Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia
former: Northern Rhodesia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Lusaka
geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence:
24 October 1964 (from the UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution:
several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991; amended 1996; note - In late 2015, the minister of justice presented an amendment bill to the National Assembly

Legal system:
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: not specified

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Edgar LUNGU (since 25 January 2015); Vice President Inonge WINA (since 26 January 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Edgar LUNGU (since 25 January 2015); Vice President Inonge WINA (since 26 January 2015
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly
elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); special presidential election held on 20 January 2015 to complete President SATA's term in office (next to be held in late 2016); SATA died 28 October 2014; vice president appointed by the president
election results: Edgar LUNGU elected president; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 48.8%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.2%, other 4%

Legislative branch:
description: unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 8 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 20 September 2011 (next to be held in 2016); note - over 25 by-elections, prompted by resignation, death, change of party or legal nullification have taken place since September 2011
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PF 60, MMD 55, UPND 28, ADD 1, FDD 1, independent 3, seats not determined 10; note - seats as of September 2015 - PF 84, MMD 34, UPND 31, ADD 1, FDD 1, independent 2, other 5

Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 7 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the 9-member Judicial Service Commission - headed by the chief justice, and ratified by the National Assembly; judges normally serve until age 65
subordinate courts: High Court (competence on constitutional issues); Industrial Relations Court; Subordinate Court; magistrate's courts and local courts

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD [Charles MILUPI] Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI] Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Nevers MUMBA] Patriotic Front or PF [Edgar LUNGU] United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Palan MULONDA (since 8 January 2013)
chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric T. SCHULTZ (since 12 December 2014)
embassy: Ibex Hill, Lusaka
mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone: [260] (211) 357-000
FAX: [260] ) (211) 357-224

Flag description:
green field with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag; green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red symbolizes the struggle for freedom, black the people of Zambia, and orange the country's mineral wealth; the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems

National symbol(s):
African fish eagle; national colors: green, red, black, orange

National anthem:
name: "Lumbanyeni Zambia" (Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free)
lyrics/music: multiple/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA
note: adopted 1964; the melody, from the popular song "God Bless Africa," is the same as that of Tanzania but with different lyrics; the melody is also incorporated into South Africa's anthem