Geography of Zambia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zambia is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa, to the east of Angola. It has a total area of 752 614 square kilometres, of which 11 890 km² are water.
Contents |
[edit] Political geography
Zambia has a total of 5 664 km of land boundaries, and it borders: Angola for 1 110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo for 1 930 km, Malawi for 837 km, Mozambique for 419 km, Namibia for 233 km, Tanzania for 338 km, Zimbabwe for 797 km, and Botswana for 0 km.
[edit] Physical geography
[edit] Climate
Zambia has a tropical climate, modified by the altitude of the country. There is a rainy season that runs from October/November to April/May.
[edit] Terrain
The terrain of Zambia is mostly high plateau, with some hills and mountains. The lowest point is the Zambezi river, at 329 m, with the highest being an unnamed point in the Mafinga Hills, at 2 301 m.
[edit] Ecoregions
Nine ecoregions in four biomes are represented in Zambia, the most widespread being Miombo, Mopane and Baikiaea woodland savanna, with grasslands (mainly flooded grassland) and evergreen forest also present.
[edit] Natural resources
Zambia possesses the following natural resources:
[edit] Land use
The following table describes the land use in Zambia, as of 1998.
| Use | Percentage of Area |
|---|---|
| arable land | 7.08 |
| permanent crops | 0.03 |
| other | 92.89 |
As of 1998, 460 km² of land in Zambia is irrigated.
[edit] Environment
A natural hazard is posed in Zambia by tropical storms, which occur between November and April.
Current issues for the environment in the country include: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching, which seriously threatens: rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification and lack of adequate water treatment, which presents human health risks.
Zambia is party to the following international agreements: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection and Wetlands. Zambia has signed, but not ratified, the Kyoto Protocol
