guns, MLRS and mortars, 200 ZA and MANPADS installations. The Air Force (1.6 thousand people) includes aviation squadrons and air defense units. The Air Force is armed with about 100 aircraft and about 10 helicopters of various types. Armament and military equipment produced by China, the USSR, Great Britain and France. Completion for hire (men and women aged 18-25). The duration of the contract is 7 years. The training of command personnel and military specialists is carried out in military educational institutions of the country and abroad. Mobilization resources amount to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million fit for military service.

Healthcare. Sport

In Zambia, there are 12 doctors, 174 nurses, 4 dentists, 10 pharmacists, and 27 midwives per 100,000 inhabitants (2004). Total health care expenditures amount to 5.4% of GDP (budget financing - 51.4%, private sector - 48.6%). The legal regulation of the health care system is carried out by the constitution; there are laws on the protection of the external and water environment (1993-2002), the National AIDS Policy (2002). The main causes of death are AIDS, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, tuberculosis (2004).

The National Olympic Committee was established and recognized by the IOC in 1964. Athletes from Zambia have been participating in the Olympic Games since 1964. The most popular sports are football, athletics, weightlifting, basketball, wrestling, field hockey, etc. The Zambian football team played twice in the African Cup final (1972 and 1994).

V.S. Nechaev (health).

Education. Scientific and cultural institutions

The education system includes pre-school education for children aged 3-6; compulsory free primary education - junior (grades 1-4) and senior (grades 5-7). In urban schools, all who have completed the junior level can continue their education at the senior level; examinations are held in rural schools for such a transition. The term of study in secondary school is 5 years: 2 years in junior and 3 years in senior secondary school. Vocational education is carried out for 2-5 years on the basis of primary school and lower secondary school in lower vocational schools and vocational schools. In 2004, 80% of students were enrolled in primary education, and 24% in secondary education. The literacy rate of the population over the age of 15 was 68%. Higher education is provided by the University of Zambia (1965), the National Institute of Public Administration (1963) and colleges - applied arts and commerce (1963), for the development of national resources (1964) - all in Lusaka; Copperbelt University (until 1987 a branch of the University of Zambia); Northern Technical College (1960) in Ndola; Zambian Agricultural College (1947) at Mansa; teacher training colleges in Kabwe, Kasama, Livingston and other cities. Scientific institutions include: Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (1926), Institute of Engineering (1955), National Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (1967) - all in Lusaka; Central Institute of Fisheries (1965) in Chilang; Inter-African Institute for the Development of Eastern and Southern Africa (1979) in Kabwe; Tropical Disease Research Center (1976) at Ndola. Public Library in Ndola (1934), City Library in Lusaka (1943), etc. National museums: in Livingston (1934; natural history, archeology, ethnography, history of Zambia, African art, collection of personal belongings of D. Livingston) and Lusaka (1964 ); Railway Museum in Livingston (1972), Moto-Moto Museum in Mbale, Copperbelt Provincial Museum in Ndola (1962). Chimpanzee reserve in Chingola (1983) and others.

Lit.: Educating our future: national policy on education. Lusaka, 1996; Kelly M. J. The origins and development of education in Zambia: from pre-colonial times of 1996. Lusaka, 1999.

Media

Daily newspapers are published in English: government - "Zambia Daily Mail" (since 1960), "Times of Zambia" (since 1943), "Zambia Government Gazette"; independent "Post". The position of the church is reflected in the "National Mirror" (published 2 times a week). Monthly newspapers in African languages: Imbila (since 1953, in Bemba), Intanda (since 1958, in Tonga), Tsopano (since 1958, in Tonga), Liseli (in Lozi). Government news agency - Zambia News Agency (ZANA; since 1969). Broadcasting since 1939, television since 1961. The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (since 1958, current name since 1988) broadcasts television (in English) and radio programs (in English and African).

L. Ya. Prokopenko.

Literature

The literature of Zambia has been formed since the 2nd half of the 20th century on the basis of folklore traditions. It develops mainly in English, as well as in local languages. The first literary works in the Bemba and Luba languages ​​were published in 1962 (a collection of laudatory songs by J. Chileya Chivale, a collection of poems by J. Musapu Alamango). In the late 1960s, literary associations were created (the New Writers Group, the Creative Society of Mfala, etc.), which published magazines in local languages ​​with parallel text in English; in 1978 - Zambian National Writers Association. Since the 1970s, works in English have appeared, including the first novels: “Before Dawn” by A. Masiye (1970) - a chronicle of the life of a tribal village in the 1930s and 40s; "Language of a Fool" by D. Mulaysho (1971) about the confrontation between a tribal leader and a young fighter for independence; historical "Between two worlds" G. Sibale (1979). The novels of the 1970s, which describe the traditional way of life of the African community, are characterized by an educational orientation. In the 1980s, the Zambian Women Writers Association (ZAWWA) was founded; feminist themes are being developed in the literature. Literature at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries raises the problem of the coexistence of traditional and new ways of life in African society, describes the complex socio-political processes taking place in Zambia (the novels Behind the Closed Door by S. Chitabantha, 1992; Arrows of Desire by B. Sinyangwe, 1993 , and etc.).

N. S. Frolova.

Visual arts and architecture

In the northern and eastern regions of Zambia, rock paintings and petroglyphs have been discovered, the earliest of which date back to the 4th millennium BC. Murals made with mineral paints (most often red, yellow, white, black) are schematic images of animals (elephants, antelopes, ostriches), people, hunting scenes, or simply colorful combinations of straight and curved lines. The most common type of folk dwelling is round huts with clay or wattle walls, with a conical reed roof, the overhang of which forms a veranda. Clay-smeared walls are decorated with multicolored stylized drawings. In the north (in the area of ​​the Luapula River), the huts are tightly grouped around the square with the leader's house. Several villages share a common stockade. In the south (Tonga Plateau) fenced estates of 2-3 huts are loosely scattered around the chief's estate, consisting of 10-15 huts. From the end of the 20th century, fences began to gradually disappear, villages received a regular layout, rectangular houses made of raw wood under a 4-pitched reed roof, with a veranda and glazed windows were erected along the streets. The cities of Zambia that arose at the beginning of the 20th century (Lusaka, Livingston, Ndola, etc.) are relatively small, have wide streets and free low-rise buildings made of reinforced concrete and raw brick. A tourist complex was created near the Victoria Falls, the buildings of which are stylized as a folk dwelling (1975).

The traditional fine arts are dominated by wooden round sculpture: mainly figures of people of highly elongated and distorted proportions, supporting the seats of chairs, benches, thrones; sometimes they are combined into dynamic compositions. Carved figurines of people and animals are also used to decorate various household items - spoons, headrests, combs, pestles for grinding tobacco, lids of oval bowls. Pottery is also widespread: molded clay vessels with scratched geometric ornaments, clay smoking pipes decorated with figures of people or animals (hippos, buffaloes, antelopes). Mats are woven from palm leaves and reeds, baskets with colored geometric ornaments, into which schematized images of animals and birds are woven. Jewelry is made from silver, copper, malachite, soapstone. Zambian professional art emerged in the 20th century; among the artists - muralist R. Sililo, painters G. Tayali, R. Sichalve, B. Kabamba, sculptors P. Lombe, R. Kausu, B. Kalulu and others.

Lit.: Lusaka and its environs; a geographical study of a planned capital city in tropical Africa / Ed. G. J. Williams. Lusaka, 1986; Lorenz B., Plesner M. Traditional Zambian pottery. L., 1989.

V. L. Voronina.

Music

The earliest monuments of musical culture in Zambia are iron bells of the 5th-7th centuries. A significant layer of professional oral culture is made up of ritual and various ceremonial songs and dances among the Bemba, Tonga, Lozi (royal drums are preserved), Lunda, among the Malawi peoples - Chewa (singing and dancing in zoo- and anthropomorphic masks) and Nsenga. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Western Christian church music spread; song styles were formed that mixed local and European elements. In the 1950s-1980s, new musical and dance genres - jive, makwaya and many others - penetrated into Zambia from neighboring Central and South African countries, American film music, jazz, soul, reggae, disco and other popular Western styles spread. After the declaration of independence, many groups performing traditional and modern Zambian music were organized in the country. Regular research into traditional music has been carried out since the beginning of the 20th century, and the activities of the Department of Arts and Culture, the Institute for African Studies (founded in 1937) at the University of Zambia in Lusaka are aimed at preserving and developing it.

Zambia area. 752,614 km2.

Population of Zambia. 9770 thousand people

Administrative divisions of Zambia. The state is divided into 9 provinces.

Form of government of Zambia. Republic.

Head of State of Zambia. President elected for a term of 5 years.

Supreme legislature of Zambia. Unicameral Parliament (National Assembly).

Supreme executive body of Zambia. Government (Cabinet of Ministers).

Major cities in Zambia. Ndola, Livingston, Kabwe.

State language of Zambia. English.

Religion in Zambia. 60% are pagans, 30% are Christians.

Ethnic composition of Zambia. 98.7% - Bantu peoples, 1.1% -.

Currency of Zambia. Kwacha = 100 ngway.

Fauna of Zambia. The animal world of Zambia is characterized by an elephant, a lion, a rhinoceros, several species of antelope, a zebra, a jackal, a hyena, a crocodile. Inhabits a large number of snakes and birds. Occasionally there are ostriches. Termites, mosquitoes, tsetse flies are common.

Rivers and lakes of Zambia. The main rivers are the Zambezi and its tributaries the Kafue and Luangwa, as well as the Luapula and Chambeshi. The largest lakes are Bangweulu, the southern part of the lake, the eastern part of Mneru and Kariba - the largest.

Sights of Zambia. National parks, as well as the city of Kabwe, near which the remains of the "Rhodesian man" were found, who lived at the same time as the Neanderthal. There is an Anthropological Museum in the capital.

Useful information for tourists

The most common type of dwellings are round huts with mud or wicker walls and conical reed roofs. Traditions and the consciousness of belonging to one's clan play an exceptional role in the life of Zambians, determining their daily behavior. Two systems of kinship are common: patrilineal - kinship through the male line and matrilineal - through the female line. The first is found in, the second - in the Bemba. Zambia attracts foreign tourists with its pristine nature: 19, one of the largest Victoria Falls in the world. Not far from Livingstone is the Maramba Cultural Center - an open-air ethnographic museum: more than 50 buildings represent typical dwellings of different peoples. Around them, craftsmen demonstrate their art in traditional crafts.