Lusaka city, south central Zambia, capital of the country and of
Lusaka Province, is situated at an altitude of about 1300 m (about 4265 ft) on a
plateau. It was founded in 1905 by European settlers and in 1964 it became
the capital of independent Zambia. A sprawling, modern city, with a pleasant
temperate climate, it is Zambia's chief administrative center and a major
financial, transportation, and manufacturing hub. Railroads connect the city
with Livingstone, to the south, and with Ndola and other centers to the north.
There are air links to most of the major tourist destinations in Zambia from
Lusaka International Airport.
The fascinating thing about Lusaka is its energy; a city whose bustling chaos
has a certain charm that is just Zambia.. The city is surprisingly rich in
galleries featuring local artists. Among the best are the Henry Tayali Visual
Arts Gallery, the Mpala Gallery, and the sculpture garden at the Garden House
Hotel. Just northwest of the centre is the Zintu Community Museum, which
exhibits traditional arts and crafts. The other major attraction in the capital
is bustling, open-air Kamwala Market, a few blocks south of the centre.
Lusaka is a city undergoing changes; the product of a country battling to
find its way in a new world, caught between colonial beginnings, years of
socialist independence and now democracy. A walk around the city reveals new
shops-including a new market and a multi-million dollar shopping mall under
construction; smart fast food outlets; freshly mended roads old buildings being
refurbished and the transformation of the city's parks.