Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
Natural resources:
copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium,
hydropower
Land use: arable land: 6.99% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 92.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,560 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)
Environment - current issues:
air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and
refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously
threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations;
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water
treatment presents human health risks
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with
Zimbabwe
People Zambia
Population:
11,502,010
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2006 est.)