Information about Zambia

Landscape
The Zambian landscape largely consists of gently undulating plateaus with an average height of approx. 1100 metres above sea level. In the east and north, it gradually becomes higher and along the border with Malawi, the altitude regularly exceeds 1500 metres. The highest point in Zambia is found in the Mafinga Hills (2301 metres), on the border with Malawi. Around Mbala, on the border with Tanzania, there is an area with an average height of 1500 metres.
The Middle-Zambezi valleys in West Zambia and the Luangwa valley in East Zambia form the lowest parts of the country. The point where the Zambezi and the Luangwa meet is Zambia's lowest point, at 329 metres.
Two of Africa's largest rivers spring from Zambia: the Zambezi and the Congo. The Zambezi is Africa's fourth-largest river, after the Nile, Congo, and Niger. In the south, the Zambezi forms a border river with Namibia and Zimbabwe and eventually flows into the Indian Ocean after a long journey. Approximately three-quarters of the country belongs to the Zambezi's drainage basin and its main tributaries: the Kabompo, Kafue, and Luangwa. The remaining part drains into the Congo and its tributaries, the Chambesi and Luapula. The rivers have widely fluctuating water levels and are poorly navigable due to rapids and waterfalls. Famous are the Victoria Falls on the Zambezi, over 100 metres high and almost two kilometres wide. Here, the Zambezi thunders down into the long, zigzagging Batoka Gorge and then flows into the man-made Lake Kariba, which has formed behind the Kariba Dam. Lake Kariba is 274 kilometres long and up to 48 kilometres wide.
In the far northeast lies a part of Lake Tanganyika. Lake Tanganyika is 675 kilometres long, the second deepest lake in the world, and contains one-sixth of all the fresh water in the world. To the east of Lake Bangweulu lies a swamp which, at 10,000 km², is among the largest in the world.
The majority of Zambia's soil consists of a combination of sand and loam; Western Zambia is covered by a thick layer of sand originating from the Kalahari Desert. In these regions, agriculture is therefore scarcely possible. In the northeast and in the Central, Southern and Eastern Provinces, it rains a great deal more and there we find clay soil.

Holidays and Sightseeing
Zambia has enormous potential for tourism. Unfortunately, there is no money in the state coffers for its development, and it is entirely dependent on private initiative. To attract more tourists, good management of nature reserves and improved infrastructure are necessary. For example, of the nineteen national parks, at most five are currently accessible by car. Furthermore, many forests are being cleared for agriculture and for the production of charcoal. With regard to wildlife, poaching will need to be tackled strictly.
If the refurbishment and reorganisation of the tourism sector are handled well, then Zambia, with its national parks and the Victoria Falls among other attractions, will have world-class tourist draws.

Yet tourism is a growth sector, as in the mid-1990s, it received 30 million dollars in foreign currency; by 2001, that amount had already risen to 117 million dollars.

The capital of Zambia is Lusaka. Lusaka has an interesting local market where tourists can catch a glimpse of the lives of the people. All sorts of things are for sale, from exotic fruits and vegetables to handicrafts. The National Museum is located in Lusaka, with a lot of art from Zambia, both ancient and a collection of modern paintings and sculptures. You will also see an overview of the history of Zambia.

Climate and Weather
Zambia is situated relatively high up, and this results in average temperatures being lower than those in many other countries in tropical Africa. Zambia therefore has a temperate climate with all the characteristics of a savanna climate. Only the valleys of the Middle Zambezi and the Luapula are hot and humid throughout the year with an average of 25°C. In the rest of Zambia, the average annual temperature is approximately 22°C.
Generally, July is the coolest month (average temperature in Lusaka 15.4°C) and October is the warmest month (idem 24°C).
The rainy season begins in the north at the end of October, and lasts approximately six months longer than in the south. The average annual rainfall in the north is 1000-1500 mm and in the south 600-1000 mm.

In Zambia, three seasons can be distinguished:

- a cool dry season (April-August) where temperatures can drop to 4-5°C at night, particularly in July, the ’coldest‘ month. Daytime temperatures on the plateaus range from 23-26°C, and in the valleys from 24-28°C.

- a hot, dry season (August-November) preceding the rainy season. Daily temperatures on the plateaus range from 26-30°C, and in the valleys from 38-42°C.

- a warm, wet season (November–April) during which temperatures on the plateaus are around 27°C and in the valleys around 32°C. Humidity during this period ranges between 70–80%. During the rainy season, it does not rain continuously; rather, wet and dry days alternate.

Source: landenweb.nl