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General Information Area: 752,614 sq km (290,586 sq miles). Population: 8,781,000 (1998). Population Density: 11.7 per sq km. Capital: Lusaka. Population: 1,097,700 (1994). GEOGRAPHY: Zambia is a vast plateau bordered by Angola to the west, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the north, Tanzania to the northeast, Malawi to the east, Mozambique to the southeast, Zimbabwe and Botswana to the south and the Caprivi Strip of Namibia to the southwest. The Zambezi River together with Lake Kariba forms the frontier with Zimbabwe. Victoria Falls, at the southern end of the man-made Lake Kariba, is one of the most spectacular sights in Africa (if not the world). In the east and northeast, the country rises to a plateau 1200m (3937ft) high, covered by deciduous savannah, small trees, grassy plains or marshland. The magnificent Luangwa and Kafue National Parks have some of the most prolific animal populations in Africa. Government: Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1964. Head of State and Government: President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa since 2002. Language: English is the official language, but there are over 73 local dialects. The main languages are Bemba, Kaonde, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja and Tonga. Religion: Around 30 per cent of the population is Christian (Protestant and Roman Catholic), a smaller number are Muslim and Hindu, and a small minority have traditional animist beliefs. Time: GMT + 2. Electricity: 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Communications:   Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 260. Outgoing international code: 00. There are public telephones and most calls are made through a post office. Mobile telephone GSM 900 network. Operators include Telecel (website: www.telecel.com), Celtel (website: www.msi-cellular.com/index.jsp) and Zamcell. Coverage is limited to some areas around Lusaka and near the coast. Internet ISPs include Zamnet (website: www.zamnet.zm), Coppernet (website: www.coppernet.zm) and Zamtel (website: www.zamtel.zm). E-mail can be accessed from Internet cafes in Livingstone and Lusaka. Fax/telegram There are public fax facilities at the central post office in Lusaka and at principal hotels. Telegrams may be sent from telegraph offices in main centres, open Mon-Fri 0800-1700, Sat 0800-1300 (closed Sunday and public holidays). Post Airmail to Western Europe takes seven-14 days. Press National Mirror, Sunday Times of Zambia, The Chronicle, The Post, The Sportsman, The Sun, The Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail are published in English. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 21.47 12.10 11.94 6.005 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 15.58 11.98 6.035 0.909 From www.columbusguides.com, Copyright © 2004 Highbury Columbus Travel Publishing Terms and Conditions apply.