Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia , is a landlocked country in southern Africa . It borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania on the north-east, Malawi on the east, Mozambique , Zimbabwe , Botswana , and Namibia to the south, and Angola on the west. Formerly Northern Rhodesia , the country is named after the Zambezi river.

The population of Zambia at the time of the census in 1990 was 7.8 million people. A 2005 estimate was 11.3 million, although statistics suggest it could be about 10.5 million.

About half of Zambia 's population lives in urban areas. Lusaka , the capital city, has a population of 1.6 million people (about 10% of the population). Other major urban centers are Ndola , Kitwe , Mufulira, and Luanshya, which are all mining towns in the copper belt.

Zambia 's population is made up of more than 70 ethnic groups, many of them Bantu-speaking. The largest groups are the Bemba, Nyanja, and Tonga peoples. More than 70 African languages are spoken, including Bemba, Lozi, Luvale , Tonga , and Nyanja. The official language is English.

About 80 percent of the people in Zambia are Christian and Christianity is Zambia 's official religion. However, many Zambians belong to independent churches which combine Christianity and African religions. Most of the remainder follow traditional religions.

Zambia 's altitude creates a temperate climate. There are three distinct seasons: the dry season (mid-April to August), when temperatures drop at night and the landscape is green and lush; the hot season (September to mid-November), which is the best time to see wildlife as flora is sparse; and the wet season (mid-November to mid-April). Temperatures climb up to 29 to 30°C during the day with quite cold nights throughout the year. Overall temperatures are slightly cooler in the middle of the year, which, along with sparse rainfall, make things quite pleasant.