:Zambia Economy
Overview:
The economy has been in decline for more than a decade with falling imports
and growing foreign debt. Economic difficulties stem from a sustained drop
in copper production and ineffective economic policies. In 1991 real GDP
fell by 2%. An annual population growth of more than 3% has brought a
decline in per capita GDP of 50% over the past decade. A high inflation rate
has also added to Zambia's economic woes in recent years.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $4.7 billion, per capita $600; real growth rate
-2% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
100% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $665 million; expenditures $767 million, including capital
expenditures of $300 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
$1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco
partners:
EC, Japan, South Africa, US, India
Imports:
$1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
commodities:
machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, manufactures
partners:
EC, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, US
External debt:
$8 billion (December 1991)
Industrial production:
growth rate -2% (1991); accounts for 50% of GDP
Electricity:
2,775,000 kW capacity; 12,000 million kWh produced, 1,400 kWh per capita
(1991)
Industries:
copper mining and processing, transport, construction, foodstuffs,
beverages, chemicals, textiles, and fertilizer
Agriculture:
accounts for 17% of GDP and 85% of labor force; crops - corn (food staple),
sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava;
cattle, goats, beef, eggs
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (1970-89), $4.8 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.8 billion; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $60 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $533
million
Currency:
Zambian kwacha (plural - kwacha); 1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee
Exchange rates:
Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1 - 128.2051 (March 1992), 61.7284 (1991),
28.9855 (1990), 12.9032 (1989), 8.2237 (1988), 8.8889 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Zambia Communications
Railroads:
1,266 km, all 1.067-meter gauge; 13 km double track
Highways:
36,370 km total; 6,500 km paved, 7,000 km crushed stone, gravel, or
stabilized soil; 22,870 km improved and unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula Rivers, Lake Tanganyika
Pipelines:
crude oil 1,724 km
Ports:
Mpulungu (lake port)
Civil air:
12 major transport aircraft
Airports:
117 total, 104 usable; 13 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways
over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa; high-capacity microwave
connects most larger towns and cities; broadcast stations - 11 AM, 5 FM, 9
TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT
:Zambia Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Air Force, Police, paramilitary
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 1,818,545; 953,718 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
:Zimbabwe Geography
Total area:
390,580 km2
Land area:
386,670 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries:
3,066 km total; Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km,
Zambia 797 km
Coastline:
none - landlocked
Maritime claims:
none - landlocked
Disputes:
quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia is in disagreement
Climate:
tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain:
mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in
east
Natural resources:
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium,
lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use:
arable land 7%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 12%; forest and
woodland 62%; other 19%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Environment:
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare; deforestation; soil
erosion; air and water pollution
Note:
landlocked
:Zimbabwe People
Population:
11,033,376 (July 1992), growth rate 2.9% (1992)
Birth rate:
40 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-3 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
59 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
60 years male, 64 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
5.4 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Zimbabwean(s); adjective - Zimbabwean
Ethnic divisions:
African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%); white 1%, mixed and Asian
1%
Religions:
syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%,
indigenous beliefs 24%, a few Muslim
Languages:
English (official); Shona, Sindebele
Literacy:
67% (male 74%, female 60%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
3,100,000; agriculture 74%, transport and services 16%, mining,
manufacturing, construction 10% (1987)
Organized labor:
17% of wage and salary earners have union membership