Mwauka bwanji! Welcome to the land of the legendary African sunset—Zambia, a large, landlocked country in Southern Africa named after the mighty Zambezi River. There are around 21,000,000 people living here, and the capital is Lusaka, one of the fastest-growing cities in the region. The official language is English, which is used in government and education, though there are over 70 local languages, with Bemba and Nyanja being the most widely spoken.
Zambia covers about 752,618 square kilometers (290,587 square miles). To imagine its size, the country is roughly the same size as the state of Texas or about three times the size of the United Kingdom. It sits on a high plateau, which keeps the climate milder than you might expect for its tropical location.
The most popular sport is Football, and the national team is known as the Chipolopolo (the Copper Bullets). Their national animal is the African Fish Eagle, a majestic bird with a distinctive cry that is also featured prominently on the national flag.
The flag consists of a green field with a small block of three vertical stripes (red, black, and orange) in the lower fly corner, topped by an orange eagle, where the green represents the natural resources and flora, the red symbolizes the struggle for freedom, the black stands for the people of Zambia, and the orange represents the country’s mineral wealth, particularly copper.
The food is simple, filling, and centered around Nshima, a thick porridge made from finely ground cornmeal that is rolled into balls and used to scoop up various “relishes.” You must try it with Bream fish from the Zambezi or Chikanda, often called “African Polony,” which is a savory snack made from wild orchid tubers and peanuts. For a vegetable side, look for Ifisashi, green leafy vegetables cooked in a rich peanut sauce.
Zambia is home to Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “The Smoke that Thunders”), the world’s largest curtain of falling water, located on the border with Zimbabwe. The country features South Luangwa National Park, which is world-famous as the birthplace of the walking safari, allowing you to experience the African bush on foot. You can visit the Kalambo Falls, one of the highest single-drop waterfalls in Africa, located near Lake Tanganyika. For a unique natural event, head to Kasanka National Park in late October to witness the world’s largest mammal migration, where over 10 million fruit bats darken the sky. Interestingly, Zambia is one of the world’s top producers of copper, and the mineral is so vital to the economy that it is nicknamed “the red gold of Zambia!”
From the wild banks of the Kafue River to the bustling Soweto Market in Lusaka, Zambia is a land of untamed beauty and peaceful spirit. Zikomo! That means “Thank you!”