Zambia at a Glance

The People

Zambia has one of the lowest populations to land ratio’s in Africa. Only about 14 million people in a country half the size of Europe. The employment opportunities in mining and associated industries have caused Zambia to be one of the most urbanized countries in Africa. About one-fifth of the population lives on the Copperbelt and an estimated 2 million plus people live in Lusaka – the capital. This has resulted in massive tracts of uninhabited land across the country.

Culture

Zambia’s contemporary culture is a blend of values, norms, material and spiritual traditions of more than 70 ethnically diverse people. During the colonial period, the process of industrialization and urbanization saw ethnically different people brought together by economic interests, This, as well as the very definite influence of western standards, generated a new culture without conscious effort of politically determined guidelines. Many of the rural inhabitants however, have retained their indigenous and traditional customs and values. After Independence in 1964, the government recognized the role culture was to play in the overall development of a new nation and began to explore the question of a National Identity. As a result, Private and Public museums and cultural villages were established to promote the expression of artistic talents.