Overview
Ireland's Links with Zambia
HIV and AIDS
History
Tourism

Overview

Zambia, a land-locked country 10 times the size of Ireland is a unified and peaceful country that enjoys vast land and water resources and one of the lowest population densities in the world.  Despite this, Zambia remains one of Africa’s poorest countries: it ranked 165th out of 177 countries on the UN Human Development Index 2007 (Ireland ranked 5th).  Over two-thirds of the population live below the national poverty line of less than a dollar a day, many of these in congested urban sites called compounds.  Zambia has one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV in the world; currently about 17 percent of 15-49 year olds are infected.  Life expectancy has dropped from 50.2 years in the early 1970’s, to 40.5 years today. 

Ireland’s links with Zambia

Irish links with Zambia stretch back over a century. Long before an official bilateral aid programme was established and well before Zambia achieved its independence in 1964, Irish missionary societies were among the main providers of services in health and education what was then Northern Rhodesia.  Many of Zambia’s leading citizens received their education at schools run by the Irish Christian Brothers and other missionary societies, and many of Zambia’s hospitals throughout much of the 20th century were in the care of Irish missionary sisters.

HIV and AIDS

More than one million people in Zambia are living with HIV while approximately 630,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS.  Women are particularly severely affected. In the age group 15-19, HIV prevalence is six times higher for girls than for boys. The burden of care for the sick is also increasingly falling on women and children.

History

Zambia became independent from Great Britain in October 1964, and Kenneth Kaunda, became its first President. During President Kaunda's time in office (1964 - 1991), Zambia dropped from being one of the wealthiest countries in sub-Saharan Africa to one of its poorest. Zambia was a one-party state from 1972 until 1990, when multi-party politics was introduced. Presidential elections the following year were won by the opposition party Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) which also won a sizeable majority in Parliament and continues to dominate political life today. Zambia shares borders with 8 countries and is very vulnerable to their upheavals. Under President Kaunda, one of the elder statesmen of independent Africa, Zambia played a leading role in Southern African politics. Today, Zambia continues to tackle internal political issues such as corruption, economic liberalisation and external debt.  Ireland has an Embassy in Lusaka.

Tourism

The big, beautiful country of Zambia is situated in the heart of the African sub-continent, untainted by commercial tourist development, but nevertheless well-equipped to allow visitors to experience the warmth, excitement, challenges and adventures of the real Africa.

Zambia beckons with an abundance of natural attractions and extreme sports, which has earned it the reputation of being the 'adventure center' of the continent.

The country's prime attraction is the spectacular, breathtaking Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Not only do the falls provide unmatched scenery as the water plunges into the depths of the gorge, but they are also the setting for a multitude of adrenaline pumping activities, like whitewater rafting, bungee jumping from the 364ft (111m) high bridge, canoeing, abseiling, micro-lighting over the falls, elephant-back safaris, jet-boating through the rapids and many more.

If dry land is more to your taste, Zambia offers dozens of superb game parks stocked with a profusion of birds and wildlife. Chief among the parks is South Luangwa National Park, centered on the most intact major river system in Africa, which hosts a huge concentration of game. The legendary 'Zambian walking safari' originated in this park and still offers one of the finest ways to experience the African wilderness.

Visitors to Zambia seldom linger in the towns, being bent on safaris or destined for game lodges and adventure camps, but those who choose to explore the somewhat dishevelled capital, Lusaka, will find it has an interesting charm. More than half of the inhabitants of this over-populated city are unemployed, yet the atmosphere is far from despondent as the people hustle and bustle, determined to survive. Thousands of stalls line the streets offering a fascinating array of services and goods.

Lovers of the outdoors cannot fail to find everything and more to satisfy them in the wetlands and wilderness of Zambia.