Zambia
Type of Government: Republic
Independence: 1964 from the UK
Head of State: President Levy Mwanawasa (since January 2, 2002)
2007/2008 UN Development Index ranking (out of 177 countries): 165
2007 TI Corruption Perception Index (out of 179): 123
Political Development: Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy Mwanawasa. The new president launched an anticorruption task force in 2002, but the government has yet to make a prosecution. The Zambian leader was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair.
Adult HIV Rate: 16.5%
Life Expectancy: 38.44
GDP: $5.795 billion
Inflation: 9%
Poverty: 86%
Petroleum: 140 bpd
Leading Export Partner: Switzerland (38.4%)
Economic Note: A tighter monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia still has a serious problem with high public debt.
