t the economy. Elections in 1991
brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996
saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001
was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a
legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate
Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched an anticorruption task
force in 2002, but the government has yet to make a prosecution. The
Zambian leader was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed
free and fair.

Geography Zambia

Location:
Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 752,614 sq km
land: 740,724 sq km
water: 11,890 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,664 km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania
338 km, Zimbabwe 797 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 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 acco