Economic overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reforms, Zambia still has a lot of work to do to develop the economy. The privatization of a copper mining company made it easier for the government to cover huge losses in the industry and improved the copper industry’s prospects for profitability and growth. Zambia was determined to qualify for the Indebted Poor Countries Relief Program (HIPC) in late 2000, inflation and unemployment remain high, but GDP growth should pick up in 2001. See topb2bwebsites.com to know more about Zambia in 2004. GDP: Purchasing Power Parity $8.5 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 4% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: at purchasing power parity – $880 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 18%; industry: 27%; services: 55% (1999 est.). Proportion of population below the poverty line: 86% (1993 est.). Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 1.6%; by the top 10% of families: 39.2% (1995). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 27.3% (2000 est.). Labor force: 3.4 million people Employment structure: agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%. Unemployment rate: 50% (2000 est.). Budget: revenues: $900 million; expenditures: $1 billion including capital investment – NA (1999 est.). Spheres of economy: mining and processing of copper, construction, production of food and beverages, chemical industry, textile industry, fertilizer production. Growth in industrial production: 6.1% (2000). Electricity generation: 7.642 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 0.55%; hydropower: 99.45%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0% (1999). Electricity consumption: 5.926 billion kWh (1999) Export of electricity: 1.6 billion kWh (1999). Electricity import: 419 million kWh (1999). Agricultural products: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seeds, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); livestock, goats, pigs, poultry, pork, beef, milk, eggs, skins; coffee. Exports: 928 million (free on board, 2000 est.). Exports: copper, cobalt, electricity, tobacco. Export partners: Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, South Africa, USA, Malaysia (1997). Imports: 1.05 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Imports: machinery and equipment, transport equipment, fuel, oil products, foodstuffs, fertilizers, clothing. Import partners: South Africa 48%, Saudi Arabia, UK, Zimbabwe (1997). External debt: 6.5 billion (1999 est.). Economic aid recipient: $1.99 billion (1995) Economic aid donor: Currency: Zambian kwacha. Currency code: ZMK. Exchange rate: ZMK/USD – 4,024.53 (January 2001), 3,110.84 (2000), 2,388.02 (1999), 1,862.07 (1998), 1,314.50 (1997), 1,207.90 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 77,935 (and about 40,000 more fixed telephones connected wirelessly in a closed local system) (1997). Mobile cell phones: 6,000 (1998). Telephone system: one of the best in sub-Saharan Africa; domestic: high capacity microwave radio relay links most cities; there are several cellular telephone systems; the Internet is almost universally available; some private firms use very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks; international: satellite ground stations – 2 Intelsat (1 Indian and 1 Atlantic Ocean). Broadcast stations: AM -19, FM -5, shortwave -4 (1998). Radio receivers: 1.03 million (1997). Television broadcast stations: 9 (1997). TVs: 277,000 (1997). Internet country code: zm Internet service providers: 3 (2000). Number of users: 15,000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total length: 2,164 km (1995); narrow gauge: 2,164 km (1.067 m gauge, 13 km dual gauge); note: the total length includes 891 km of tracks owned by the ‘Tanzania-Zambia Railway Company’ (TAZARA), which owns 1,860 km of narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi, where it connects to the Zambian railway system; Zambia’s railways are to be concessioned in 2001. Roads: total length: 66,781 km; coated: no data; uncoated: no data (1997 est.). Waterways: 2,250 km, including the Zambezi and Luapula rivers and Lake Tanganyika. Pipelines: for crude oil – 1,724 km. Ports and harbours: Mpulungu. Airports: 112 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 13; over 3,047 m: 1; from 2438 to 3047 m:3; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5; from 914 to 1523 m:3; less than 914 m: 1 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 99; from 2438 to 3047 m:1; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2; from 914 to 1523 m:65; less than 914 m: 31 (2000 est.).
Armed Forces
Branches of the armed forces: army, air force, national militia, police. Total military manpower: men 15 to 49: 2,246,640 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: males aged 15 to 49: 1,193,047 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: Military spending in dollar terms: $76 million (1997). Military spending as part of GDP: 1.8% (1997). International issues
International Issues
International issues International controversy: Illicit drugs: transit point for meta-qualone, as well as small quantities of heroin and cocaine destined for South African countries and possibly Europe; regional center for money laundering.
