In what part of the mainland is the country of zambia located. Zambia
Zambia area. 752,614 km2.
Population of Zambia. 9770 thousand people
Administrative divisions of Zambia. The state is divided into 9 provinces.
Form of government of Zambia. Republic.
Head of State of Zambia. President elected for a term of 5 years.
Supreme legislature of Zambia. Unicameral Parliament (National Assembly).
Supreme executive body of Zambia. Government (Cabinet of Ministers).
Major cities in Zambia. Ndola, Livingston, Kabwe.
State language of Zambia. English.
Religion in Zambia. 60% are pagans, 30% are Christians.
Ethnic composition of Zambia. 98.7% - Bantu peoples, 1.1% -.
Currency of Zambia. Kwacha = 100 ngway.
Fauna of Zambia. The animal world of Zambia is characterized by an elephant, a lion, a rhinoceros, several species of antelope, a zebra, a jackal, a hyena, a crocodile. Inhabits a large number of snakes and birds. Occasionally there are ostriches. Termites, mosquitoes, tsetse flies are common.
Rivers and lakes of Zambia. The main rivers are the Zambezi and its tributaries the Kafue and Luangwa, as well as the Luapula and Chambeshi. Largest lakes- Bangweulu, southern part lakes, East End Mneru and Kariba are the largest.
Sights of Zambia. National parks, as well as the city of Kabwe, near which the remains of the "Rhodesian man" were found, who lived at the same time as the Neanderthal. There is an Anthropological Museum in the capital.
Useful information for tourists
The most common type of dwellings are round huts with mud or wicker walls and conical reed roofs. Traditions and the consciousness of belonging to one's clan play an exceptional role in the life of Zambians, determining their daily behavior. Two systems of kinship are common: patrilineal - kinship through the male line and matrilineal - through the female line. The first is found in, the second - in the Bemba. Zambia attracts foreign tourists with its pristine nature: 19, one of the largest Victoria Falls in the world. Not far from Livingston is Cultural Center Maramba is an open-air ethnographic museum: more than 50 buildings represent typical dwellings of different peoples. Around them, craftsmen demonstrate their art in traditional crafts.
The Kafue River is one of the main tributaries of the Zambezi and plays big role in the life of the Zambian ecosystem. Kafue is one of the most significant rivers in southern Africa and the largest and long river located entirely in Zambia.
The river originates on the border of Zambia and Congo. Along its length, the course of the Kafue River changes from fast and seething, when the river passes numerous rapids and waterfalls, to slow and unhurried. Hippos, crocodiles and otters can be found on the sandy banks of numerous tributaries. There are also flocks of birds - bee-eaters, equipping their nests in sandy burrows on coastal slopes.
The Kafue River, together with another tributary of the Zambezi, the Musa, flows into Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, which is 370 square kilometers of calm and clean water. The area where the rivers flow into the lake is great for boating and wildlife watching. The length of the Kafue River is 960 kilometers. Its water is used by the people of Zambia for irrigation, and hydroelectric power plants provide the local population with electricity. Kafue flows through the eponymous national park dividing its territory into northern and southern parts. The river is the source of life for the abundance of living creatures that live on its banks.
Luangwa River
The Luangwa River, 770 kilometers long, originates in the region of the northern part of Lake Nyasa. In the lower reaches of the Luangwa, the river passes the border between Zambia and Mozambique. The river is fed mainly by heavy rainfall, which causes the water level in the river to rise significantly during the rainy season. At this time, the width of the river can reach 10 kilometers.
For the local population, the Luangwa River is a very important source of fresh water, and in some areas it is suitable for regular navigation. The area in the lower reaches of the river is quite densely populated, while in the upper and middle reaches only small settlements can be found. This favorably affected the wildlife, which has been preserved here almost in its original form. The fauna of the middle part of the river, where the North Luangwa and South Luangwa National Parks are located, is one of the most interesting concentrations wildlife southern part of Africa.
The waters of the river are rich in fish, actively used as food by the local population. There are several types of catfish, tilapia. You can also meet lungfish protopter. In addition to parks, there are large hunting reserves on the banks of the river. The territory of parks and reserves is inhabited by zebras, antelopes, elephants and buffaloes. The coastal areas are also of interest to ornithologists, as more than 400 species of birds are found here.
Zambezi River
The Zambezi River, with a length of more than two and a half thousand kilometers, is the fourth longest river in Africa. The river originates in the territory of Zambia and flows through the territory of several neighboring countries, flowing into the Indian Ocean in Mozambique.
Approaching the ocean, the Zambezi is divided into several branches, forming a wide delta. Together with numerous tributaries, the Zambezi forms a vast water basin an area of 1,570,000 square kilometers. Victoria Falls, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, is located here. A cascade of hydroelectric power plants has been built on the river, providing energy to the countries of the basin.
The exact location of the middle and lower parts of the Zambezi River was marked on medieval maps. Of the Europeans, the first to see the headwaters of the Zambezi, English traveler and explorer David Livingston, who discovered the Victoria Falls a few years later. The Zambezi Basin is natural environment habitats for many species of wild animals and birds. There are several national parks on the banks of the Zambezi and its tributaries.
There is no end-to-end navigation on the river, however, in some areas, the local population actively uses small boats. By renting a boat or boat, you can observe bird colonies and herds of large animals from the water - elephants, giraffes and zebras.
Sights of Lusaka
Zambia- state in the south Central Africa. In the north it borders on Democratic Republic Congo and Tanzania, in the east - with Malawi, in the southeast - with Mozambique, in the south - with Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia, in the west - with Angola.
The name comes from the name of the Zambezi River.
Capital
Square
Population
9770 thousand people
Administrative division
The state is divided into 9 provinces.
Form of government
Republic.
head of state
President elected for a term of 5 years.
supreme legislative body
Unicameral Parliament (National Assembly).
Supreme executive body
Government (Cabinet of Ministers).
Big cities
Ndola, Livingston, Kabwe.
Official language
English.
Religion
60% are pagans, 30% are Christians.
Ethnic composition
98.7% - Bantu peoples, 1.1% - Europeans.
Currency
Kwacha = 100 ngway.
Climate
Although Zambia is in tropical zone The climate in the country is mild subtropical. Average annual temperature+ 19 °С. The rainy season lasts from November to March. The annual rainfall ranges from 700 mm in the south to 1500 mm in the north.
Flora
Almost the entire territory of the state is occupied by the savannah, where it is found a large number of baobabs and acacias, teak forests grow in the southwest. Tropical rainforests are common in the valleys.
Fauna
The animal world of Zambia is characterized by an elephant, a lion, a rhinoceros, several species of antelope, a zebra, a jackal, a hyena, a crocodile. Inhabits a large number of snakes and birds. Occasionally there are ostriches. Termites, mosquitoes, tsetse flies are common.
Rivers and lakes
The main rivers are the Zambezi and its tributaries the Kafue and Luangwa, as well as the Luapula and Chambeshi. The largest lakes are Bangweulu, the southern part of Lake Tanganyika, the eastern part of Mneru and Kariba - the largest reservoir.
Attractions
National parks, Victoria Falls, as well as the city of Kabwe, near which the remains of the "Rhodesian man" were found, who lived at the same time as the Neanderthal. There is an Anthropological Museum in the capital.
Useful information for tourists
The most common type of dwellings are round huts with mud or wicker walls and conical reed roofs. Traditions and the consciousness of belonging to one's clan play an exceptional role in the life of Zambians, determining their daily behavior. Two systems of kinship are common: patrilineal - kinship through the male line and matrilineal - through the female line. The first is found in the Tonga, the second in the Bemba. Zambia attracts foreign tourists with its pristine nature: 19 national parks, one of the largest Victoria Falls in the world. Not far from Livingstone is the Maramba Cultural Center - an open-air ethnographic museum: more than 50 buildings represent typical dwellings of different peoples. Around them, craftsmen demonstrate their art in traditional crafts.
Zambia map
Satellite image of the territory
The most important mineral resources of Zambia are coal, copper ore, cobalt, lead, zinc, tin, gold. There are deposits iron ore, uranium, nickel, fluorites, some precious stones etc. Deposits hard coal are located in the south of the country, near the northwestern coast of Lake Caribou, as well as in central regions Zambia. In terms of copper reserves, Zambia occupies one of the leading positions among all countries of the world (according to data for 2008 - 9th place). Copper deposits are confined to the Copper Belt of Central Africa, on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tin deposits are rather small, they are all located in the south of the country.
Climate
Inland waters
Zambezi River
The basin of the Zambezi River, which flows along the western and southern borders of the country, occupies about three quarters territory of the country, the rest belongs to the Congo Basin. A small area in the northeast of the country belongs to the endorheic basin of Lake Rukwa, located in Tanzania. The watershed between the Congo, which flows into Atlantic Ocean and the Zambezi, flowing into the Indian Ocean, approximately coincides with state border Zambia and DRC. The Zambezi River originates in the extreme northwest of Zambia, then passes through the territory of Angola and returns to Zambia again, forming most its southern border. On the border of Zambia with Zimbabwe, there are several waterfalls on the Zambezi, including the famous Victoria Falls. The largest tributaries of the Zambezi within Zambia are the Kafue and Luangwa rivers. Major rivers in the Congo Basin
A river in southern Africa that flows into the Indian Ocean. The fourth in the list of the great rivers of the Black Continent is after the Nile, Congo (Zaire) and Niger. Linked to six countries - Zambia, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. At the Zambezi complex nature associated with flood and drought seasons. Its main attraction is the Victoria Falls, and the greatest value of its shores is the richest animal world, which this part of Africa is famous for precisely because of the Zambezi.
UNION OF EARTH AND WATER
Casambo Wazy - this is how David Livingston heard the name of this river in one of the local dialects. It meant "great river".
The Zambezi is one of the four great rivers of Africa after the Nile. Congo (Zaire) and Niger. The source of the Zambezi is born in a swampy area in northern Zambia on the Lunda plateau at an altitude of 1500 m and rushes to the southwest, and after about 240 km makes a smooth turn to the south. absorbing small rivers along the way and feeding on groundwater. Her entire journey in the upper reaches, like faithful guards, is accompanied by dense deciduous forests. Leaving them on the territory of Angola, the Zambezi flows further among the tall grass savannah and miombo of a dry light forest: the trees in it stand at a considerable distance from each other, low shrubs and lianas grow between them. In the area of the Chavuma Falls, the Zambezi, after passing through the rapids, returns to Zambia. The height of the plateau here is already about 1100 m, and the width of the river is more than 350 m (during the rainy season). From Chavuma Falls to Ngwambe Falls, the Zambezi receives the large tributaries of Kabombo and Lungwebungd, and the Barotse floodplain begins. and after another 30 km, the landscape of the Zambezi coast becomes flat, the current here slows down and turns to the southeast. 80 km downstream, the Luanjinga River flows into the Zambezi from the west. Barotse is flooded during the rainy season and then the Zambezi can reach 25 km in width. Below, a series of rapids and rapids begins, ending with the Ngonye waterfall. This stretch of the Zambezi is navigable. After it, the full-flowing Kwando (Chobe) river flows into the Zambezi. The border between Angola and Zambia runs along it in this area, then a short border with Namibia, the end of a narrow corridor of this country, wedged between Angola, Botswana and Zimbabwe back in 1891 under an agreement between the British Cape colony and the German protectorate of German South West Africa. Having merged with Kwando, the Zambezi flows already at an altitude of 920 m above sea level, turns east and slows down, as if preparing to collapse the Victoria Falls - the most famous natural asset, powerful and beautiful.
The waterfall, which the natives call Mosioatunya (“thundering smoke”), was the first European to see the famous African explorer David Livingston (1813-1873). It happened on November 17, 1855, during his journey through the Zambezi.
He gave the waterfall the name of the British queen. And he wrote about him like this: “The places so beautiful must have been looked at by angels in flight.” The width of the Victoria Falls is about 1800 m, the height of the water fall is from 80 to 108 m, during the rainy season it overthrows 9100 m3 of water per second. The spray and fog above the falling stream rise to 400 m and higher. The sound can be heard 30 km away, hence the “thundering smoke”. For the next 200 km, the Zambezi flows between hills 200-250 m high, basalt rocks 20-60 m high, accelerating on rapids and rapids. Another attraction and the main thing hydraulic structure on the Zambezi, the Kariba dam and its reservoir, which arose in 1959 in the Caribbean Gorge. The Itezhi-Tezhi Dam on the Kafue River, the largest left tributary in the middle reaches of the Zambezi, adds its share of energy to it.
At the confluence of the next left tributary - the Luangwa - the Zambezi path along Mozambique begins - 650 km, and they are navigable. Another large hydraulic structure is located here, the Cahora Bassa dam and reservoir, built in 1974. The width of the Zambezi in Mozambique is from 5 to 8 km 8 rainy season. Only 320 km from the mouth of the Zambezi falls into the gorge of the Lupata canyon with a width of no more than 200 m. The Shire River, flowing from Lake Nyasa (Malawi), flows into the Zambezi 160 km from the mouth. The largest branches of the delta, covered with mangrove forests, are Milaimb, Kongoun, Luabo and Timbw. But only one, Shende, is navigable, and the only Zambezi port of the same name is also located on it.
Starting on the Congo-Zambezi plateau, the river, on its way from northwest to southeast, with a large arc to the north in its central part, crosses several large flat basins separated by plateaus that arose on the African plate in the Precambrian period. The change in relief every time changes the nature of the Zambezi current - from calm and unhurried to stormy near rapids and waterfalls.
OWN AMONG OWN
Everyone who lives on the banks of the Zambezi - both animals and people - obey its rhythm of the seasons and fight for existence in the same way as it happened thousands of years ago.
The river valley in its upper and middle reaches is located in climate zone where the trade winds of the northern and southern hemispheres converge. After several months of scorching heat in mid-November, the skies over the Zambezi are covered with heavy storm layers of clouds, from which a wall of rain collapses, and the entire animal world rushes to the water, which spills in places on the plains up to 25 km away, only small islands of land protrude to the surface. From the deep regions of Central and South Africa large herds of black and wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, lion prides, families of elephants and rhinos, countless flocks of spoonbills, herons, cranes different types and pelicans. They are accompanied by hyenas and hyena-like dogs. Monkeys move through the trees, among which the most numerous species are baboons. In the shallow waters formed by the spill, juvenile fish are teeming, and herds of catfish rush here. From indian ocean a gray bull shark moves upstream, capable of existing both in the sea and in fresh water. In some areas of the Zambezi, herds of hippos accumulate at this time.
In full compliance with the laws natural selection on the banks there are fights not for life, but for death, their course is closely watched by phlegmatic-looking crocodiles.
And then drought sets in again: the grass dries up, the small tributaries of the river dry up, for many species of animals there is almost no food except for some roots, dried fruits of trees and succulent leaves. Animals migrate to other places on the continent. But Zambezi and in this time of heat will give drink to all who remain.
associated with the seasonal cycle. colorful holiday lozi people. living in the floodplain Barotse, or Barotseland. The festival is called Kuomboka, which means "getting out of the river." Lozi, led by their leader (litunga), are sent away from the flooded places. On the front boat, the king, who is taller than the litunga, has an elephant, or rather his statue, and next to him is a statue of his “wife” in the form of a crane. The action is accompanied by loud drumming and singing. The Lozi are one of the most ancient peoples of the Bantu group, who settled on the lands near the Zambezi (but not only here) several millennia ago. Another people living since ancient times near the Zambezi, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers and also belonging to the Bantu, is the Shona.
The empire of their ancestors Monomotapa (Mwene-Mutapa) arose in the 6th century, flourished in the 13th-15th centuries. and fell apart by the beginning of the 18th century. as a result of internecine conflicts and wars with southern people Ndebele. It had influence far beyond its own borders, possessed such a rich oral folklore and such a high culture of agriculture, metallurgy, ceramics and jewelry making that some African explorers are inclined to consider Monomotapa even a separate civilization. This empire had trade relations with the Arab world from the 10th century. The ruins of its capital, the walled city of Great Zimbabwe up close modern city Masvingo in Zimbabwe is a monument of world importance. These are mainly the remains of gigantic towers built of blocks of granite and surrounded by powerful walls.
Even in the Zambezi Valley, which is almost free from the technogenic press of modern civilization, there is no escape from environmental problems. Reservoirs have made their own adjustments to the biological balance of the river: new species have appeared aquatic plants and fish. The Caribbean reservoir is located in a seismically hazardous zone, its water surface area is 5580 km2, and its depth is up to 97 m. Such a mass of water creates serious pressure on volcanic rocks, and this is believed to have caused at least eight recent earthquakes in the south of the continent. There is also the problem of pollution of the Zambezi waters with chemicals runoff.
CURIOUS FACTS
■ When David Livingston was in the area of Victoria Falls, he was accompanied by a detachment of local warriors of 300 people. But only two of them dared to approach the waterfall together with the "mad Englishman".
■ In the valley of the Zambezi River, in the jungles of Zambia and Zimbabwe, in the Wa-Domo tribe, most people have only ... two fingers on their feet, and both are big. The owners of such feet are also called "people-ostriches" ("sapadi"). There are two opinions of scientists about this anatomical anomaly. The first is some kind of virus. The second is a consequence of closely related marriages. But in all other respects, these people are completely normal, and they move very dexterously through the trees and run fast.
■ Kariba HPP provides electricity to most of Zambia and Zimbabwe, Kahora Bassa HPP - the rest of Zimbabwe and South Africa. There is also a small power plant in Victoria Fola.
■ In 1975, negotiations were held on the Victoria Bridge in a railway carriage between the two warring parties in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). They argued for nine hours, arguing something to each other, but they were too often distracted to admire the waterfall, and so they didn’t agree on anything.
■ Women of the Batonka tribe look, in the opinion of Europeans, very strange, but in the opinion of their fellow tribesmen, they are perfect: in the name of beauty, six front teeth have been removed from them, this procedure is carried out by a special tribal teether. In addition, to protect against mosquitoes, they smear their faces and exposed parts of the body with red ocher.
■ The Zambezi has its own god. His name is Nyaminami. it has the body of a serpent and the head of a fish. The tribes that have long lived on the banks of the river pray to him that he does not rage too much when the time of floods comes. In 1957, the elders of the Batonka tribe. living in the lower reaches of the Zambezi, dissatisfied with the construction of the Kariba dam, turned to Nyaminyami for help, whom they believed the dam would separate from his wife. And in the same year, a severe flood on the Zambezi, caused by an earthquake, hit the dam with streams of water. She survived, but many of her outbuildings were destroyed.
ATTRACTION
■ Waterfalls: Victoria Falls, one of the world's greatest waterfalls (listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site), Chavuma on the border of Zambia and Angola, and Ngonye in Zambia.
■ Zambezi Delta.
■ Lake Kariba (Caribbean Reservoir) - as a recreation area.
■ Ruins ancient city Great Zimbabwe (object world heritage UNESCO).
■ National parks in the Zambezi Basin: Mana Pools (UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site), Zambezi, Mosioatunya. Victoria Role, Cameo, Liuwa Plains, Liuwa Sioma Nguezi, Chobe, Hwange, Lower Zambezi.
■ Crocodile farm (Livingston).
Atlas. The whole world is in your hands #133
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