Often mistaken with Zimbabwe, Zambia is a beautiful country in Southern Africa with many interesting facts that aren’t known by many. Zambia is one of Africa’s most well-kept hidden gems with diverse wildlife and multicultural communities. Here are some cool facts about Zambia for you to ace your next trivia night or when you’re ready to visit Zambia for the first time.
15 cool facts about Zambia
1. It’s a landlocked country
You may already know this fact if you can pinpoint Zambia on the African map. Zambia, also coined ‘the real Africa,’ is bordered by a total of seven countries. Namely, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia and Angola.
2. Zambia’s termite hills are as tall as a house
I’d say don’t be alarmed by this fun fact but stay a little wary. Termite hills in Zambia can be up to 2m high and 10m wide. They’re more common to see in the North and are locally referred to as ninjya, which means star.
Speaking of languages...
3. 72 languages are spoken countrywide
Yes, not one or two, but 72 languages are spoken throughout Zambia. These tribal languages represent the tribes of the country, and some tribes are larger than others, making some tribal languages more popular than others.
English is the official language of Zambia, so if you’re visiting for the first time, you won’t have much trouble communicating with most people.
4. Zambia is home to the Big Five
The safari scene in Zambia is one of the most underrated ones in Africa. But, I sorely believe this is due to the lack of information.
For example, you can see the Big Five of wildlife: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and African buffaloes in Zambia. And this is something you won’t experience everywhere.
While we’re on that topic…
5. Forests cover 60% of the country’s land
Nature is one of the things that sets Zambia apart, and it’s an interesting fact that 60% of the country is completely green.
Over 40% of the country’s land area is protected, and Zambia has 20 national parks, 39 game management territories, 432 forest reserves, and over 50 botanical reserves.
6. Zambia has one of the world’s tallest waterfalls
Zambia is home to Victoria Falls, which is almost twice as high as Niagra Falls. The waterfall is shared between Zambia and Zimbabwe, but as a Zambian, I’d argue that the Zambian side has the best views.
Speaking of the Victoria Falls, here’s another fun fact…
7. Victoria Falls was originally called Mosi-oa-Tunya
Many locals still refer to Victoria Falls by its original name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means ‘The Smoke that Thunders’.
This is a more fitting name for the waterfall because it’s local and truly embraces the nature of the falls. The name comes from the fact that the waterfall is visible from miles away due to the smoke-like droplets of water that arise when the waterfall is at its fullest.
8. Zambia has one UNESCO World Heritage Site
If you guessed Mosi-oa-Tunya, you’re right! This is the only Zambian site listed by UNESCO, and if you’re wondering which African country has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites, that would be Ethiopia with 11 listed sites.
9. The country is one of the top five tobacco leaf-growing countries in Africa
Another fun fact about Zambia is it’s one of Africa’s top tobacco-leaf-growing countries. Currently, Zambia’s population is around 20.5 million, out of which 14% are smokers.
Smoking isn’t very popular in Zambia, especially in public places, so consider yourself warned, as this is against the law.
This doesn’t mean you can’t smoke during your visit to Zambia, but it just means you have to do this in more private areas.
10. Zambia is home to the world’s biggest man-made lakes
Lake Kariba, one of Zambia’s popular attractions, is the world’s biggest man-made lake. It’s mostly used for commercial fishing and, most importantly, as a hydroelectric power supply for Zambia and Zimbabwe.
More fun facts about Zambia
11. The local cuisine is meat-heavy
Zambians love their meat, and for good reason. It’s free from artificial additives and mostly bred by locals on a small scale. The most popular dish in Zambia is called Nshima, and it’s a thick porridge made with water and maize flour.
Nshima is mostly eaten with chicken, beef, dry fish, game meat, caterpillars, and sometimes pork. Zambians almost always have vegetables with their meals, so you can expect to eat plant leaves like pumpkin leaves.
12. Majority of Zambians live in private houses
Unlike most Western countries, private houses are more popular than apartments in Zambia. Most people rent or build their own homes, and they often have a private garden where they grow their vegetables.
Some people may even build smaller houses in their backyard, popularly known as Servant’s Quarters, and rent these out for extra income.
Singles, newlyweds, and small families are more likely to live in flats or apartments but eventually move into a house.
13. Most Zambians are religious
About 95% of the country’s population is Christian and 0.5% are Muslim. About one percent don’t identify with any religion, and the rest identify with others.
While protestants are the majority of Christians, and the rest are Catholic, Zambians are united, and the difference in denominations doesn’t change so much about the religious beliefs.
In most households, at least one person will go to church once a week.
14. Zambia has more minerals than copper
The African ground is blessed, and Zambia can attest to that. Copper is one of the most important exports of the country, but it’s not the only resource available in Zambia. Some of the other minerals you can find in the country include gold, nickel, emeralds, myriad gemstones, sulfur, zinc, coal, steel, limestone, uranium, and other platinum-group metals.
Last but not least…
15. Zambians are full of energy and love to have a great time
The last fact about Zambia is about the culture.
The beautiful people of Zambia love to have a great time. They’re very sociable, prefer to meet in real life, love to host barbecues, go out and drink.
For most, the weekend starts on Thursday night and ends on Sunday evening.
People are friendly, welcoming, and quite open-minded. They love to know about others and are very welcoming to foreigners. Zambians value respect and they always aim to give and receive it.
I hope you enjoyed these fun facts about Zambia and learned a thing or two about the country. If you’d like to know more about Zambia, my experience leaving home, and living abroad in Adana, Turkey, and later Budapest, I’d encourage you to explore more of the blog.
More facts about Zambia | Everything Travel
You can also stay in touch with me online, where I regularly share travel inspiration and tips for those who want to explore on a budget. Follow me at undoubtedlyhazy.com.
Questions? Comments? Leave them down below! I’d love to know what you think about these facts about Zambia.
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