Space
Program of Zambia
------The Zambian Space Agency------
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Level = 0 Development: Very Low
What has been going on in Zambia?
What kind of space power do they have?
Does Zambia have space weapons?
What are they planning over there? |
Population: 12,000,000 / Language: English / GDP: $900 / Cities: Lusaka
OVERVIEW
Zambia has moved from being a major copper producer and potentially one of the continent's richest countries at independence in 1964 to one of the world's poorest. A colonial legacy, mismanagement, debt and disease are said to have contributed to the country's tribulations. Politically, it switched from colonial government into an era of one-party rule lasting 27 years. A multi-party system emerged in the early 1990s. Zambia is landlocked and sparsely populated by more than 70 ethnic groups, many of them Bantu-speaking. It has some spectacular scenery, including the Victoria Falls along the Zambezi river, the Bangweulu Swamps and the Luangwa river valley.
AT-A-GLANCE
In the late 1960s it was the third largest copper miner, after the US and the Soviet Union. World copper prices collapsed in 1975 with devastating effects on the economy. The World Bank has urged Zambia to develop other sources of revenue - including tourism and agriculture. Even so, copper accounts for most of Zambia's foreign earnings and there is optimism about the future of the industry, which was privatised in the 1990s. Electronics manufacturers have fuelled demand and investment in mines has grown. Aids is blamed for decimating the cream of Zambian professionals - including engineers and politicians - and malaria is a major problem. Millions of Zambians live below the World Bank poverty threshold of $1 a day. Zambia hosts tens of thousands of refugees who have fled fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President: Levy Mwanawasa President Levy Mwanawasa won a second term in September 2006, having campaigned on his economic record. Mr Mwanawasa took 43% of the vote compared with the 29% of his main rival, Michael Sata, who alleged that he had been cheated of victory. Some unrest followed the vote.
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Space Agency of Zambia Zambia has a Level 0 Space Program. It is one of the world's poorest countries, and not only does it not have an agency, but also no infrastructure in which one would arise. Zambia lacks the industrial base, the educational base and the political foundation for a space program to occur within it at this time. It has no functioning university with an astrophysics or astronautics program. The University of Zambia does exist in Lusaka, but it not confer degrees in space related fields. |
Like many countries in Africa, Zambia has a military but no weapons that could affect space.
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Timeline of Events in Zambia ...From the Past to the Future
12th Century - Shona people arrive in the area, later establishing the empire of the Mwene Mutapa, which includes southern Zambia. Lusaka, the capital, mushroomed from the 1960s
16th Century - Arrival of peoples from Luba and Lunda empires of Zaire to set up small kingdoms. Late 18th Century - Portuguese explorers visit. 19th Century - Instability generated by migration as well as slave-trading by Portuguese and Arabs. 1851 - British missionary David Livingstone visits. Copper discovered 1889 - Britain establishes control over Northern Rhodesia, administering the area using a system of indirect rule which leaves power in the hands of local rulers. Late 1920s - Discovery of copper, which later encourages an influx of European technicians and administrators. Kenneth Kaunda: Independence leader and president until 1991 2005: Losing power - Kenneth Kaunda 1953 - Creation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, comprising Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (now Malawi). 1960 - UNIP (United National Independence Party) formed by Kenneth Kaunda to campaign for independence and dissolution of federation dominated by white-ruled Southern Rhodesia. 1963 - Federation dissolved. 1964 - Independence, with Kaunda as president. Late 1960s-1970s - Key enterprises nationalised. Private land nationalised in an unsuccessful agricultural improvement programme. 1972 - Zambia becomes a one-party state, with UNIP as the only legal party. Help for rebels 1975 - Tan-Zam railway opened, providing a link between the Copperbelt to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam, reducing Zambian dependence on Rhodesia and South Africa for its exports. 1976 - Zambia declares support for the independence struggle in Rhodesia. Zambian help proves crucial to the transition of Rhodesia to an independent Zimbabwe. 1990 - Food riots. 1991 - Multi-party constitution adopted. Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) wins elections and its leader, Frederick Chiluba, becomes president.
FREDERICK CHILUBA 1997 - Attempted coup. 1999 - A high court sentences 59 soldiers to death after they are found guilty of treason for the failed coup attempt in 1997. 2000 May - Fighting between Angolan forces and UNITA rebels spills over into Zambian territory. 2000 July - Environment Minister Ben Mwila expelled from the MMD and dropped from the cabinet after announcing his intention to run for president in 2001. 2000 December - UN officials estimate that up to 60,000 refugees fleeing fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo move to Zambia in less than a week. Chiluba trouble 2001 May - Setback for governing Movement for Multi-party Democracy as senior members hive off to create Forum for Democracy and Development. They're opposed to Chiluba's bid for a third term in office. 2001 July - Paul Tembo, former campaign manager for Chiluba who joined the opposition, is murdered shortly before he is due to testify against three ministers in a high-level corruption case. 2001 July - Zambia appeals for aid to feed some 2 million people after poor harvests caused by floods and drought. 2001 July - Final summit of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), launch of the African Union. 2002 January - Levy Mwanawasa is sworn in as president amid opposition protests over alleged fraud in December's presidential elections. 2002 July - Parliament votes to remove ex-president Frederick Chiluba's immunity from prosecution. 2002 October - Government says it will not accept genetically modified (GM) maize to help alleviate the severe food shortages facing three million people. 2003 February onwards - Former president Frederick Chiluba is arrested and charged with corruption. Subsequent long-running trials are dogged by adjournments and procedural problems. 2003 December - Supreme Court confirms death sentences on 44 soldiers for their role in 1997's failed coup; sentences are later commuted by President Mwanawasa. 2004 September - Many charges of corruption against former president Frederick Chiluba are dropped, but within hours he is re-arrested on six new charges. 2005 February - Supreme Court rejects opposition challenge to President Mwanawasa's 2001 election victory, but says ballot had flaws. Debt relief 2005 April - World Bank approves $3.8 billion debt relief package which will write off more than 50% of Zambia's debt. Around 50 workers killed in explosion at Chinese-owned explosives factory. Turnout was high in the 2006 presidential, parliamentary polls 2005 November - President Mwanawasa declares a national disaster and appeals for food aid. He says more than a million Zambians face food shortages owing to drought. 2006 April - President Mwanawasa suffers a minor stroke. He resumes "light duties" after some weeks and later declares himself fit to run for re-election towards the end of the year. 2006 September - President Mwanawasa wins a second term.
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TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE
Zambia has no plans to pursue a space program.
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