Fact 1: Second Highest Birth Rate in the World
Zambia holds the distinction of having the second highest birth rate in the world, ranked only below Niger. The average Zambian woman gives birth to 5.9 children during her lifetime.
Fact 2: Challenging Bicycle Ride
One of the world’s most challenging bike races takes place in Zambia, known as the 1Zambia MTB. It is a 3-day mountain bike race covering a distance of over 260km through the rugged and scenic landscape of this landlocked African nation.
Fact 3: Home to the African Fish Eagle
The African Fish Eagle, with its striking white head and chestnut belly, is Zambia’s national bird. Spotting one of these magnificent birds along the Zambian river is a truly mesmerizing sight, especially when it swoops down to catch a fish.
Fact 4: World's Largest Man-Made Lake
Lake Kariba, located on the Zambezi River, is the world's largest man-made lake by volume. It provides electric power, fish, and water for irrigation to both Zambia and neighbouring Zimbabwe.
Fact 5: Hottest National Park
Zambia is home to Liuwa Plain National Park, which is known as the hottest national park. The temperature can climb as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Despite the intense heat, this park attracts thousands of tourists who want to see the second largest wildebeest migration in the world.
Fact 6: Smoke That Thunders!
Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is located on the southern border of Zambia with Zimbabwe. Known locally as 'Mosi oa-Tunya' which means 'The Smoke that Thunders', the waterfall is a stunning spectacle of unrivalled beauty.
Fact 7: Home to the Kuomboka Ceremony
One of the biggest attractions in Zambia is the 'Kuomboka Ceremony' - a culturally rich ethnic festival celebrated by the Lozi people. The ceremony symbolizes the migration of the Lozi people from the flood-vanished plains to higher ground.
Fact 8: A Land of Great Diversities
Zambia is home to over 73 tribes, each with its own culture, tradition, and language. However, Bemba and Nyanja are the most widely spoken languages in the country. English is Zambia's official language.
Fact 9: Population Dominated by Youth
Zambia has a significantly young population. More than half (around 64.6%) of its population is under the age of 25, which has significant implications for the nation's socio-economic development.
Fact 10: World's Third Largest Producer of Emeralds
Zambia is the third largest producer of emeralds in the world, following Colombia and Brazil. The country is known for its high-quality, vividly green emeralds.
Fact 11: Sizable Forest Cover
Despite being a landlocked country, Zambia boasts a 66% forest cover, providing a rich bio-diverse environment and making it one of the most forested countries in Africa.
Fact 12: Near-Unique Flag
The Zambian flag is one of the only two national flags that have green at the top, the other being Burkina Faso. It also sports a unique design of an eagle in flight over three vertical stripes, symbolizing the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems.
Fact 13: The Legend of Nyami Nyami
The local Tonga people believe in a river god called Nyami Nyami, which is said to inhabit the Zambezi River. This river god resembles a cross between a snake and a fish and is considered the god of Zambezi Valley.
Fact 14: The Big Tree
In Kabwe, Zambia, there is an interesting attraction known as the "Big Tree". It is a seemingly out-of-place, giant fig tree with an impressive height of 50m and an estimated age of 1,000 years.
Fact 15: Source of River Zambezi
Zambia competes with Angola over the honour of being the source of Africa's fourth-longest river – Zambezi. Despite the ongoing disputes, many geographical experts claim that its primary source lies within Zambia.
Fact 16: Landlocked But Water-Rich
Although Zambia is landlocked, it is surprisingly water-rich. The country boasts 17 beautiful waterfalls, along with several lakes and rivers.
Fact 17: No Coast but a Navy
Despite not having a coastline, Zambia has a 'navy' – The Zambian Defence Force comprises an airforce, an army, and, interestingly, a navy. The navy primarily patrols Lake Tanganyika and is tasked with border control.
Fact 18: Plentiful Wildlife
Zambia is rich in wildlife, hosting 20 national parks and 34 game management areas. It also holds about 30% of Africa’s total national park land.
Fact 19: The Letter 'C' Stands for Copper
On the Zambian flag, the orange colour represents the country's main economic backbone - copper. Zambia is the seventh largest copper producer in the world.
Fact 20: The Only Country that Entered the Olympics Without its Correct Name
In a humorous turn of events, Zambia became the only country that entered the Olympics under the wrong name. In 1964, they entered under the name Rhodesia, a name change done by the British without notifying Olympic officials.