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Zambia

Republic of Zambia

English Zambian Kwacha (ZMK) English common law, customary law
AU, SADC, COMESA, AfCFTA, Commonwealth, WTO

Zambia is Africa's second-largest copper producer and one of the world's top copper mining destinations. Copper and cobalt account for over 70% of export earnings. The Copperbelt Province hosts major operations by First Quantum Minerals, Barrick Gold, and Vedanta.

The economy is diversifying into agriculture (maize, tobacco, sugar), tourism (Victoria Falls, South Luangwa National Park), energy (Kariba Dam, Kafue Gorge), and manufacturing. Lusaka is a growing regional services hub.

Zambia became the first pandemic-era African sovereign to default (November 2020) and has been implementing an IMF-supported Extended Credit Facility ($1.3 billion) since 2022, with debt restructuring progressing under the G20 Common Framework. President Hakainde Hichilema has prioritized fiscal discipline, anti-corruption, and mining sector reform.

Snapshot

Population~21.9 MWorld Bank, 2025
GDP (current USD)$28.9 BWorld Bank, 2025
GDP per Capita$1,318World Bank, 2025
GDP Growth3.76%World Bank, 2025
Inflation (y/y)~13.91%World Bank, 2025
Policy rate (Bank of Zambia)14.00%Central Bank
Unemployment5.92%World Bank, ILO modelled estimate, 2025
Internet Use~17.10%World Bank, 2024
Electrification~44.00%World Bank WDI
CPI Score (Rank)33.0/100 (#116)Transparency Intl
HDI (Rank)0.565 (#154)UNDP HDR
Credit RatingCCC+ (S&P) / Caa2 (Moody's)S&P / Moody's / Fitch
MarketLusaka Securities Exchange (LuSE)

World Bank Indicators Compare with another country

GDP (current USD)$28.9 BWorld Bank, 2025
GDP growth (annual)3.76%World Bank, 2025
GDP per capita (USD)$1,318World Bank, 2025
Population, total21.9 MWorld Bank, 2025
FDI net inflows (USD)$2.4 BWorld Bank, 2024
Inflation (consumer prices)13.91%World Bank, 2025
Unemployment (% labour force)5.92%World Bank, 2025
Internet use (% of people)17.10%World Bank, 2024
Trade (% of GDP)62.53%World Bank, 2024

Climate Readiness Full ranking

40out of 100
Emerging
Climate adaptation readiness for Zambia, from 5 of 5 measured indicators.
Energy access4444.0% · 30% weight
Governance readiness3333 / 100 CPI · 20% weight
Human readiness560.565 HDI · 20% weight
Economic readiness39$1,318, 2025 · 15% weight
Digital readiness2222.0% · 15% weight
This scores climate adaptation readiness (adaptive capacity), following the readiness dimension of the ND-GAIN framework. It is built only from measured values already held on this profile and normalised 0-100. It does not measure emissions or physical climate vulnerability: the platform does not yet hold emissions, hazard-exposure or natural-capital series. Energy access is the single most climate-specific indicator held; the other four are governance, economic, human-development and digital readiness proxies. The economic sub-score is relative to the African countries the platform covers.
How this is computed

Adaptive capacity to absorb climate finance and adapt, following the readiness dimension of the ND-GAIN framework. Built only from measured values already held on each country profile. It is not a measure of emissions or physical climate vulnerability, which the platform does not yet hold.

  • Energy access (30%) — World Bank, access to electricity (% of population). The single most climate and energy specific signal held: SDG 7 and the clean-energy transition.
  • Governance readiness (20%) — Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index (0-100). ND-GAIN governance readiness: the capacity to govern and deploy climate finance. Higher is cleaner.
  • Human readiness (20%) — UNDP, Human Development Index (0-1). ND-GAIN social readiness: the adaptive capacity of the population.
  • Economic readiness (15%) — World Bank, GDP per capita (current US$), latest measured year. ND-GAIN economic readiness: the capacity to finance adaptation. Scored relative to the covered set.
  • Digital readiness (15%) — World Bank, individuals using the Internet (% of population). Information systems for early warning and adaptation.

A country is scored only when at least 4 of the five indicators are held. Sub-scores are weighted and renormalised over the indicators that are present; nothing is estimated for one that is absent.

Country Facts

CapitalLusaka
RegionSouthern Africa
CurrencyZambian Kwacha (ZMK)
FX RegimeFree float
Stock ExchangeLusaka Securities Exchange (LuSE)
Investment Promotion AgencyZambia Development Agency (ZDA)
Legal SystemEnglish common law, customary law
Time ZoneAfrica/Lusaka

Focus Sectors

Copper Mining
Agriculture
Tourism (Victoria Falls)
Energy (Kariba Dam)
Construction
Manufacturing
Financial Services
Real Estate
Telecoms
Transport

Regulations & Taxes

Corporate Income Tax30% standard (mining: 30% + 10% mineral royalty)
VAT / Sales Tax16% standard