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CLIMATE
As Zambia is made up of a number of different al-
titudes, there are considerable climatic differences
experienced throughout various parts of the coun-
try. The hottest months are from October and No-
vember. The average maximum temperature during
these months is 970 Fahrenheit (F) in the Zambezi
valley and 850F in the plateaus. The average maxi-
mum for the hottest months in Zambia—from Sep-
tember to April— is approximately 90.30F with its
minimum averaging at 64.50F. The corresponding
figures for the coldest months in Zambia—from May
to August— are 78.70 and 46.60F.
The relatively high altitude of much of the land gives
Zambia a more pleasant climate than that experi-
enced in most tropical countries. Its three seasons
are as follows: cool and dry from May to August, hot
and dry from September to November, and warm
and wet from December to April.
In the warm and wet season, frequent heavy show-
ers and thunderstorms occur, followed by spells of
bright sunshine. Plants grow rapidly, turning the land
into a lush green paradise and filling the rivers and
streams up almost overnight.
During the cool dry season, night frosts may occur
in places sheltered from the wind. The countryside
dries up gradually and grass fires are not uncom-
mon due to the seasonally characteristic strong
winds.
Temperatures rise during the hot, dry season, and
new leaves begin to appear on the trees before the
start of the heavy rains. The main growing period of
woodland vegetation is usually between August and
November as well.
PEOPLE & LIFESTYLE
With a population of 14.43 million people (2013),
Zambia's population is currently growing at a rate
of 3.2% (2013).
The employment opportunities offered post inde-
pendence in the copper mines and associated
industries led to a strong rural-urban migration.
This has made Zambia one of the most urbanized
countries in Africa. About one-fifth of the population
lives in the Copperbelt to the north of the capital,
but the largest concentrations of people are found
in Lusaka.
Zambia has over 720 different tribes, leading to a
vibrant and diverse culture. Interestingly enough,
however, it is one of the few countries in Africa to
exist with very little tribal animosity. Even more curi-
ous is the insignificance of this fact in the nation's
politics. This is largely due to the deliberate steps
taken by the first Government of Zambia to coin
the slogan “One Zambia, One Nation”—a step that
many other African states failed to take. The main
tribes are the Lozi, Bemba, Ngoni, Tonga, Luvale,
Kaonde, and Lunda.
The Lozi
The Lozi are traditionally made up of cattlemen
who migrated into western Zambia from the Luba
Lunda Kingdom of Mwata Yamvwa in the DRC, one
of the greatest central African Chieftainships, in the
17th and 18th centuries. After many years of uncon-
tested rule, they were conquered by the Makalolo
people of the South. The Makalolo language, Siko-
lolo, became the lingua franca of the Barotse plains,
and much of their cultural traditions spread on to all
peoples living in that area. The Lozi people, how-
ever, eventually rose up against them in 1864 and
all but annihilated them.
They continue to live in Barotseland and maintain
many of their traditions. Each year, the Lozi migrate
to higher ground above the barotse floodplains of
the Zambezi in a grand ceremony called the Kuom-
boka.
The Ngoni
Originally from South Africa, the Ngoni migrated into
Eastern Zambia in the early 19th century where they
conquered the area's indigenous tribes with ease.
The day they crossed over the Zambezi River was
a momentous occasion marked by an eclipse of the
sun and ceremonial beer drinking. They peacefully
ruled this area until the British colonial government
conquered them in 1897 with troops from Nyasa-
land (Malawi). Today, the Ngoni speak Chichewa,
the language of the people they conquered, and
they have maintained many of their cultural prac-
tices. At the annual independence celebrations in
October, the Ngoni dancers are famous for their
spectacular performances.
The Tonga
Among the most numerous in Zambia, archaeo-
logical evidence proves the Tonga's existence in
the Southern Province for at least 900 years. Six
centuries ago, the Zambezi Valley, one of the areas
General Information
