Zambia, central Africa has excellent national parks teeming with birds
and animals, as well as the spectacular Victoria Falls and Zambezi River. Apart
from sightseeing, these places are also centres for a range of activities
ranging from canoeing to white-water rafting and bungee jumping. Lusaka is the
capital and largest city.
For independent travellers Zambia is still a challenge - distances are long,
and getting around takes persistence, particularly once you get off the main
routes. But for many people, the challenge is the main attraction. Without a
doubt, in Zambia you come pretty close to finding the 'real' Africa.
For many years Zambia was the Cinderella of Africa, often overlooked by
tourists, and forgotten by the rest of the world as disastrous politics in the
1970s and 1980s led to poverty and the virtual breakdown of the country. But by
the 1990s the fortunes of Zambia changed, as a massive shift on the political
scene lead to economic reforms and other improvements.
Zambia's terrain consists of high plateau with some hills and mountains. The
Zambezi is Zambia's main river.The Victoria Falls on the Zambezi are on the
border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. At the end of the 1950s the Zambezi was
dammed at Kariba to provide hydro-electric power to Zambia and Zimbabwe. Lake
Kariba is one of the world's largest man-made lakes.
Zambia has a tropical climate with temperatures varying according to
altitude. The wet season runs from October to April.
Other lakes in Zambia are Lake Mweru shared with the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Lake Tanganyika which is also shared with the Democratic Republic of the
Congo as well as Tanzania and Lake Bangweulu.
Zambia's National Parks are the Bangweulu Swamps, Kafue, Kasanka, Liuwa
Plain, Lower Zambezi, Luambe, Lochinvar, Nyika, Sioma Ngwezi, North Luangwa,
South Luangwa, Sumbu and Mosi-O-Tunya. Many species of birds and other wildlife
can be seen in the parks. Animals include antelopes, baboons, cheetahs,
crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, hippopotamuses, leopards, lions and zebras.