Zambia is a landlocked country measuring 752,000 square kilometres. The country is surrounded by 8 neighbouring countries of Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Mozambique to the east, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana to the south and Angola on the western side. The main economic activities of Zambia include mining, agriculture, trading and non traditional exports. Geographically the country lies between 8o and 18o south, therefore it experiences three distinct seasons i.e. cold, hot and rainy.
Zambia attained independence in 1964 and is governed by a multiparty system of governance. Due to political and economic stability, Zambia hosts tens of thousands of refugees from Angola and particularly, those who have fled fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The country has experienced natural disasters such as drought and floods with increasing frequency in recent years. During the 2007/08 rainy season, traditional drought prone areas (southern/south eastern Zambia) were also flooded. Traditional flood prone areas are those on the Kafue, Zambezi and Luangwa river basins i.e. Mazabuka and Namwala in Southern Province around the Kafue flats, northwestern and western provinces and Eastern province.
Despite the gains made in addressing HIV/AIDS, this still remains a major challenge. HIV/AIDS has reduced the productive capacity for families that depend on agriculture as these families who are usually poor would have lost either the breadwinner or a critical human resource that would facilitate high productive capacity. As a result these families have had a dwindling income source and in some cases have to resort to assets such as livestock to make ends meet while these assets are not replaced.
Key Humanitarian Challenges:
- Food
- Floods
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Drought
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HIV/AIDS
- Livestock diseases e.g. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Anthrax and Haemorrhagic Septicaemia.