Culture - Research Africa > South of Africa > Zambia - - Afran Studies - AFRAN Study and Research Institute (Africa & Iran)

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1) General culture

Education

Average years of schooling of adults	5.5	[58th of 100]
Children out of school, primary	227,759	[22nd of 126]
Duration of compulsory education	7 years	[135th of 171]
Duration of education > Primary level	7	[19th of 181]
Duration of education > Secondary level	5	[170th of 181]
Education enrolment by level > Tertiary level	24,553	[92nd of 150]
Education spending (% of GDP)	2%	[125th of 132]
Education, primary completion rate	78	[85th of 148]
Enrolment ratio > Secondary level	19.1%	[121st of 135]
Female enrolment share > Secondary level	44.4%	[138th of 170]
Geographical aptitude results	63.159	[150th of 191]
Literacy > Male	86.8%	[94th of 156]
Literacy > Total population	80.6%	[107th of 160]
Public spending on education, total > % of government expenditure	14.8 %	[33rd of 103]
Public spending per student > Primary level	4.7	[113rd of 126]
Pupil-teacher ratio, primary	51.08	[13th of 159]
School life expectancy > Male	7.4 years	[86th of 97]
School life expectancy > Total	7 years	[97th of 110]
Tertiary enrollment	2.5%	[129th of 151]
Women to men parity index, as ratio of literacy rates, aged 15-24	0.91	[6th of 138]

SOURCES
UNESCO; World Development Indicators database; Source: UNESCO UIS Data | UNESCO Institute for Statistics; United Nations Human Development Programme; The Geography Zone; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; UNESCO Institute for Statistics

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Zambia, Republic of Zambia

Health

% immunized 1-year-old children > DPT3	78	[136th of 187]
% immunized 1-year-old children > Measles	85	[108th of 186]
% immunized 1-year-old children > Polio3	79	[135th of 187]
% immunized 1-year-old children > TB	92	[82nd of 153]
% immunized pregnant women tetanus	60	[23rd of 54]
% of population using adequate sanitation facilities > Rural	64	[77th of 140]
% of population using adequate sanitation facilities > Total	78	[83rd of 144]
% of population using adequate sanitation facilities > Urban	99	[44th of 141]
% of population using improved drinking water sources > Rural	48	[116th of 146]
% of population using improved drinking water sources > Total	64	[115th of 150]
% of population using improved drinking water sources > Urban	88	[108th of 147]
% under-fives with ARI --	15	[24th of 79]
% under-fives with ARI taken to health provider	69	[19th of 80]
Abortion law > National laws > Physical Health	Yes
Access to sanitation	29%	[119th of 129]
Adolescent fertility rate > births per 1,000 women ages 15-19	126.14 births	[18th of 184]
ARI treatment > % of children under 5 taken to a health provider	69 %	[3rd of 52]
Birth rate, crude > per 1,000 people	40.34 per 1,000 people	[22nd of 195]
Births attended by skilled health staff > % of total	43.4 %	[52nd of 76]
Births with health staff	46%	[89th of 116]
Children living with AIDS	150,000	[8th of 80]
Children living with AIDS (per capita)	13.3191 per 1,000 people	[4th of 80]
Contraception	25%	[65th of 89]
Contraceptive prevalence > % of women ages 15-49	34.2 %	[11th of 57]
Dependency ratio per 100	99	[11th of 166]
Diarrhea treatment > % of children under 5 receiving oral rehydration and continued feeding	47.8 %	[3rd of 47]
Drinking water availability %	64%	[113rd of 147]
Drug access	50%	[128th of 163]
expenditure per capita > current US$	29.6 $	[143rd of 186]
expenditure, private > % of GDP	2.85 %	[61st of 187]
expenditure, public > % of GDP	3.45 %	[89th of 187]
expenditure, total > % of GDP	6.3 %	[83rd of 187]
External resources for health > % of total expenditure on health	36.3 %	[13th of 141]
External resources for health as % of total expenditure on health	18.6%	[29th of 179]
Female adults with HIV > % of population ages 15+ with HIV	57 %	[40th of 112]
Fertility rate, total > births per woman	5.4 births per woman	[23rd of 194]
Healthy life expectancy at birth, years > Females	35	[184th of 186]
Healthy life expectancy at birth, years > Males	34.8	[181st of 186]
Healthy life expectancy at birth, years > Total population	34.9	[181st of 186]
HIV AIDS > Adult prevalence rate	16.5%	[6th of 136]
HIV AIDS > Deaths	89,000	[9th of 102]
HIV AIDS > Deaths (per capita)	7,882.273 per million people	[7th of 102]
HIV AIDS > People living with HIV AIDS	920,000	[9th of 126]
HIV AIDS > People living with HIV AIDS (per capita)	81.48 per 1,000 people	[5th of 126]
HIV AIDS > Women living with aids 15-49	21.52	[6th of 114]
HIVAIDS > Adult prevalence rate 15-49 years,	21.5	[6th of 145]
HIVAIDS > children orphaned by AIDS 0-14 years,	572,000	[9th of 82]
Hospital beds > per 1,000 people	3.48 per 1,000 people	[32nd of 149]
Immunization, DPT > % of children ages 12-23 months	80 %	[145th of 190]
Immunization, measles > % of children ages 12-23 months	84 %	[126th of 190]
Improved sanitation facilities > % of population with access	55 %	[106th of 167]
Improved sanitation facilities, rural > % of rural population with access	52 %	[87th of 167]
Improved sanitation facilities, urban > % of urban population with access	59 %	[130th of 173]
Improved water source > % of population with access	58 %	[152nd of 176]
Improved water source, rural > % of rural population with access	40 %	[158th of 174]
Improved water source, urban > % of urban population with access	90 %	[128th of 181]
Incidence of tuberculosis > per 100,000 people	600.13 per 100,000 people	[8th of 200]
Infant mortality rate > Female	96.04 deaths/1,000 live births	[8th of 225]
Infant mortality rate > Male	105.73 deaths/1,000 live births	[12th of 225]
Infant mortality rate > Total	100.96 deaths/1,000 live births	[10th of 225]
Intestinal diseases death rate	34.88%	[22nd of 141]
life expectancy > Date of information	2006 est.
Life expectancy at birth > Female	38.7 years	[221st of 226]
Life expectancy at birth > Male	38.49 years	[220th of 226]
Life expectancy at birth > Total population	38.59 years	[220th of 225]
Life expectancy at birth, female > years	37.9 years	[180th of 194]
Life expectancy at birth, male > years	38.89 years	[179th of 194]
Life expectancy at birth, total > years	38.41 years	[180th of 194]
Life expectancy at birth, years > Females	39	[185th of 186]
Life expectancy at birth, years > Males	39	[182nd of 186]
Life expectancy at birth, years > Total population	39	[183rd of 186]
Major infectious diseases > Animal contact disease	rabies
Major infectious diseases > Degree of risk	very high
Major infectious diseases > Food or waterborne diseases bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Major infectious diseases > Vectorborne diseases malaria and plague are high risks in some locations
Major infectious diseases > Water contact disease	schistosomiasis
Malaria % under-fives sleeping under a bednet	6	[32nd of 35]
Malaria % under-fives sleeping under a treated bednet	1	[23rd of 28]
Malaria % under-fives with fever receiving anti-malarial drugs	58	[13th of 34]
Malaria cases > per 100,000	34,204	[4th of 94]
Malaria prevention, use of insecticide-treated bed nets > % of under-5 population	7 %	[2nd of 27]
Malnutrition prevalence, height for age > % of children under 5	46.8 %	[3rd of 52]
Malnutrition prevalence, weight for age > % of children under 5	23 %	[10th of 63]
Maternal mortality	650 per 100,000	[8th of 136]
Measles immunization	90	[79th of 168]
Nutrition > % of children who are still breastfeeding 20-23 months	58	[23rd of 105]
Nutrition > % of children who are exclusively breastfed 6 months	40	[37th of 125]
Nutrition > % of households consuming iodized salt	68	[53rd of 112]
Nutrition > % of under-fives suffering from stunting moderate & severe	47	[8th of 132]
Nutrition > % of under-fives suffering from underweight moderate & severe	28	[28th of 137]
Nutrition > % of under-fives suffering from underweight severe	7	[28th of 104]
Nutrition > % of under-fives suffering from wasting moderate & severe	5	[78th of 128]
Nutrition > Vitamin A supplementation coverage rate 6-59 months	83	[35th of 57]
Oral rehydration rate %	28	[24th of 73]
Out-of-pocket expenditure as % of private health expenditure	75.3%	[140th of 185]
Out-of-pocket health expenditure > % of private expenditure on health	71.4 %	[142nd of 185]
Per capita government expenditure on health in international dollars	27	[152nd of 185]
Per capita total expenditure on health in international dollars	51	[162nd of 185]
Physicians > per 1,000 people	0.12 per 1,000 people	[43rd of 148]
Population suffering from undernourishment in 1990-1992	48 %	[10th of 106]
Population suffering from undernourishment in 2001-2003	47 %	[7th of 108]
Pregnant women receiving prenatal care > %	93.4 %	[5th of 62]
Prepaid plans as % of private expenditure on health	0%	[147th of 159]
Prevalence of HIV, total > % of population ages 15-49	16.96 %	[7th of 148]
Prevalence of undernourishment > % of population	46 %	[9th of 172]
Private expenditure on health as % of total expenditure on health	47.1%	[81st of 185]
Probability of dying before 5 > Females	156 per 1,000 people	[21st of 187]
Probability of not reaching 40	53.6%	[1st of 111]
Probability of reaching 65 > Female	22.8%	[160th of 159]
Probability of reaching 65 > Male	21.7%	[160th of 159]
Respiratory disease child death rate	200.12 (est)
Smoking prevalence, females > % of adults	1 %	[17th of 43]
Smoking prevalence, males > % of adults	16 %	[17th of 42]
Spending > Per person	23	[103rd of 133]
Spending > Private	3.4	[31st of 141]
Spending > Public	3.6%
Tobacco > Adult female smokers	10	[73rd of 114]
Tobacco > Adult male smokers	35	[73rd of 115]
Tobacco > Cigarette consumption	408	[82nd of 106]
Tobacco > Total adult smokers	22.5	[86th of 121]
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP	5.8%	[102nd of 185]
Total fertility rate	5.6	[24th of 166]
Tuberculosis cases > Per 100,000	445	[3rd of 165]
Tuberculosis cases detected under DOTS > %	51.63 %	[114th of 178]
Tuberculosis immunisation	94%	[64th of 134]
Tuberculosis treatment success rate > % of registered cases	82.7 %	[70th of 171]
Unmet need for contraception > % of married women ages 15-49	27.4 %	[1st of 13]
Water availability	10,095 cubic meters	[60th of 169]

SOURCES
UNICEF; Wikipedia: Abortion law ; CIA World Factbook, December 2003; World Development Indicators database; WHO 2002a; UNHDR; UN (United Nations). 2002. United Nations Population Division Database on Contraceptive Use. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. January. New York; World Health Organization; World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000 Report and updates provided by UNICEF to the United Nations Millennium Indicator Database; WHO (World Health Organization). 2001. Correspondence on access to essential drugs. Department of Essential Drugs and Medecines Policy. February. Geneva; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; United Nations, Demographic Yearbook, 1997; World Health Organisation. 1997-1999 World Health Statistics Annual. Geneva: WHO, 2000; Wikipedia: List of countries by life expectancy ; UNHDR; UNICEF (United Nations Children?s Fund). 2002. Official Summary: The State of the World's Children 2002. New York: Oxford University Press.; UNICEF; Wikipedia: List of countries by percentage of population suffering from undernourishment ; The World Health Report 2001; UN 2001 via backone.pdf; UN (United Nations). 2001. World Population Prospects 1950-2050: The 2000 Revision. Database. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. New York.; UN (United Nations). 2001. World Population Prospects 1950-2050: The 2000 Revision. Database. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. New York; World Bank. 2002. World Development Indicators 2002. CD-ROM. Washington, DC; ; World Health Organization; World Health Organization2005

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Zambia, Republic of Zambia

Sports

1970 British Commonwealth Games > Medals > Pos	18	[10th of 24]
1982 Commonwealth Games > Medals table > Pos	19	[5th of 20]
1982 Commonwealth Games > Medals table > Total	6	[7th of 20]
1996 Summer Olympics medals per capita > Population	9 371 000
1996 Summer Olympics medals per capita > Population > /medal	9 371 000
1996 Summer Olympics medals per capita > Total	1	[79th of 79]
All-time medal tally of Commonwealth Games > 1974 British Commonwealth Games > Gold	2	[16th of 24]
All-time medal tally of Commonwealth Games > 2002 Commonwealth Games > Gold	3	[25th of 38]
All-time medal tally of Commonwealth Games > 2006 Commonwealth Games > Gold	3	[26th of 38]
All-time medal tally of Commonwealth Games > 2006 Commonwealth Games > Silver	5	[23rd of 41]
Chess > GrandMasters	0	[124th of 135]
Chess > International Masters	2	[88th of 135]
Chess > World Chess Rankings	2,195	[97th of 135]
FIFA World Ranking > Men	591	[56th of 198]
FIFA World Ranking > Women	1,027	[107th of 117]
Honduras national football team > Records versus other nations > Difference	6	[8th of 38]
Honduras national football team > Records versus other nations > Played	1	[42nd of 42]
Honduras national football team > Records versus other nations > Points	3	[31st of 37]
Honduras national football team > Records versus other nations > Won	1	[31st of 31]
Summer olympic medals > All time	2	[86th of 116]

SOURCES
Wikipedia: 1970 British Commonwealth Games ; Wikipedia: 1982 Commonwealth Games ; Wikipedia: 1996 Summer Olympics medals per capita ; Wikipedia: All-time medal tally of Commonwealth Games ; World Chess Federation, 2006; Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA); FIFA Official Website, December 2005; Wikipedia: Honduras national football team ; The Golden Book of the Olympic Games

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Zambia, Republic of Zambia

Language

English speakers	41,434	[17th of 52]
English speakers (per $ GDP)	0.077 per $10,000 of GDP	[14th of 35]
English speakers (per capita)	0.368 per 100 people	[33rd of 46]
English status Spoken as mother tongue by Europeans mainly. A small minority of Zambian Africans speak it as a mother tongue. Used as a second language. The only language of Parliament. Official language. Bible 1535-1989.
English-speaking population > As an additional language	1,800,000	[34th of 59]
English-speaking population > First language	110,000	[14th of 62]
English-speaking population > Total	1,900,000	[36th of 99]
Languages English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages
Languages of the African Union > Illiteracy > Literacy rate	67.9	[137th of 174]

SOURCES
Ethnologue; Wikipedia: List of countries by English-speaking population ; Wikipedia: List of countries by English-speaking population; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; Wikipedia: Languages of the African Union

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Zambia, Republic of Zambia

2) Religion

Catholic > Diocesan priests /font>	271	[63rd of 143]
Catholic > Dioceses	10	[55th of 150]
Catholic > Parishes	245	[66th of 149]
Catholic > Permanent Deacons	2	[63rd of 90]
Catholic > Religious Priests	345	[49th of 148]
Catholic > Total Priests	616	[57th of 149]
Catholics	3,037,000	[52nd of 140]
Catholics as percentage	26.31	[60th of 150]
Islam > Percentage Muslim	1.1%	[119th of 168]
Islam > Population	123,879	[109th of 165]
Islam in Africa > Islamic population in Africa and population percentage > Population	1.1 %	[40th of 45]
Jehovahs Witnesses	127,151	[14th of 178]
Protestantism > By country > Protestants	3,040,685	[35th of 167]
Protestantism > By country > Protestants > % Protestant	27 %	[44th of 163]
Religions > All Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Religions > Hindu	24 %	[7th of 17]
Roman Catholicism > By country > Roman Catholicism > % Catholic	26.31 %	[65th of 170]
Roman Catholicism > By country > Roman Catholicism > Catholic total	2,962,978	[58th of 170]
Seventh-day Adventist Membership	471,095	[10th of 232]

3) Media

Average cost of local call	0.06	[92nd of 151]
Computer, communications and other services > % of commercial service exports	0.09 %	[150th of 153]
Computer, communications and other services > % of commercial service imports	17.27 %	[115th of 155]
Daily newspapers > per 1,000 people	21.88 per 1,000 people	[53rd of 89]
DVD region	5	[52nd of 171]
E-Government rating	52	[19th of 182]
Fixed line and mobile phone subscribers > per 1,000 people	89.23 per 1,000 people	[118th of 193]
HAM radio prefixes	9IA - 9JZ
Households with television > %	25.99 %	[104th of 160]
International dialling code	260
International voice traffic > out and in, minutes	75,895,020 min.	[81st of 164]
International voice traffic > out and in, minutes (per capita)	6.722 min. per capita	[97th of 185]
Investment in telecoms with private participation > current US$	74,000,000 $	[52nd of 101]
Investment in telecoms with private participation > current US$ (per $ GDP)	10.179 $ per $1,000 of GDP	[20th of 130]
Investment in telecoms with private participation > current US$ (per capita)	6.342 $ per capita	[51st of 132]
Mobile phone subscribers	946,558	[101st of 198]
Mobile phone subscribers (per capita)	81.121 per 1 million people	[132nd of 201]
Newspapers and periodicals > Circulation > Daily	228,000	[45th of 90]
Newspapers and periodicals > Circulation > Daily (per capita)	21.304 per 1,000 people	[52nd of 90]
Number of PCs	113	[113rd of 169]
Number of PCs (per $ GDP)	0.12 per $10 million of GDP	[60th of 144]
Number of PCs (per capita)	0.1 per 10,000 people	[138th of 169]
Personal computers	113,000	[107th of 164]
Personal computers (per capita)	9.844 per 1 million people	[132nd of 171]
Phone subscribers	19.43	[154th of 178]
Population covered by mobile telephony > %	50.5 %	[105th of 108]
Price basket for mobile > US$ per month	14.18 $/month	[56th of 185]
Price basket for residential fixed line > US$ per month	6.03 $/month	[121st of 151]
Radio broadcast stations	AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4
Radio receivers	1,030,000	[107th of 188]
Radio receivers (per capita)	0.103 per capita	[157th of 182]
Radios	1,200,000	[104th of 221]
Radios (per capita)	106.553 per 1,000 people	[178th of 212]
Telecommunications investment > % of revenue	29.34 %	[16th of 165]
Telecommunications investment > current LCU	202982000000
Telecommunications revenue > % GDP	2.67 % GDP	[101st of 167]
Telecommunications revenue > current LCU	691726000000
Telephone average cost of call to US > US$ per three minutes	1.41 $	[60th of 142]
Telephone average cost of call to US > US$ per three minutes (per $ GDP)	260.003 $ per $1 trillion of GD	[34th of 174]
Telephone average cost of call to US > US$ per three minutes (per capita)	122.834 $ per 1 million people	[61st of 178]
Telephone employees, total	3,172	[64th of 194]
Telephone employees, total (per capita)	0.276 per 1,000 people	[80th of 202]
Telephone faults > per 100 mainlines	108 per 100 mainlines	[4th of 134]
Telephone mainlines	94,665	[110th of 202]
Telephone mainlines (per capita)	8.113 per 1,000 people	[132nd of 203]
Telephone subscribers	1,041,223	[92nd of 199]
Telephone subscribers (per capita)	0.092 per 1,000 people	[120th of 201]
Telephone subscribers per employee	175.31	[81st of 191]
Telephone system > Domestic high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation and network coverage is improving; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
Telephone system > General assessment facilities are aging but still among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa
Telephone system > International country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Telephone system > Regulation	1994
Telephones > Main lines in use	91,800	[106th of 174]
Telephones > Main lines in use (per capita)	7.998 per 1,000 people	[116th of 173]
Telephones > Mobile cellular	2,639,000	[86th of 186]
Telephones > Mobile cellular (per capita)	229.929 per 1,000 people	[127th of 185]
Television broadcast stations	9	[3rd of 89]
Television broadcast stations (per capita)	0.811 per million people	[12th of 67]
Television receivers	277,000	[112nd of 185]
Television receivers (per capita)	27.617 per 1,000 people	[134th of 179]
Television standard > UHF	PAL G
Television standard > VHF	PAL B
Televisions	277,000	[116th of 215]
Televisions (per capita)	24.596 per 1,000 people	[167th of 209]
Website defacements	1	[126th of 129]
Website defacements (per capita)	0.0887942 per 1 million people	[121st of 124]

SOURCES
World Development Indicators database; Amazon.com; report presents the second annual update on global e-government, i.e., the delivery of public sector information and online services through the Internet. This report studies the features that are available online at national government websites. Using a detailed analysis of 1.197 government websites in 198 different nations, it measures the information and services that are online, chart the variations that exist across countries, and discuss how e-government sites vary by region of the world. In order to see how the 198 nations ranked overall, the E-Government Ranking 2002 created a 0 to 100 point index and applied it to each nation's websites based on the availability of contact information, publications, databases, portals, and number of online services. (2002); hamcity.com; Source: UNESCO UIS Data | UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ITU; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; CIA World Factbook, December 2003; ITU-BDT Telecommunications Regulatory Database; Tenlab May 2002; attrition.org

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Zambia, Republic of Zambia

Internet

Broadband subscribers	250	[106th of 117]
Broadband subscribers (per capita)	21.425 per 1 million people	[112nd of 146]
Country code	.zm
Hosts	7,610	[115th of 228]
Hosts (per capita)	652.125 per million people	[150th of 222]
International Internet bandwidth > Mbps	22 Mbps	[72nd of 167]
International Internet bandwidth > Mbps (per $ GDP)	3.026 Mbps per $1 trillion of	[75th of 184]
International Internet bandwidth > Mbps (per capita)	1.885 Mbps per 1 billion peop	[80th of 188]
Internet Service Providers	5	[120th of 229]
Internet Service Providers (per capita)	0.000443971 per 1,000 people	[158th of 215]
ISP	5	[19th of 162]
ISP (per capita)	458.443 per billion people	[26th of 127]
Livejournal users	35	[184th of 226]
Price basket for Internet > US$ per month	68.43 $/month	[15th of 180]
Secure Internet servers	1	[182nd of 183]
Secure Internet servers (per capita)	0.171 per 1 million people	[161st of 189]
TLD	.zm
Users	500,000	[90th of 190]
Users (per capita)	43.564 per 1,000 people	[125th of 184]

SOURCES
World Development Indicators database; IANA: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; CIA World Factbook, December 2003; LiveJournal

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Zambia, Republic of Zambia

4) Tourist

Travel

Right Now

You know that friend who has traveled to all corners of the world and had tea with the Dalai Lama? Well, chances are he or she hasn’t been to Zambia. In the center of Africa’s southern prong, landlocked Zambia has never had the kind of public transportation or low-cost accessibility that has attracted independent travelers to some other African destinations.

Though it has fallen outside the backpacker circuit, the country offers great travel experiences within its borders; the nation’s still-undercommercialized national parks and wilderness may be some of Africa’s finest. A visit to Zambia may also include trips to the acclaimed Victoria Falls, which lie partly across the border in Zimbabwe. Add some of the most exciting festival culture on the whole continent, and you have a place that is truly worth visiting.

So, put in for your two or weeks of vacation and take flight. Untrammeled Zambia aw
aits you.

The Top 8
What to Do in Zambia

1. Safari in South Luangwa National Park
South Luangwa is among the great wildlife sanctuaries. Find a tour through your lodge, or arrange to rent a four-by-four and do the driving yourself. After taking in the amazing sights, head out to the shops along the main entrance road and have yourself a beer to celebrate a day well spent.

2. Bungee Jumping over Victoria Falls
With Bushtracks Africa, you can take just a few seconds to crash through one of the most exhilarating rides of your life above these gorgeous falls. If falling from heights at an outrageous speed isn’t your thing, you may still find plenty more to do in this tourist-friendly area.

3. Raft in the Batoka Gorge
Combine high-energy rapids, exquisite scenery, and the chance to listen to and gaze on surrounding wildlife, and you have the elements that make white-water rafting in Zambia a world-class experience. The Batoka Gorge rafts launch from just below the Victoria Falls. More-extensive, multiday Zambezi River trips are offered by Global Descents and may be the hard-core outdoorsman’s preferred choice.

4. Tour Livingstone
Zambia’s gateway to the falls is typically overshadowed by Zimbabwe’s more commercial and frequented Victoria Falls city. Livingstone has a lot to offer, though
the city’s namesake museum has sections covering history, archaeology, and art. The Railway Museum recalls a colonial past and even organizes a stroll through town that allows you to see colonial architecture at the North Western Hotel, the St. Andrews Anglican Church, and the Coillard Memorial Church.

5. Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage
Write or call ahead, and ask the selfless volunteers who run this center whether you may stop by and learn about their important work in saving infant chimpanzees. Even if you can’t visit, consider making a donation.

6. Lake Kariba
Zambia’s tourist department boasts that this manmade body of water is the host of “Zambia’s undiscovered Rivera!” Not quite, but it is very pleasing and can make for a welcome break from high-adrenaline white-water rafting and safaris. Get cozy in one of the lodges on Lake Kariba, or rent a houseboat. Learn about the dam that created the lake and the efforts to rehabilitate the Batonga tribe, which was displaced by the lake’s creation.

7. Lusaka
If you are traveling in Zambia, you have probably seen many a metropolis more impressive than the capital city, but no trip to Zambia would be complete without at least one or two nights in Lusaka. Check on the Lowdown for a list of what’s going on about town, and maybe visit a nightclub or a bar. Though its wares may not be on the level of those available elsewhere, browsing through a market just for the experience may be fun. For crafts, visit the Kabwata Cultural Village; an excellent ceramics market is held on the last Saturday of every month in the suburb of Kabulonga near the Dutch Reform Church.

8. Shiwa Ng’andu
The British officer who started this renowned, resort-style lodge had come to the region to map the border lines between British and Belgium colonial claims. Legend has it that Stewart Gore-Brown fell in love with the area around Shiwa Ng’andu and, having purchased it for a song in 1914, returned to it after World War I to build a massive estate. A visit to Shiwa Ng’andu is akin to a trip to the past. Make sure to stop by the Kapishya, a natural hot spring, which sounds mighty relaxing to us.

When to Go

Though Zambia seems to fall in that tropical zone where seasons have no home, there are in fact three seasons, each offering a different reason for visiting. The dry season, from May to August, is the coolest period, and travelers seeking to see lush flora and the falls at their strongest may want to visit early at that time. The hot season, from September to November, is marked by scorching heat and extremely dry conditions but may appeal to safari-goers who want the chance to see large groups of animals clustered around ponds of water. The wet season, from December to April, can be very rainy. It’s better to catch the early end of the dry season, when the benefits of the rain are still there but you can leave the umbrella at home.

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