LusakaCapital
Zambia · Country profile
Lusaka is the sprawling, easy-going capital of Zambia, a city of the wide tree-lined avenues and the low skyline that grew from a railway siding into the political and commercial heart of the country in just over a century. It spreads across the flat highveld at a mild altitude, mixing the government quarters and the diplomatic enclaves with the enormous markets, the gardens and the parks of the town. The museums of the country, the craft centres and the lively market street of the city anchor the visitor circuit, while the reserves of the surroundings, the caves and the falls of the region lie a short drive from the centre. Green, friendly and immensely relaxed, Lusaka is the sunny middle of the whole of the Zambian nation.
About Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital of Zambia. The city's documented population is around 3,300,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) and English is spoken; the dialling code is +260.
The Capital of the Highveld and the Markets of the City
Lusaka is a capital of the wide avenues and the markets, with the national museum, the parliament village and the museum of the freedom statue of the country making the historic route of the town. The great market of the Soweto, with its maze of the stalls, and the craft markets of the camps of the town carry the commerce and the colour of the daily life, while the parks of the city and the gallery of the contemporary art soften the stay. The reserves and the caves of the surroundings, the falls of the lower river and the lake of the country beyond complete the excursions of the capital. It is easy, friendly and remarkably calm for a national capital of Africa.
The Mild Winters, the Dusty Springs and the Rainy Summers
The altitude of the plateau gives the city a mild climate, with the pleasantly cool dry winters, the hot, dusty springs and the warm, rainy summers of the southern tropics. The kwacha is the currency, the English the official language, with the Nyanja and the Bemba filling the streets and the markets of the town. The museums, the markets and the reserves of the north make the core circuit, and the roads to the great sights of the country leave from the city. Light layers for the evenings, a sun hat for the days and the rubber boots of the rainy season complete the preparation of the capital.
The National Museum, the Soweto Market and the Parks of the Town
The museum of the national estate, with its painted gallery of the wayside of the country and its collection of the crafts of the peoples, gives the best single introduction to the Zambian world, while the statue of the freedom and the memorial of the independence anchor the historic centre. The market of the Soweto, the enormous warren of the stalls of the capital, and the craft market of the arcade with its carvings and its baskets of the country carry the trade of the daily life. The tree-lined hills of the surrounds, the reserves with their giraffes and their antelope, and the great falls of the south of the country complete the gentle, expansive, sunny world of Lusaka.
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- Country
- Zambia
- Population
- 3,300,000
- Capital
- Lusaka
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +260
- Country code
- ZM
Entry requirements for Zambia
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Zambia for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lusaka the capital of Zambia?
Yes — Lusaka is the capital of Zambia.
What currency do I need in Lusaka?
The local currency is the Zambian Kwacha (ZMW). Languages spoken in Zambia include English.
What is the dialling code for Zambia?
The international dialling code for Zambia is +260.
Do I need a visa to visit Zambia?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Morocco currently enter Zambia visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Lusaka? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.