Map of Zambia

Zambia is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa, to the east of Angola. Angola, officially the Republic of Angola (República de Angola Pronounced ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɨ ɐ̃ˈgɔlɐ Repubilika ya Ngola is a country in south-central It has a total area of 752 614 square kilometres, of which 11 890 km² are water. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of

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. The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (République démocratique du Congo often referred to as DR Congo, DRC or RDC, and formerly known or referred to The Republic of Malawi (məˈlɑːwi or; formerly Nyasaland) is in southern Africa. Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election

Physical geography

Climate

Main article: Climate of Zambia

Zambia has a tropical climate, modified by the altitude of the country. The Climate of Zambia in Central and Southern Africa is Tropical modified by altitude (elevation. The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of There is a rainy season that runs from October/November to April/May.

Terrain

Topographic map of Zambia

Satellite image of Zambia, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library

The terrain of Zambia is mostly high plateau, with some hills and mountains. In Computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap, is a Data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of Pixels The Map Library should not be confused with the Map Library of The British Museum. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak 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. The Zambezi (also spelled Zambesi) is the fourth-longest River in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa

Ecoregions

Main article: Ecoregions of Zambia

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. The biomes and ecoregions in the ecology of Zambia are described listed and mapped here following the World Wildlife Fund 's Global 200 classification An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem. Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the Vegetation is dominated by Grasses ( Poaceae) and other Herbaceous (non-woody

Natural resources

Zambia possesses the following natural resources:

• copper
• cobalt
• zinc
• lead
• coal
• emeralds
• gold
• silver
• uranium
• hydropower

Land use

The following table describes the land use in Zambia, as of 1998. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Cobalt (ˈkoʊbɒlt is a hard lustrous silver-grey Metal, a Chemical element with symbol Co. Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly Emeralds are a variety of the Mineral Beryl (Be3Al2(SiO36 colored Green by trace amounts Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Uranium (jʊˈreɪniəm is a silvery-gray Metallic Chemical element in the Hydropower, hydraulic power or water power is power that is derived from the Force or Energy of moving water which may

As of 1998, 460 km² of land in Zambia is irrigated.

Environment

A natural hazard is posed in Zambia by tropical storms, which occur between November and April. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding

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. Air pollution is the human introduction into the atmosphere of Chemicals Particulate matter, or Biological materials that cause harm or discomfort Acid rain is Rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually Acidic It has harmful effects on plants aquatic animals and infastructure A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition a highly ordered atomic structure and specific Deforestation is the conversion of Forested areas to non-forest land for use such as Arable land, Pasture, urban use logged area or wasteland Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind Desertification is the degradation of land in arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting primarily from human activities and influenced by climatic variations

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. Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. Annex I and Annex II Countries and Developing Countries Signatories to the UNFCCC are split into three groups Annex I countries (industrialized countries Desertification is the degradation of land in arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting primarily from human activities and influenced by climatic variations An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation The term hazardous waste comprises all toxic chemicals radioactive materials, and biologic or infectious waste. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ( UNCLOS) also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea treaty is the international agreement that resulted The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT bans all nuclear explosions in all environments for military or civilian purposes For other similarly-named agreements see Montreal Convention (disambiguation. A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog Zambia has signed, but not ratified, the Kyoto Protocol

Coordinates: 15°S 30°E / -15, 30