Provinces of Zambia

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Updates: 

It has been proposed that the name of the capital of Southern province be changed from Livingstone to Maramba, but no official action has been taken yet.

Country overview: 

At the start of the 20th century, North-East Rhodesia and North-West Rhodesia were administered, with regard to British interests, by the British South Africa Company. In 1911, they merged to form the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia. The country took the name Zambia when it became independent in 1964.

Other names of country: 

1. Danish: Zambia
2. Dutch: Zambia, Republiek Zambia (formal)
3. English: Republic of Zambia (formal), Northern Rhodesia (obsolete)
4. Finnish: Sambia
5. French: Zambie f
6. German: Sambia n
7. Icelandic: Sambía
8. Italian: Zambia m
9. Norwegian: Zambia, Republikken Zambia (formal)
10. Portuguese: Zâmbia, República f da Zâmbia f (formal), Rodésia do Norte (obsolete)
11. Spanish: Zambia, República f de Zambia (formal)
12. Swedish: Zambia

Origin of name: 

from Zambezi River

Primary subdivisions: 

Zambia is divided into nine provinces.

Postal codes: 

Zambia uses five-digit postal codes.

Further subdivisions:

See the Districts of Zambia page.

The provinces are divided into 72 districts.

Origins of names: 

Copperbelt: site of a belt of copper mines

Change history: 

1. 1911-08-17: North-East Rhodesia (capital Fort Jameson) and North-West Rhodesia (capital Kalomo) merged to form Northern Rhodesia (capital Livingstone).
2. ~1933: Capital of the country moved from Livingstone to Lusaka.
3. 1953-07-14: British Parliament passed the Rhodesia and Nyasaland Federation Act, by which Northern Rhodesia protectorate, Nyasaland protectorate, and Southern Rhodesia colony were joined in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (capital Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia).
4. The 1957 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica World Atlas lists six provinces of Northern Rhodesia: Barotse, Central, Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western. It gives no details of area and population.
5. 1963-12-31: Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland dissolved into its original components.
6. 1964-10-24: Northern Rhodesia became independent under the name Zambia. At that time, it was divided into eight provinces, which were subdivided into 43 districts. The provinces (and their capitals) were Barotseland (Mongu), Central (Broken Hill), Eastern (Fort Jameson), Luapula (Fort Rosebery), Northern (Kasama), North-Western (Solwezi), Southern (Livingstone), and Western (Ndola).
7. ~1969: Name of Western province changed to Copperbelt. Name of Barotseland province changed to Western. Name of capital of Central province changed from Broken Hill to Kabwe. Name of capital of Eastern province changed from Fort Jameson to Chipata. Name of capital of Luapula province changed from Fort Rosebery to Mansa.
8. ~1973: Lusaka province split from Central province. Lusaka city, formerly the capital of Central, became the capital of Lusaka. Initially Lusaka province was only 360 sq. km. around Lusaka, but by 1988 it had been enlarged to its present size.

Other names of subdivisions: 

1. Copperbelt: Western (obsolete)
2. Western: Barotseland (obsolete)