history of Zambia

Introduction
Archaeology and early history of Zambia
External contacts
Zambia under colonial rule
Independent Zambia
- Zambia under Kaunda (1964–91)
- Chiluba presidency (1991–2001)
- Mwanawasa’s administration (2002–08)
- Presidencies of Sata and Scott (2008–15)
- Lungu’s administration (2015–21)
- Hichilema’s presidency (2021– )
  - Lungu’s death and the dispute between the government and family over funeral arrangements
  - 2026 elections

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Map of Zambia and its surrounding countries in southern Africa, showing Zambia's national borders in bold red, major cities such as Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Livingstone, and neighboring countries including Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. A small inset map highlights Zambia's location on the African continent.

Map of Southern Africa highlighting the principal peoples present from the 17th to mid-19th century, with names of groups such as San, Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana, Herero, and others labeled across the region. Major rivers, lakes, plateaus, and select towns are shown, along with some physical features and archaeological sites. Modern political boundaries are outlined for reference.

Map of colonial southern Africa from 1884 to 1905, using color codes to show territories controlled by Britain, Portugal, and Germany at different times. The map highlights British-controlled areas in orange, Portuguese-controlled areas in purple, German-controlled areas in green, and disputed regions in red, with boundaries and key colonial regions labeled. Major features include German South West Africa, German East Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Colony, and the Orange Free State.

Antique map from 1902 showing central Africa with colonial territories labeled as Kamerun, French Kongo, Kongo Free State, Portuguese West Africa, British East Africa, German East Africa, East Africa, and Rhodesia. The map details rivers, cities, and borders of the era, with an inset map of Madagascar in the lower right corner.

Map of Africa showing the territorial divisions and colonial possessions by European powers from the late 19th to early 20th century. Countries and regions are color-coded to indicate British, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Belgian, and German control, with independent countries and British-Egyptian condominium also marked. The map highlights the extent and timing of colonization, with most of the continent under European rule except for Ethiopia and Liberia.

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Map of Africa in 1960 showing the political status of each territory or country. Many countries gained independence that year, including Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Chad, and the Central African Republic. Countries already independent at that time included Ethiopia, Liberia, Ghana, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan, and South Africa. More than 20 territories remained under colonial rule.

Zambia's first president

history of Zambia: Media

Images

Zambia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Zambia and its surrounding countries in southern Africa, showing Zambia's national borders in bold red, major cities such as Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Livingstone, and neighboring countries including Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. A small inset map highlights Zambia's location on the African continent.

Zambia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Kabwe cranium

Kabwe cranium

The Kabwe cranium, found in 1921 at Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia (now Kabwe, Zambia),...

© Günter Bräuer

Map of Southern Africa highlighting the principal peoples present from the 17th to mid-19th century, with names of groups such as San, Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana, Herero, and others labeled across the region. Major rivers, lakes, plateaus, and select towns are shown, along with some physical features and archaeological sites. Modern political boundaries are outlined for reference.

Principal peoples of Southern Africa, 17th to mid-19th century

Map showing the approximate locations of the principal peoples of Southern Africa...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of colonial southern Africa from 1884 to 1905, using color codes to show territories controlled by Britain, Portugal, and Germany at different times. The map highlights British-controlled areas in orange, Portuguese-controlled areas in purple, German-controlled areas in green, and disputed regions in red, with boundaries and key colonial regions labeled. Major features include German South West Africa, German East Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Colony, and the Orange Free State.

Colonial Southern Africa, 1884–1905

European penetration into Southern Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Antique map from 1902 showing central Africa with colonial territories labeled as Kamerun, French Kongo, Kongo Free State, Portuguese West Africa, British East Africa, German East Africa, East Africa, and Rhodesia. The map details rivers, cities, and borders of the era, with an inset map of Madagascar in the lower right corner.

Central Africa, c. 1902

Map of Central Africa from the 10th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica,...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Africa showing the territorial divisions and colonial possessions by European powers from the late 19th to early 20th century. Countries and regions are color-coded to indicate British, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Belgian, and German control, with independent countries and British-Egyptian condominium also marked. The map highlights the extent and timing of colonization, with most of the continent under European rule except for Ethiopia and Liberia.

Colonization of Africa by European countries

Map showing the colonization of Africa by European countries in the 19th and early...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Africa in 1960 showing the political status of each territory or country. Many countries gained independence that year, including Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Chad, and the Central African Republic. Countries already independent at that time included Ethiopia, Liberia, Ghana, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan, and South Africa. More than 20 territories remained under colonial rule.

Africa: Political status in 1960

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Zambia's first president

Zambia's first president

Kenneth Kaunda, who served as president of Zambia during 1964–91, shown here c. 1970.

Evening Standard—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Kariba Dam

Kariba Dam

View of Kariba Dam, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, from upriver.

De Wys Inc.

A Zambian woman places her ballot into a red-lidded box at a polling station, assisted by an election official wearing an orange vest; another voter stands at a booth in the background.

A Zambian woman casts her vote at a polling station during general elections, September 20, 2011

© Smandy/Dreamstime.com

Interactives

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Learn about the colonization of Africa, the process of decolonization that led to...

© Encyclopaedia Britannica