THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: Bantu-speaking groups mainly from the Luba and Lunda Kingdoms in the Congo River Basin and from the Great Lakes region in East Africa settled in what is now Zambia beginning around A.D. 300, displacing and mixing with previous population groups in the region. The Mutapa Empire developed after the fall of Great Zimbabwe to the south in the 14th century and ruled the region, including large parts of Zambia, from the 14th to 17th century. The empire collapsed as a result of the growing slave trade and Portuguese incursions in the 16th and 17th centuries. The region was further influenced by migrants from the Zulu Kingdom to the south and the Luba and Lunda Kingdoms to the north, after invading colonial and African powers displaced local residents into the area around the Zambezi River, in what is now Zambia. In the 1880s, British companies began securing mineral and other economic concessions from local leaders. The companies eventually claimed control of the region and incorporated it as the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in 1911. The UK took over administrative control from the British South Africa Company in 1924. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred British economic ventures and colonial settlement. Northern Rhodesia’s name was changed to Zambia upon independence from the UK in 1964, under independence leader and first President Kenneth KAUNDA. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement, and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule and propelled the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) into power. The subsequent vote in 1996, however, saw increasing harassment of opposition parties and abuse of state media and other resources. Administrative problems marked the election in 2001, with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his death in 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who won a special presidential byelection later that year. BANDA and the MMD lost to Michael SATA and the Patriotic Front (PF) in the 2011 general elections. SATA, however, presided over a period of haphazard economic management and attempted to silence opposition to PF policies. SATA died in 2014 and was succeeded by his vice president, Guy SCOTT, who served as interim president until 2015, when Edgar LUNGU won the presidential byelection and completed SATA's term. LUNGU then won a full term in the 2016 presidential elections. Hakainde HICHILEMA was elected president in 2021.

Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 752,618 sq km
land: 743,398 sq km
water: 9,220 sq km
Area - comparative: almost five times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 6,043.15 km
border countries: Angola 1,065 km; Botswana 0.15 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,332 km; Malawi 847 km; Mozambique 439 km; Namibia 244 km; Tanzania 353 km; Zimbabwe 763 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Elevation: highest point: Mafinga Central 2,330 m
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
mean elevation: 1,138 m
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
Land use: agricultural land: 32.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 26.9% (2023 est.)
forest: 60.6% (2023 est.)
other: 7.3% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,560 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): fresh water lake(s): Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Burundi) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo) - 4,350 sq km; Lake Bangweulu - 4,000-15,000 sq km seasonal variation
Major rivers (by length in km): Congo river source (shared with Angola, Republic of Congo, and Democratic Republic of Congo [m]) - 4,700 km; Zambezi river source (shared with Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 kmnote: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Major aquifers: Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin
Population distribution: one of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)
Geography - note: landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural river boundary with Zimbabwe; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)

Population: total: 22,021,971 (2025 est.)
male: 11,066,079
female: 10,955,892
Nationality: noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian
Ethnic groups: Bemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (north Western) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)
Languages: Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.)
Religions: Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.1% (male 4,418,980/female 4,337,187)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 5,726,265/female 5,736,732)
65 years and over: 2.8% (2024 est.) (male 262,008/female 317,944)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 75.8 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 71.3 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 4.5 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 22.3 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 19 years (2025 est.)
male: 18.2 years
female: 18.6 years
Population growth rate: 2.51% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 29.6 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 4.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: one of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 46.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 4.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 3.181 million LUSAKA (capital), 763,000 Kitwe (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 19.2 years (2018 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 85 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 30.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 38.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 32.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 65.2 years
female: 68.7 years
Total fertility rate: 3.67 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.81 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 88.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 51.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 68.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 11.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 48.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 31.8% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 6.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 8.9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.32 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 78.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 40.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 57.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 21.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 59.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 42.1% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 8.1% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 3.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 2.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 11.7% (2025 est.)
male: 21.4% (2025 est.)
female: 2.4% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.8% (2018 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 55.7% (2018 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 5.2% (2018)
women married by age 18: 29% (2018)
men married by age 18: 2.8% (2018)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 14.5% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 71.1% (2018 est.)
male: 81.7% (2018 est.)
female: 62.2% (2018 est.)

Environmental issues: air pollution and acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; loss of biodiversity; poaching; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
Land use: agricultural land: 32.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 26.9% (2023 est.)
forest: 60.6% (2023 est.)
other: 7.3% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 46.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 4.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 9.877 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 4.835 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 5.042 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 16.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.608 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.6% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 290 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 130 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 1.152 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 104.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia
former: Northern Rhodesia
etymology: name is derived from the Zambezi River, which flows through the western part of the country and forms the southern border with Zimbabwe
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Lusaka
geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after a village with a headman (chief) called LUSAAKAS
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
Legal system: mixed system of English common law and customary law
Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly in two separate readings at least 30 days apart; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms requires approval by at least one half of votes cast in a referendum prior to consideration and voting by the Assembly
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: only if at least one parent is a citizen of Zambia
citizenship by descent only: yes, if at least one parent was a citizen of Zambia
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years for those with an ancestor who was a citizen of Zambia, otherwise 10 years residency is required
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021)
head of government: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
most recent election date: 12 August 2021
election results: 2021: Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote - Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%, Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8%2016: Edgar LUNGU reelected president; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2%; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
expected date of next election: 2026
Legislative branch: legislature name: National Assembly
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 167 (156 directly elected; 8 appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 44420
parties elected and seats per party: United Party for National Development (UPND) (82); Patriotic Front (PF) (60); Independents (13); Other (1)
percentage of women in chamber: 15%
expected date of next election: August 2026
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and at least 11 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 11 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the advice of the 9-member Judicial Service Commission, which is headed by the chief justice, and ratified by the National Assembly; judges normally serve until age 65
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Industrial Relations Court; subordinate courts (3 levels, based on upper limit of money involved); Small Claims Court; local courts (2 grades, based on upper limit of money involved)
Political parties: Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD Party of National Unity and Progress or PNUP Patriotic Front or PF United Party for National Development or UPND
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Chibamba KANYAMA (since 30 June 2023)
chancery: 2200 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4009
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826
email address and website: info@zambiaembassy.orghttps://www.zambiaembassy.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. GONZALES (since 16 September 2022)
embassy: Eastern end of Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, Lusaka
mailing address: 2310 Lusaka Place, Washington DC 20521-2310
telephone: [260] (0) 211-357-000
FAX: [260] (0) 211-357-224
email address and website: ACSLusaka@state.govhttps://zm.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 24 October 1964 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
Flag: description: green field with a soaring orange eagle in the upper-right corner; a panel of three vertical bands is under the eagle, in red (left side), black, and orangemeaning: green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red for the struggle for freedom, black for the people, and orange for the country's mineral wealth; the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems
National symbol(s): African fish eagle
National color(s): green, red, black, orange
National anthem(s): title: "Lumbanyeni Zambia" (Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free)
lyrics/music: multiple/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA
history: adopted 1964; the melody, which comes from the popular song "God Bless Africa," a popular song and anthem in southern Africa
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls

Economic overview: lower-middle-income sub-Saharan economy; regional hydroelectricity producer; trade ties and infrastructure investments from China; IMF assistance to restructure debt burden; one of youngest and fastest-growing labor forces; systemic corruption; extreme rural poverty
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $79.207 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $76.129 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $72.251 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 4% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 5.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $3,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $3,700 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $3,600 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $26.326 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 15% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 10.9% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 11% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.8% (2024 est.)
industry: 37.5% (2024 est.)
services: 55.1% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 47.1% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 13.3% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 26.4% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 5% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 40.8% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -37.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products: sugarcane, cassava, maize, soybeans, milk, vegetables, wheat, groundnuts, sweet potatoes, beef (2023)
Industries: copper mining and processing, emerald mining, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture
Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 7.407 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 6% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 6% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 9.9% (2024 est.)
male: 10.1% (2024 est.)
female: 9.6% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 60% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022: 51.5 (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.5% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 39.1% (2022 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5.388 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures: $6.19 billion (2021 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2021: 71.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 16.8% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2023: -$582.715 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $1.093 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: $2.63 billion (2021 est.)
Exports: Exports 2023: $11.454 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $12.444 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $11.728 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners: Switzerland 27%, China 15%, India 13%, UAE 12%, DRC 10% (2023)
Exports - commodities: raw copper, refined copper, gold, precious stones, electricity (2023)
Imports: Imports 2023: $10.854 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $10.022 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $7.691 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners: South Africa 25%, China 15%, UAE 10%, India 5%, Japan 5% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, fertilizers, trucks, sulphur, tractors (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $3.173 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $2.968 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021: $2.754 billion (2021 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $16.597 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 26.166 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 20.212 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 16.938 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 20.018 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 18.344 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 47.8% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 87%
electrification - rural areas: 14.5%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 3.986 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 14.399 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 3 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 180 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 2.229 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 11% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 87.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: production: 2.091 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 2.081 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 15,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 103,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 945 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 8.265 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 81,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 23.2 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: 47 state-controlled and private TV stations; state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) has 2 TV channels, controls 1, and owns shares in 2 more; 137 radio stations, with 133 private and 4 state-owned (2019)
Internet country code: .zm
Internet users: percent of population: 33% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 99,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9J
Airports: 120 (2025)
Heliports: 4 (2025)
Railways: total: 3,126 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 3,126 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Merchant marine: total: 2 (2023)
by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 1

Military and security forces: Zambia Defense Force (ZDF): Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia National ServiceMinistry of Home Affairs and Internal Security: Zambia Police (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 16,000 active Defense Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the ZDF's inventory is largely comprised of Chinese, Russian, and Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with smaller quantities of items from other suppliers such as Israel, South Africa, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age (17 with parental consent) for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription; initial service of 7 years followed by 5 in the Reserves (2025)
Military deployments: 930 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)
Military - note: the Zambia Defense Forces (ZDF) are responsible for territorial defense, border security, and providing support to African and UN peacekeeping operations; it also has some domestic security responsibilities in cases of national emergency and is involved in socio-economic support; in recent years, ZDF has been directed to assist in agricultural production; the ZDF is part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force and participates in multinational training exercises; it has received training assistance from China and the USthe ZDF traces its roots to the Northern Rhodesia Regiment, which was raised by the British colonial government to fight in World War II; the ZDF was established in 1964 from units of the dissolved Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland armed forces; it participated in a number of regional conflicts during the 1970s and 1980s; Zambia actively supported independence movements such as the Union for the Total Liberation of Angola (UNITA), the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), and the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 88,918 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 131,349 (2024 est.)

Zambia