Zambia (2001) | Mauritius (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western | 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne |
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: 25.4% (male 153,810; female 150,464)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 409,028; female 411,070) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 30,170; female 45,664) (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 | sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; 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: 1 914 to 1,523 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: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total:
752,614 sq km land: 740,724 sq km water: 11,890 sq km |
total: 2,040 sq km
land: 2,030 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Texas | almost 11 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. | Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community. |
Birth rate | 41.46 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 16.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$900 million expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA million (1999 est.) |
revenues: $1.1 billion
expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | Lusaka | Port Louis |
Climate | tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April) | tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 177 km |
Constitution | 2 August 1991 | 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia |
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius |
Currency | Zambian kwacha (ZMK) | Mauritian rupee (MUR) |
Death rate | 21.97 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $6.5 billion (2000) | $2.3 billion (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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 202-4400 FAX: [230] 208-9534 |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH
chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983 |
Disputes - international | - | Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island |
Economic aid - recipient | $1.99 billion (1995) | $42 million (1997) (1997) |
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. | Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal management, was well-poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). |
Electricity - consumption | 5.926 billion kWh (1999) | 1.195 billion 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) | 1.285 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
0.55% hydro: 99.45% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 91%
hydro: 9% 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: Mont Piton 828 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 | water pollution, degradation of coral reefs |
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2% | Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% |
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) | Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 30.345 (January 2002), 29.129 (2001), 26.250 (2000), 25.186 (1999), 22.993 (1998), 21.057 (1997) |
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 Karl OFFMANN (since 25 February 2002) and Vice President Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 17 September 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 17 September 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA% |
Exports | $928 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | copper, cobalt, electricity, tobacco | clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses |
Exports - partners | Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, South Africa, US, Malaysia (1997) | UK 25.8%, France 20.8%, US 16.0%, South Africa 10.9%, Germany, Italy (2000 est.) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
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 | four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $8.5 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $12.9 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
18% industry: 27% services: 55% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 6%
industry: 33% services: 61% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $880 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10,800 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | 5.2% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 00 S, 30 00 E | 20 17 S, 57 33 E |
Geography - note | landlocked | the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs |
Highways | total:
66,781 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1997 est.) |
total: 1,860 km
paved: 1,786 km (including 36 km of expressways) unpaved: 74 km (2001) |
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 | minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry |
Imports | $1.05 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $2 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, transportation equipment, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing | manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals (1996) |
Imports - partners | South Africa 48%, Saudi Arabia, UK, Zimbabwe (1997) | South Africa 20.0%, France 19.0%, India 9.0%, Hong Kong 5.2%, UK (2000 est.) |
Independence | 24 October 1964 (from UK) | 12 March 1968 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 6.1% (2000 est.) | 8% (2000 est.) |
Industries | copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer | food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 90.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 16.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 27.3% (2000 est.) | 4.2% (2001 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 | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 3 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 460 sq km (1993 est.) | 200 sq km (1998 est.) |
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) | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 3.4 million | 514,000 (1995) (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9% | construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (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: 49.26%
permanent crops: 2.96% other: 47.78% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages | English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri |
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 French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas |
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 National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held by September 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
37.29 years male: 37.06 years female: 37.53 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 71.53 years
male: 67.54 years female: 75.58 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: 82.9% male: 87.1% female: 78.8% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, east of Angola | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar |
Map references | Africa | Political Map of the World |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 66,004 GRT/90,017 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, combination bulk 2, container 2, refrigerated cargo 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Air Force, National Service, police | National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $76 million (FY97) | $9.1 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.8% (FY97) | 0.2% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
2,246,640 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 340,050 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
1,193,047 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 171,239 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 24 October (1964) | Independence Day, 12 March (1968) |
Nationality | noun:
Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian |
noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian |
Natural hazards | tropical storms (November to April) | cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards |
Natural resources | copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower | arable land, fish |
Net migration rate | -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.92 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] | Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Militant Renaissance or MMR [Dr. Paramhansa NABABSING]; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or OPR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | various labor unions |
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.) |
1,200,206 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 86% (1993 est.) | 10% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.93% (2001 est.) | 0.86% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mpulungu | Port Louis |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002) |
Radios | 1.03 million (1997) | 420,000 (1997) |
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 (2002) |
Religions | Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1% | Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1% |
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: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 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: small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries |
Telephones - main lines in use | 77,935 (in addition there are about 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997) | 280,900 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 6,000 (1998) | 180,000 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 9 (1997) | 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains | small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 5.53 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 50% (2000 est.) | 8.6% (2001 est.) |
Waterways | 2,250 km
note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers |
none |