Capital of Zambia: Lusaka — Facts & 5-Question Quiz
The capital of Zambia is Lusaka. Zambia sits in Africa, has a population of 20,017,675, and uses the ZMW. Official languages include English.
Quick facts
- Capital: Lusaka
- Continent: Africa
- Population: ~20,017,675
- Area: 752,612 km²
- Population density: 26.6 people per km²
- Official language: English
- Currency: ZMW
- ISO code: ZM
How big is Zambia?
By population, Zambia ranks 63rd in the world, holding roughly 0.25% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 38th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Zambia has 26.6 people per square kilometre, which is about 2.2 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within Africa, Zambia is the 22th most populous country of 54.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Zambia in population are Romania (19,659,267) and Malawi (20,405,317).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Chile (756,102 km²) and Turkey (783,562 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
English is spoken officially in 58 countries in this dataset, including Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados and Belize, and 52 others.
Zambia uses the ZMW, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.
How to remember Zambia
Zambia is named after the Zambezi, the river that tumbles over Victoria Falls on its southern border. Lusaka is near the middle of the country. Its flag puts the stripes in the corner, not across the whole flag.
The flag of Zambia: green, red, black and orange
🇿🇲 The flag is a green flag with an orange eagle in flight in the top-right, above three vertical stripes of red, black and orange in the bottom-right corner. Green stands for the land, red for the struggle for freedom, black for the people, orange for the country's copper, and the eagle for rising above the nation's problems.
Region and neighbours
Zambia is a landlocked country in southern-central Africa, named after the Zambezi River. It shares land borders with 8 countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Angola. Zambia is landlocked, with no coast on the open ocean.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo 🇨🇩 — capital Kinshasa
- Tanzania 🇹🇿 — capital Dodoma
- Malawi 🇲🇼 — capital Lilongwe
- Mozambique 🇲🇿 — capital Maputo
- Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 — capital Harare
- Botswana 🇧🇼 — capital Gaborone
- Namibia 🇳🇦 — capital Windhoek
- Angola 🇦🇴 — capital Luanda
Three facts about Zambia
- Victoria Falls, shared with Zimbabwe, is known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, 'the smoke that thunders'.
- Lake Kariba, shared with Zimbabwe, is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world by volume.
- Zambia is one of the world's largest producers of copper.
Sources: Wikipedia: Zambia, Wikipedia: Flag of Zambia, Wikipedia: Victoria Falls, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Zambia
- African capitals quiz — match Zambia to Lusaka
- African flags quiz — spot the Zambia flag among its neighbours
- Landlocked countries quiz — Zambia has no sea coast
Zambia capital quiz
What is the capital of Zambia 🇿🇲?
- Gitega
- Lusaka
- Mogadishu
- Abuja
Show answer
Lusaka
What is the capital of Malawi 🇲🇼?
- Luanda
- Lilongwe
- Victoria
- Mogadishu
Show answer
Lilongwe
What is the capital of Mali 🇲🇱?
- Khartoum
- Rabat
- Conakry
- Bamako
Show answer
Bamako
What is the capital of Chad 🇹🇩?
- Rabat
- N'Djamena
- Brazzaville
- Conakry
Show answer
N'Djamena
What is the capital of Burkina Faso 🇧🇫?
- Ouagadougou
- Khartoum
- Pretoria
- Luanda
Show answer
Ouagadougou
Zambia in Africa
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Zambia belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Zambia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Zambia?
The capital of Zambia is Lusaka.
What is the population of Zambia?
About 20,017,675, making it the 63rd most populous country in the world.
How big is Zambia?
752,612 square kilometres, ranking 38th by land area, at a density of 26.6 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Zambia use?
The ZMW, which no other country uses.
What are the colours of the Zambia flag?
The flag of Zambia is a green flag with an orange eagle in flight in the top-right, above three vertical stripes of red, black and orange in the bottom-right corner. Green stands for the land, red for the struggle for freedom, black for the people, orange for the country's copper, and the eagle for rising above the nation's problems.
Which countries border Zambia?
Zambia shares land borders with Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Angola.
How can I remember the capital of Zambia?
Zambia is named after the Zambezi, the river that tumbles over Victoria Falls on its southern border. Lusaka is near the middle of the country. Its flag puts the stripes in the corner, not across the whole flag.
More capitals to learn
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