Zambia (Republic of Zambia)

https://www.humantruth.info/zambia.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2013

Zambia Republic of Zambia
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	147th best
Capital	Lusaka
Land Area	743 390km²₁
Location	Africa
Population	17.4m₂
Life Expectancy	61.22yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$3 218 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	ZM, ZMB, 894₅
Internet Domain	.zm₆
Currency	Kwacha (ZMK)₇
Telephone	+260₈

1. Overview

#UK

“The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his Vice President Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential by-election in October 2008. Michael SATA was elected President in September 2011.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, and some of Africa´s best-trained guides- visitors don´t just see wildlife, they get to know it. Get out into the bush where animals, both predators and prey, wander through unfenced camps, where night-time means swapping stories around the fire and where the human footprint is nowhere to be seen.
The rewards of travelling in Zambia are those of exploring remote, mesmerising wilderness as full of an astonishing diversity of wildlife as any part of Southern Africa. Where one day you can canoe down a wide, placid river and the next whitewater raft through the raging rapids of the Zambesi near world-famous Victoria Falls. Though landlocked, three great rivers, the Kafue, the Luangwa and the Zambezi, flow through Zambia, defining both its geography and the rhythms of life for many of its people. For the independent traveller, however, Zambia can be a logistical challenge, because of its sheer size, dilapidated road network and upmarket resort facilities.
For those who do venture here, the relative lack of crowds means an even more satisfying African journey.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Zambia National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₁
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
151	Cameroon	0.576
152	Kenya	0.575
153	Congo, (Brazzaville)	0.571
154	Zambia	0.565
155	Solomon Islands	0.564
156=	Comoros	0.558
156=	Papua New Guinea	0.558
158	Mauritania	0.556
	Africa Avg	0.56
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₁
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
159	Sudan	$3 575
160	Benin	$3 409
161	Senegal	$3 344
162	Zambia	$3 218
163	Comoros	$3 142
164	Vanuatu	$3 085
165	Congo, (Brazzaville)	$2 889
166	Haiti	$2 848
	Africa Avg	$5 339
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₂
1	Denmark	24.9
2	Norway	25.3
3	Sweden	27.7
	...
144	Nauru	111.0
145	Somaliland	112.4
146	Turkmenistan	114.7
147	Zambia	115.0
148	Sao Tome & Principe	116.1
149	Marshall Islands	117.0
150	Cambodia	117.6
151	Burkina Faso	117.7
	Africa Avg	119.0
	World Avg	89.9
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

Progress is always going to be difficult in a country where the richest 10% hold 44% of the country's entire income₁₃.

3. Zambia's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Zambia's population is predicted to rise to 24.48 million by 2030. These millions of extra people will all need space to live, food to eat, energy to consume, and will increase the burden on the planet's resources. This country has a fertility rate of 4.24. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population₂
Pos.		2018 Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
61	Chile	18.7m
62	Kazakhstan	18.3m
63	Malawi	18.1m
64	Zambia	17.4m
65	Guatemala	17.2m
66	Ecuador	17.1m
67	Netherlands	17.1m
68	Syria	16.9m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
170	Togo	61.6
171	Niger	61.6
172	Kenya	61.4
173	Zambia	61.2
174	Botswana	61.1
175	Liberia	60.7
176	Equatorial Guinea	60.6
177	Cameroon	60.3
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
182	Congo, (Brazzaville)	4.10
183	Equatorial Guinea	4.17
184	Togo	4.20
185	Zambia	4.24
186	Guinea	4.30
187	Senegal	4.31
188	S. Sudan	4.34
189=	Ivory Coast	4.34
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better₁₆
Pos.		2016 Per 100₁₆
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
3=	Burkina Faso	04.7
5	Sierra Leone	04.8
6=	Zambia	04.8
7	Eritrea	04.9
8=	Gambia	04.9
9	Angola	05.0
10=	Afghanistan	05.0
10=	Zimbabwe	05.0
12	Nigeria	05.1
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants₁₇
Pos.		2017 %₁₇
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
156	Iraq	1.0%
157	Mexico	0.9%
158	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	0.9%
159	Zambia	0.9%
160	Bangladesh	0.9%
161	Tanzania	0.9%
162	Mozambique	0.8%
163	Jamaica	0.8%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants₁₈
Pos.		2010 %₁₈
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
162	Vanuatu	1.6%
163	Djibouti	1.5%
164	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	1.4%
165	Zambia	1.4%
166	Cameroon	1.4%
167	Malawi	1.4%
168	Congo, DR	1.3%
169	N. Korea	1.3%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Zambia's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #freethought #gender #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #mass_media #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #slavery #tolerance #women #zambia

Compared to Africa (2025)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Mauritius	63.7
2	S. Africa	64.3
3	Cape Verde	68.0
	...
20	Gabon	108.8
21	Tanzania	108.9
22	Madagascar	110.4
23	Zambia	111.0
24	Uganda	112.1
25	Ivory Coast	112.2
26	S. Sudan	113.3
27	Nigeria	117.1
28	Niger	117.3
	Africa Avg	110.0
q=54.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Sweden	6.1
2	Denmark	8.6
3	Norway	9.0
	...
139	Solomon Islands	108.9
140	Maldives	110.2
141	Madagascar	110.4
142	Zambia	111.0
143	Jordan	111.1
144	Vietnam	111.6
145	Haiti	111.9
146	Uganda	112.1
	World Avg	86.6
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway₂₀. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, N. Korea and Afghanistan₂₀.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₂₀, whereas the worst are Africa, The Middle East and Asia₂₀.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Press Freedom Higher is better₂₁
Pos.		2025₂₁
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
78	Qatar	58.25
79	Albania	58.18
80	Botswana	57.64
81	Zambia	57.33
82	Niger	57.05
83	Paraguay	56.84
84	Thailand	56.72
85	Bosnia & Herzegovina	56.33
	Africa Avg	52.30
	World Avg	54.65
q=179.

Slavery Lower is better₂₂
Pos.		2018 % Victims₂₂
1	Japan	0.03
2=	Canada	0.05
2=	Taiwan	0.05
	...
105	Benin	0.55
106	Venezuela	0.56
107=	Haiti	0.56
108	Zambia	0.57
109=	Gambia	0.58
109=	Lithuania	0.58
111	Ivory Coast	0.59
112=	Montenegro	0.59
	Africa Avg	0.96
	World Avg	0.65
q=167.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better₂₃
Pos.		2014 Rank₂₃
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
100	Uganda	100
101=	Philippines	101
101=	Honduras	101
103	Zambia	103
104=	Mozambique	103
104=	Argentina	103
106	Malawi	106
107	Thailand	107
	Africa Avg	114.2
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
110	Gambia	4.0
111=	Georgia	4.0
111=	Guatemala	4.0
111=	Zambia	4.0
111=	Kenya	4.0
111=	Ivory Coast	4.0
111=	Honduras	4.0
111=	Bosnia & Herzegovina	4.0
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better₂₄
Pos.		2009 Treaties₂₄
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
125	Mauritania	13
126=	Sri Lanka	13
126=	Malawi	13
126=	Zambia	13
126=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	13
126=	Ivory Coast	13
126=	Afghanistan	13
126=	Gambia	13
	Africa Avg	14.8
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better₂₅
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty₂₅
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
101	Cambodia	10.56
102	Ghana	10.64
103	Croatia	10.65
104	Zambia	10.81
105	Iran	10.81
106	Albania	10.94
107	Israel	10.97
108	Armenia	11.00
	Africa Avg	9.88
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Zambia stated:

“The government committed to repealing the Defamation of the President law, amend the Public Order Act and abolish the death penalty. People with albinism suffered violent attacks, and LGBTI people�€�s rights were increasingly threatened. There was an increase in gender-based violence which disproportionately affected women and girls. Children and women continued to seek compensation for damage to their health caused by lead mining. The government fulfilled its promise to introduce free education. The right to housing was violated through forced evictions.”
"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₂₆

Gender Equality:

Zambia is an unequal country, with male rights dominating those of women.

See:

Gender Inequality Lower is better₂₇
Pos.		2022₂₇
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
131	Zimbabwe	0.52
132	Venezuela	0.52
133	Pakistan	0.52
134	Zambia	0.52
135	Angola	0.53
136	Gabon	0.53
137	Uganda	0.53
138	Kenya	0.54
	Africa Avg	0.53
	World Avg	0.34
q=166.

Gender Biases Lower is better₂₈
Pos.		2022 %₂₈
1	Sweden	31.8₂₉
2	New Zealand	34.4₃₀
3	Australia	37.0₃₀
	...
55	Lebanon	95.6₃₀
56	Kenya	95.7₃₀
57	Tunisia	96.8₃₀
58	Zambia	97.1₃₁
59	S. Africa	97.1₂₉
60	Mongolia	97.4₃₀
61	Uzbekistan	97.9₂₉
62	Kyrgyzstan	98.1₃₀
	Africa Avg	98.10
	World Avg	83.93
q=88.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
132=	Malawi	1961
132=	Paraguay	1961
132=	Sierra Leone	1961
135	Zambia	1962
136=	Uganda	1962
136=	Monaco	1962
136=	Algeria	1962
139	Morocco	1963
	Africa Avg	1961
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

LGBT Equality Higher is better₃₂
Pos.		2017 Score₃₂
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
147=	Swaziland	-14
147=	Kenya	-14
149	Singapore	-15
150=	Zambia	-15
151	Bangladesh	-17
152=	Tanzania	-17
153	Iran	-19
154=	Malaysia	-19
	Africa Avg	-10.4
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better₃₃
Pos.		2021₃₃
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
111	Singapore	3.3
112=	Vanuatu	3.3
112=	Tajikistan	3.3
112=	Zambia	3.3
112=	Trinidad & Tobago	3.3
112=	St Lucia	3.3
112=	Dominican Rep.	3.3
112=	Armenia	3.3
	Africa Avg	3.1
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Zambia's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines #zambia

Compared to Africa (2025)₃₄
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₄
1	Tunisia	69.2
2	Mauritius	69.2
3	Seychelles	84.8
	...
40	Malawi	154.3
41	Central African Rep.	155.4
42	Mozambique	155.8
43	Zambia	157.1
44	Equatorial Guinea	157.4
45	Burkina Faso	157.5
46	Uganda	159.0
47	Chad	163.2
48	Somalia	163.7
	Africa Avg	111.1
q=54.

Health (2025)₃₄
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₄
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
	...
197	Afghanistan	155.0
198	Central African Rep.	155.4
199	Mozambique	155.8
200	Zambia	157.1
201	Equatorial Guinea	157.4
202	Marshall Islands	157.4
203	Burkina Faso	157.5
204	Uganda	159.0
	World Avg	96.7
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₃₅. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria₃₅.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans₃₅, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₅.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Zambia is a pretty unhealthy country. Zambia does better than average in terms of its smoking rate₃₆ and in its alcohol consumption rate₃₇. But unfortunately Zambia gets most other things wrong. It does worse than average for its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₈ (still low for Africa), its immunizations take-up₃₉, its average life expectancy₁₁ and in its fertility rate₁₅. And finally, it sits amongst the bottom 20 in its adolescent birth rate₄₀. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Zambia in 1990 was 47.9yrs, much lower than the global average of 64.6. It improved by +14.9yrs in the 30 years from then, almost double the global average of +7.9yrs. Zambia's peak fertility rate was 7.39 in 1973.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
170	Togo	61.6
171	Niger	61.6
172	Kenya	61.4
173	Zambia	61.2
174	Botswana	61.1
175	Liberia	60.7
176	Equatorial Guinea	60.6
177	Cameroon	60.3
	Africa Avg	62.79
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2016 Per Capita₃₇
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
75=	Costa Rica	4.8
75=	Guinea-Bissau	4.8
75=	Myanmar (Burma)	4.8
75=	Zambia	4.8
75=	Zimbabwe	4.8
80	Lesotho	5.0
81	Suriname	5.1
82	Nicaragua	5.2
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
182	Congo, (Brazzaville)	4.10
183	Equatorial Guinea	4.17
184	Togo	4.20
185	Zambia	4.24
186	Guinea	4.30
187	Senegal	4.31
188	S. Sudan	4.34
189=	Ivory Coast	4.34
	Africa Avg	3.97
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Smoking Rates Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2014₃₆
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
32	Mauritania	135
33	Bhutan	155
34	Chad	156
35	Zambia	165
36	Gambia	166
37	Paraguay	166
38	Nigeria	173
39	Guinea-Bissau	175
	Africa Avg	340
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
79	Poland	79
80	Uruguay	80
81	Dominican Rep.	81
82	Zambia	82
83	Croatia	83
84	Indonesia	84
85	Bolivia	85
86	Kyrgyzstan	86
	Africa Avg	117.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better₄₁
Pos.		2016 %₄₁
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
31	Philippines	27.6
32=	Sierra Leone	27.7
32=	Tanzania	27.7
34	Zambia	27.8
35=	Togo	28.1
35=	Mali	28.1
37	Indonesia	28.2
38=	Somalia	28.4
	Africa Avg	33.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better₄₀
Pos.		2022 Per 1000₄₀
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
181	Burkina Faso	108.7
182	Guinea	112.2
183	Somalia	116.1
184	Zambia	116.1
185	Malawi	117.2
186	Madagascar	118.1
187	Liberia	122.0
188	Tanzania	123.4
	Africa Avg	84.6
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better₃₉
Pos.		2015 Avg %₃₉
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
142=	Canada	85.2
142=	Guatemala	85.2
144	Togo	84.3
145	Zambia	84.2
146	Congo, (Brazzaville)	83.6
147	Cameroon	83.3
148	Laos	83.3
149	Djibouti	82.6
	Africa Avg	81.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Zambia was amongst 49 countries in the 1990s who had an adolescent birth rate of over 100 (per 1000 girls aged 15-19); in the 2010s it was still amongst only 27 countries that fell into the same grouping.

6. Zambia's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #energy #food #meat #over-exploitation #sustainability #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism #zambia

Compared to Africa (2023)₄₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₂
1	Tunisia	56.1
2	Morocco	58.8
3	Cape Verde	64.3
	...
8	Seychelles	72.7
9	Swaziland	76.5
10	Egypt	79.5
11	Zambia	83.6
12	Kenya	84.6
13	Ghana	86.4
14	Lesotho	86.8
15	Rwanda	91.0
16	Ethiopia	92.4
	Africa Avg	90.1
q=53.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2023)₄₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₂
1	Uruguay	46.1
2	Cuba	52.0
3	Fiji	53.7
	...
64	Czechia	82.6
65	Netherlands	82.8
66	Peru	83.1
67	Zambia	83.6
68	Kenya	84.6
69	Macedonia	85.0
70	New Zealand	85.9
71	Bahrain	86.2
	World Avg	94.3
q=190.

In terms of its responsibility towards the environment, Zambia is 67th in the world. This rank is derived from 7 data sets. Zambia does the best in how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. It does better than average in reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₃ and in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₄. Zambia still has work to do. Zambia does worse than average in energy to GDP efficiency₄₅, its environmental performance₄₆ (still good for Africa) and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₇. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 for its score on the Green Future Index₄₈ (amongst the worst in Africa).

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better₄₇
Pos.		Total₄₇
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
169	Brunei	-4.3%
170	Madagascar	-4.6%
171	Togo	-4.7%
172	Zambia	-4.8%
173	Laos	-4.8%
174	Zimbabwe	-5.1%
175	Panama	-5.2%
176	Samoa	-5.7%
	Africa Avg	-8.7%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better₄₆
Pos.		2018₄₆
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
114	Honduras	51.5
115	Sudan	51.5
116	Oman	51.3
117	Zambia	51.0
118	Grenada	50.9
119	Tanzania	50.8
120	China	50.7
121	Thailand	49.9
	Africa Avg	46.4
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Higher is better₄₅
Pos.		2014₄₅
1	Hong Kong	26.32
2	Sri Lanka	20.00
3	Panama	17.86
	...
93	Mongolia	06.06
94=	Belarus	05.81
94=	Niger	05.81
96	Zambia	05.71
97	Canada	05.56
98	China	05.52
99	Nepal	05.35
100	Iran	05.32
	Africa Avg	07.42
	World Avg	09.29
q=119.

Convention on Biological Diversity Earlier is better
Pos.		Total Signed
1=	China	1993 Dec 29
1=	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
1=	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
	...
22=	St Lucia	1993 Dec 29
22=	Tunisia	1993 Dec 29
22=	Norway	1993 Dec 29
22=	Zambia	1993 Dec 29
22=	Australia	1993 Dec 29
22=	Peru	1993 Dec 29
31	Philippines	1994 Jan 06
32	Uruguay	1994 Feb 03
	Africa Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better₄₄
Pos.		2011 %₄₄
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
57	Sri Lanka	43.1%
58	Djibouti	42.8%
59	Burundi	42.0%
60	Zambia	41.9%
61	Singapore	41.6%
62	Ukraine	41.5%
63	Jordan	41.4%
64	India	41.2%
	Africa Avg	38.3%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better₄₃
Pos.		2021 kg₄₃
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
33	Yemen	17.8
34	Algeria	17.9
35	Iraq	18.3
36	Zambia	18.3
37	Indonesia	18.6
38	Pakistan	18.6
39	Senegal	19.3
40	Sudan	19.9
	Africa Avg	24.9
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

Green Future Index Higher is better₄₈
Pos.		2023 Score₄₈
1	Iceland	6.7
2	Finland	6.7
3	Norway	6.4
	...
69=	Guatemala	3.6
69=	Russia	3.6
71	Paraguay	3.6
72	Bangladesh	3.5
73	Qatar	3.4
74	Zambia	3.3
75	Algeria	3.1
76	Iran	2.6
	Africa Avg	4.0
	World Avg	4.8
q=76.

Zambia has done very little recently to reduce its carbon emissions, according to the 2023 edition of the Green Futures Index, it scored 5th-worse. But it is worth noting that its overall CO² emissions were already low₄₉.

7. Zambia's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #it_security #modernity #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Africa (2020)₅₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₀
1	S. Africa	56.9
2	Tunisia	70.8
3=	Mauritius	79.6
	...
17	Namibia	113.4
18	Cameroon	114.2
19	Swaziland	115.9
20	Zambia	116.3
21	Rwanda	123.0
22	Guinea-Bissau	124.4
23	Malawi	125.4
24	Togo	125.8
25	Sao Tome & Principe	126.0
	Africa Avg	120.2
q=53.

Modernity & Learning (2020)₅₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₀
1	Finland	7.1
2	Belgium	12.9
3	Denmark	13.6
	...
132	Cameroon	114.2
133	Swaziland	115.9
134	Pakistan	116.1
135	Zambia	116.3
136	Nepal	116.8
137	Bangladesh	121.2
138	Nicaragua	121.4
139	Guatemala	121.5
	World Avg	86.3
q=190.

Modernity and Education:

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₅₁
2	Israel	4.11₅₁
3	Japan	3.58₅₁
	...
79=	Nepal	0.30₅₂
79=	Kuwait	0.30₅₃
81	Pakistan	0.29₅₃
82	Zambia	0.28₅₄
83	Botswana	0.25₅₅
84	Armenia	0.24₅₃
85=	Sudan	0.23₅₆
85=	Uruguay	0.23₅₅
	Africa Avg	0.36
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education Higher is better₅₇
Pos.		2018₅₇
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
119	Bangladesh	46.7%
120	St Lucia	46.0%
121	Thailand	44.8%
122	Zambia	44.3%
123	El Salvador	42.8%
124	Namibia	41.1%
125	Syria	41.0%
126	Sao Tome & Principe	40.8%
	Africa Avg	34.4%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better₅₈
Pos.		2021 Years₅₈
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
147	Cambodia	11.5
148	Lebanon	11.3
149	Rwanda	11.2
150	Zambia	10.9
151	Myanmar (Burma)	10.9
152	N. Korea	10.8
153	Benin	10.8
154	Burundi	10.7
	Africa Avg	11.0
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
151	Gabon	151
152	Sierra Leone	152
153	Cambodia	153
154	Zambia	154
155	Paraguay	155
156	Tanzania	156
157	Equatorial Guinea	157
158	Guyana	158
	Africa Avg	106.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Religiosity Lower is better₅₉
Pos.		2018 %₅₉
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
95=	Morocco	91
95=	Guinea-Bissau	91
95=	Philippines	91
95=	Zambia	91
99	Afghanistan	92
100=	Burkina Faso	93
100=	Tanzania	93
100=	Indonesia	93
	Africa Avg	87.0
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ Higher is better₆₀
Pos.		2006₆₀
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
106=	Tanzania	72
106=	Kenya	72
106=	S. Africa	72
109	Zambia	71
110=	Jamaica	71
110=	Ghana	71
112	Namibia	70
113=	Togo	70
	Africa Avg	70.6
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users Higher is better₆₁
Pos.		2016₆₁
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
153	Algeria	20%
154	Nicaragua	19%
155=	Uganda	19%
155=	Zambia	19%
157	Tajikistan	19%
158	Cameroon	18%
159	Pakistan	18%
160	Nepal	17%
	Africa Avg	18.4%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IT Security Lower is better₆₂
Pos.		2013₆₂
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
28	Guinea-Bissau	0.67
29	Uzbekistan	0.69
30	Moldova	0.71
31	Zambia	0.76
32	Kenya	0.77
33	Cameroon	0.77
34	Burkina Faso	0.79
35	Ivory Coast	0.82
	Africa Avg	1.07
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better₆₃
Pos.		2017 Ratio₆₃
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
72	Lithuania	0.1
73	Vanuatu	0.1
74=	Iran	0.1
74=	Zambia	0.1
76	Panama	0.1
77=	Croatia	0.1
77=	Costa Rica	0.1
77=	Serbia	0.1
	Africa Avg	0.04
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better₆₄
Pos.		2024₆₄
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
104	Guatemala	31.0%
105	Nepal	30.3%
106	Venezuela	30.1%
107	Zambia	30.1%
108	El Salvador	30.0%
109	Cambodia	29.4%
110	Honduras	28.5%
111	Burkina Faso	27.0%
	Africa Avg	32.3%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #morals #politics

World Giving Index Higher is better₆₅
Pos.		2022 %₆₅
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
4	Australia	55.0
5	New Zealand	54.0
6	Myanmar (Burma)	52.0
7=	Sierra Leone	51.0
7=	Canada	51.0
9	Zambia	50.0
10=	Ukraine	49.0
10=	Ireland	49.0
12	Czechia	48.0
	Africa Avg	38.2
	World Avg	39.6
q=125.

Corruption Higher is better₆₆
Pos.		2022 Points₆₆
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
116	Ukraine	33.0
117=	Mongolia	33.0
117=	El Salvador	33.0
117=	Zambia	33.0
117=	Algeria	33.0
117=	Angola	33.0
117=	Philippines	33.0
123	Kenya	32.0
	Africa Avg	32.31
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness Higher is better₆₇
Pos.		2024 Score₆₇
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
128	Jordan	4.3
129	Liberia	4.3
130	Madagascar	4.2
131	Zambia	3.9
132	Ethiopia	3.9
133	Sri Lanka	3.9
134	Bangladesh	3.9
135	Egypt	3.8
	Africa Avg	4.42
	World Avg	5.58
q=147.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
146	Nigeria	146
147	Equatorial Guinea	147
148	Angola	148
149	Zambia	149
150	Pakistan	150
151	Guinea-Bissau	151
152	Syria	152
153	Liberia	153
	Africa Avg	117.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
118	Guyana	118
119	Colombia	119
120	Congo, (Brazzaville)	120
121	Zambia	121
122	Nigeria	122
123	Pakistan	123
124	Lithuania	124
125	St Lucia	125
	Africa Avg	96.7
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

9. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better₆₈
Pos.		2023 Score₆₈
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
60	Greece	1.89
61	Bosnia & Herzegovina	1.89
62	Jordan	1.90
63	Zambia	1.90
64	Cyprus	1.90
65	Serbia	1.92
66	Armenia	1.93
67	France	1.94
	Africa Avg	2.29
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
54	Australia	54
55	Italy	55
56	Mauritius	56
57	Zambia	57
58	Romania	58
59	Vietnam	59
60	Malawi	60
61	Brazil	61
	Africa Avg	83.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₈
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
52	Slovakia	52
53	UAE	53
54	Macedonia	54
55	Zambia	55
56	Lithuania	56
57	Ukraine	57
58	Croatia	58
59	Bangladesh	59
	Africa Avg	104.5
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better₆₉
Pos.		2019 Score₆₉
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
34	Latvia	0.23
35	S. Korea	0.30
36	Macedonia	0.30
37	Zambia	0.31
38	Djibouti	0.32
39	Bulgaria	0.37
40=	Albania	0.42
40=	Cyprus	0.42
	Africa Avg	3.41
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development #zambia

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better₇₀
Pos.		2019₇₀
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
151	Swaziland	25.10
152=	Malawi	25.10
153	Tanzania	25.30
154	Zambia	26.50
155	Uganda	27.20
156	Sudan	27.40
157	Afghanistan	28.30
158=	Gambia	28.50
	Africa Avg	26.10
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better₇₁
Pos.		2023 %₇₁
1	Slovakia	24.1%₇₂
2	Slovenia	24.3%₇₂
3	Belarus	24.4%₇₃
	...
157=	Mozambique	50.3%₇₄
157=	Zimbabwe	50.3%₇₄
159	Angola	51.3%₇₅
160	Zambia	51.5%₇₆
161	Brazil	52.0%₇₆
162	Botswana	53.3%₇₇
163	Swaziland	54.6%₇₈
164	Colombia	54.8%₇₆
	Africa Avg	40.7%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167.

In the 2010s, income inequality data placed Zambia as the 5th-most-unequal country in the world.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better₇₉
Pos.		2018 Severity₇₉
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
	...
74	Togo	.249
75	Rwanda	.259
76	Mauritania	.261
77	Zambia	.261
78	Uganda	.269
79	Afghanistan	.272
80	Tanzania	.273
81	Sudan	.279
	Africa Avg	.264
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #religiosity #secularisation

Religiosity (2018)₅₉
Pos.		Lower is better %₅₉
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
91=	Honduras	90
91=	Cameroon	90
91=	Rwanda	90
91=	Liberia	90
95	Morocco	91
96=	Guinea-Bissau	91
96=	Philippines	91
96=	Zambia	91
99	Afghanistan	92
100=	Burkina Faso	93
100=	Tanzania	93
100=	Indonesia	93
103	Mali	94
104=	Pakistan	94
105	Ethiopia	98
106=	Senegal	98
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)₈₀
Pos.		Higher is better %₈₀
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
102=	Azerbaijan	0
102=	Algeria	0
102=	Yemen	0
102=	Zambia	0
102=	Tanzania	0
102=	Malaysia	0
102=	Haiti	0
102=	Iraq	0
102=	Guinea	0
102=	Ghana	0
102=	Jordan	0
102=	Gambia	0
102=	Kenya	0
102=	Ethiopia	0
102=	Afghanistan	0
102=	Egypt	0
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₈₁:

Christian	97.6%
Muslim	0.5%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.3%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.5%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%₈₂.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₈₃, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Zambia states:

“The constitution and other laws and policies protect freedom of religion or belief. However, the government requires Christian instruction in public schools. The classes are conducted in both the Catholic and Protestant traditions and are mandatory for all students through grade seven.”
2010 IRF report (US International Religious Freedom report).
In "Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₈₄.

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