Zambia is big, it’s bold and full of incredible wildlife.
One third of the country is made up of national parks. It’s home to the co-shared Victoria Falls (bordering Zimbabwe) and holds everything that there is to love about raw and untamed Africa.
Here are 10 cool facts about Zambia.
1. The termite hills are the size of a house
Termite hills in Zambia can grow as big as a small house. With room for a pony.
2. Zambia is a completely landlocked country
Zambia is surrounded by seven countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
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3. The traditional name for Victoria Falls is Mosi-oa-Tunya
Mosi-oa-tunya means the ‘Smoke that Thunders’ and, as you can imagine, Victoria Falls truly lives up to its name.
Image by Ignatius Tan / Shutterstock
4. Victoria Falls is double the height of Niagara Falls
Victoria Falls is 108 metres in height. It’s almost double the height of Niagara Falls in Canada.
5. Zambia relies on copper as one of its biggest exports
Zambia’s main export is copper. They produce around 1.5 million tonnes a year.
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6. It’s home to the Big Five of wildlife
All of Africa’s Big Five can be found in Zambia including lions, rhinos and elephants. South Luangwa National Park is a protection area for these animals.
Image by Johan Elzenga
7. The currency of Zambia is called the Zambian kwacha
The local currency is the Zambian kwacha – translating to ‘dawn’. Most of the ATMs give out US dollars which you can use for larger purchases or when paying at hotels and restaurants.
8. There’s a bunch of adventure activities you can do
You can go white water rafting down the Zambezi, canoe through national parks for a closer look at the wildlife, take a chopper flight over Victoria Falls or swing off one of the massive gorges (appropriately dubbed ‘gorge swinging’).
Image by Winsome Brown
9. There’s a massive man-made lake that sustains life to the country
Lake Kariba is the world’s biggest man-made lake and is used for commercial fishing operations and to supply electric hydropower to Zambia and Zimbabwe.
10. Zambia was named after the fourth biggest river in Africa
The Zambezi is the fourth longest river in Africa after the Nile, Congo, and Niger Rivers.
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Feature image by FCG / Shutterstock
