Zambia (2001) | Maldives (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western | 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
47.36% (male 2,324,128; female 2,303,349) 15-64 years: 50.14% (male 2,433,250; female 2,465,747) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 105,694; female 138,031) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 45.3% (male 74,493; female 70,394)
15-64 years: 51.7% (male 84,548; female 81,092) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,944; female 4,694) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish |
Airports | 112 (2000 est.) | 5 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
99 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 65 under 914 m: 31 (2000 est.) |
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002) |
Area | total:
752,614 sq km land: 740,724 sq km water: 11,890 sq km |
total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Texas | about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until takeover by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. | The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago. |
Birth rate | 41.46 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 37.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$900 million expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA million (1999 est.) |
revenues: $166 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $192 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million |
Capital | Lusaka | Male |
Climate | tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April) | tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 644 km |
Constitution | 2 August 1991 | adopted January 1998 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia |
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje |
Currency | Zambian kwacha (ZMK) | rufiyaa (MVR) |
Death rate | 21.97 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $6.5 billion (2000) | $237 million (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador David B. DUNN embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225 |
the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Atan SHANSONGA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 |
Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York; permanent representative is Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF |
Disputes - international | - | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $1.99 billion (1995) | $NA |
Economy - overview | Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go. Privatization of government-owned copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. In late 2000, Zambia was determined to be eligible for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Inflation and unemployment rates remain high, but the GDP growth rate should rise in 2001. | Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands in 1998. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a minor role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level. |
Electricity - consumption | 5.926 billion kWh (1999) | 102.3 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 1.6 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 419 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 7.642 billion kWh (1999) | 110 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
0.55% hydro: 99.45% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Zambezi river 329 m highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks | depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2% | South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs |
Exchange rates | Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 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) | rufiyaa per US dollar - 11.770 (fixed rate since 1995) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Frederick CHILUBA (since 2 November 1991); Vice President Enoch KAVINDELE (since 4 May 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 2 November 1991); Vice President Enoch KAVINDELE (since 4 May 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001); vice president appointed by the president election results: Frederick CHILUBA reelected president; percent of vote - Frederick CHILUBA 72.5%, Dean MUNGO'MBA 12.6%, Humphrey MULEMBA 7%, Akashambatwa LEWANIKA 4.7%, Chama CHAKOMBOKA 3.2% |
chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president; note - need not be members of Majlis elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then that nomination must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.9% |
Exports | $928 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $88 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | copper, cobalt, electricity, tobacco | fish, clothing |
Exports - partners | Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, South Africa, US, Malaysia (1997) | US, UK, Sri Lanka, Japan |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | green 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 | red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $8.5 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
18% industry: 27% services: 55% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 20%
industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $880 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,870 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | 7% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 00 S, 30 00 E | 3 15 N, 73 00 E |
Geography - note | landlocked | 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean |
Highways | total:
66,781 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1997 est.) |
total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km; note - Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
1.6% highest 10%: 39.2% (1995) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and possibly Europe; regional money-laundering center | - |
Imports | $1.05 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $372 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, transportation equipment, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing | consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | South Africa 48%, Saudi Arabia, UK, Zimbabwe (1997) | Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Canada |
Independence | 24 October 1964 (from UK) | 26 July 1965 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 6.1% (2000 est.) | 4.4% (1996 est.) |
Industries | copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer | fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining |
Infant mortality rate | 90.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 61.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 27.3% (2000 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 3 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 460 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases) | High Court |
Labor force | 3.4 million | 67,000 (1995) (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9% | agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995) (1995) |
Land boundaries | total:
5,664 km border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 40% forests and woodland: 39% other: 14% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 3.33%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 90% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages | Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials |
Legal system | based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA December 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MMD 131, NP 5, Zadeco 2, AZ 2, independents 10 |
unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 42 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
37.29 years male: 37.06 years female: 37.53 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 62.93 years
male: 61.72 years female: 64.2 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 78.2% male: 85.6% female: 71.3% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, east of Angola | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India |
Map references | Africa | Asia |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 51,532 GRT/71,298 DWT
ships by type: cargo 13, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Air Force, National Service, police | National Security Service |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $76 million (FY97) | $34.5 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.8% (FY97) | 8.6% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
2,246,640 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 74,893 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
1,193,047 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 41,672 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 24 October (1964) | Independence Day, 26 July (1965) |
Nationality | noun:
Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian |
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian |
Natural hazards | tropical storms (November to April) | low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise |
Natural resources | copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower | fish |
Net migration rate | -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 1,724 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Akashambatwa LEWANIKA]; Labor Party or LP [Chibiza MFUNI]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Democratic Process or MDP [Chama CHAKOM BOKA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Frederick CHILUBA]; National Party or NP [Daniel LISULO]; Republican Party or RP [Ben MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline Konie]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or Zadeco [Eden JERRY, acting head] | although political parties are not banned, none exist |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 9,770,199
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) |
320,165 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 86% (1993 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.93% (2001 est.) | 2.95% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mpulungu | Gan, Male |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 1.03 million (1997) | 35,000 (1999) |
Railways | total:
2,164 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track) note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of the Zambia Railways system; Zambia Railways assets are scheduled for concessioning in 2001 |
0 km |
Religions | Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1% | Sunni Muslim |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service international: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 77,935 (in addition there are about 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997) | 21,000 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 6,000 (1998) | 1,290 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 9 (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains | flat, with white sandy beaches |
Total fertility rate | 5.53 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 5.38 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 50% (2000 est.) | NEGL% |
Waterways | 2,250 km
note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers |
none |