Welcome to Zambia 🇿🇲 — a remarkable landlocked destination in Eastern Africa. Its official name is Republic of Zambia, and today around 21.3 million people call this Africa nation home, spread across roughly 752,612 km² of territory.
Below is your complete country profile for Zambia: key statistics, an introduction to Lusaka, an interactive map, cultural notes and answers to the questions people most often ask about this corner of Africa.
Geography of Zambia
Zambia lies in Eastern Africa, in the Africa region of the world. Measuring roughly 752,612 square kilometres, it ranks 40th in the world by total area.
As a landlocked country, Zambia has no direct access to the open ocean, which has shaped its trade routes, cuisine and history in distinctive ways. It shares land borders with Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Lusaka serves as the capital — the centre of government and, for most travellers, the gateway to everything else Zambia has to offer.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
People, language and culture
Zambia is home to approximately 21.3 million residents — the 63rd largest population on the planet. Its people are known as Zambians.
The main language spoken here is English. Learning even a handful of phrases before a visit goes a long way with locals.
Like every country featured on Spin a Country, Zambia rewards curiosity — its festivals, food and everyday customs tell a story that statistics alone never can.
Currency, travel and practical facts
The official currency is the Zambian kwacha (ZMW, symbol ZK). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Zambia is +260. Websites from the country typically use the .zm internet domain.
If Zambia came up on your random spin, take five minutes to memorise its flag, capital (Lusaka) and population — these are the three facts most often asked in geography quizzes.
Neighbouring countries
Zambia shares borders with 8 countries:
Fun facts about Zambia
- Zambia's flag emoji is 🇿🇲 — its two-letter country code is ZM and its three-letter code is ZMB.
- Zambia covers 752,612 km², ranking 40th in the world by area.
- With about 21.3 million people, Zambia holds the 63rd spot in the world population ranking.
- Zambia is a member state of the United Nations.
- Zambia is one of the world's landlocked countries — it has no sea coastline.
Zambia — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Zambia?
- The capital of Zambia is Lusaka.
- What is the population of Zambia?
- Zambia has a population of approximately 21,314,956 people, ranking 63rd in the world.
- Where is Zambia located?
- Zambia is located in Eastern Africa, part of the Africa region. It is a landlocked country.
- What language is spoken in Zambia?
- The main language spoken in Zambia is English.
- What currency is used in Zambia?
- Zambia uses the Zambian kwacha (ZMW).
