Zambia

Lusaka serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Zambia, positioned in Eastern Africa. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Kitwe, Ndola, Livingstone — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Lusaka grew from a railway siding named after a local headman, Lusakasa, into a national capital at independence in 1964 — its National Museum documents the entire arc from Iron Age settlement to Kenneth Kaunda's founding presidency, and the city's position at the juncture of four provinces reflects Zambia's deliberate postcolonial geography.

With a population of approximately 19.5M, Zambia is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is English, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, Zambia is reached via the dialling code +260. Zambia's 73 recognised ethnic groups coexist within a national identity shaped by Kenneth Kaunda's Humanism philosophy — an African socialist doctrine emphasising reconciliation over retribution — and the country is notable in the region for peaceful transfers of power, having held competitive multiparty elections since 1991.

Zambia spans 752,612 km², in the Eastern Africa subregion of Africa. Geographically centred around 15.0°S, 30.0°E, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the left-hand rule, in line with surrounding Africa convention.

The official currency is the Zambian kwacha (ZK), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Zambia's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC+02:00, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.

The emblematic dish of Zambia is Nshima. Food culture in Zambia is deeply tied to local identity — shared meals and markets are central to daily life and social gatherings across the country.

Football holds a special place in the heart of Zambia's national identity. The 1993 Gabon air crash killed the entire Zambian national football squad — 18 players and 12 officials — in a disaster that ended one of Africa's most promising football generations, and the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations victory, won on penalties in Libreville — the city nearest the crash site — was experienced across Zambia as a completion of unfinished history.

The highest point in Zambia is Mafinga Hills, rising to 2,301 metres above sea level. The Kafue National Park, at 22,400 square kilometres, is one of the largest in Africa and one of the least visited — its Busanga Plains flood seasonally to create a vast wetland supporting enormous herds of red lechwe, lions, wild dog and cheetah, in a landscape whose inaccessibility has preserved an ecosystem largely unchanged from its pre-colonial state.