Geography & environment — Zambia
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Zambia: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
15 00 S, 30 00 E
- Total Area
290,586 Square Miles 752,618 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
287,026 Square Miles 743,398 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
3,560 Square Miles 9,220 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
3,519 Miles 5,664 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Physical geography
- Terrain
mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
- Highest Point
2,301 Meters
- Highest Point Location
unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
- Lowest Point
329 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
Zambezi river 329 m
- Natural Resources
copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
- Irrigated Land
602 Square Miles 1,559 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Zambia lies between 8 and 18 degrees south of the Equator. The pleasant climate rivals that of Southern California, having three seasons: the warm-wet season (December to April), the cool-dry season (May to August) and the hot-dry season (September to November). Humidity is quite low except during the rainy season, and the temperature rarely exceeds 95°F; it can get into the 40s during the winter months (June and July). Summer clothing is worn from mid-August to mid-May. Light woolens are useful in winter (mid-May to mid-August). Generally, summer evenings are cool, and winter days are sunny and warm. Annual rainfall during the rainy season averages 34 inches. At the season’s beginning and end, showers are brief. During January, however, heavier rains punctuated by thunderstorms often occur. Zambia’s vegetation is mostly savannah, with areas of tropical grassland and woodland. There are 19 national parks and 32 game management areas. The native fauna is classic big game found in Southern Africa (e.g., leopards and lions). Zambia has a great variety of birds, both resident and migrant, totaling more than 700 species.
- Terrain
mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
- Location
Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Total Area
290,586 Square Miles 752,618 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region
chemical runoff into watersheds
poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations
deforestation
soil erosion
desertification
lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
- Environment - International Agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements