View source for Provinces of Zambia

{{short description|First-level administrative divisions}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name = Provinces of Zambia
| alt_name = 
| map = Zambia, administrative divisions - en - monochrome.svg
| category = [[Unitary state]]
| territory = [[Zambia]]
| start_date = {{start date|1964|10|24|df=y}}
| current_number = 10 Provinces
| number_date = 
| population_range = 872,146 ([[Western Province (Zambia)|Western Province]]) – 3,476,384 ([[Lusaka Province]])
| area_range = {{convert|21896|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} ([[Lusaka Province]]) – {{convert|126386|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} ([[Western Province (Zambia)|Western Province]])
| government = {{Plainlist|
*[[Government of Zambia|Central government]]
}}
| subdivision = [[Districts of Zambia|Districts]]; [[List of Zambian parliamentary constituencies|Constituencies]]
| Map caption = Map of Zambia showing its provinces (2020)
}}
{{Politics of Zambia}}
[[Zambia]] is divided into ten provinces.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cabinet.gov.zm/?page_id=2029|title=Provinces of Zambia - Government of Zambia|date=2023-09-01|work=Government of Zambia|access-date=2024-09-02}}</ref> The provinces are further subdivided into districts. The Provincial Administration is headed by a Provincial Minister, who is appointed by the President, and is responsible for overseeing the implementation of government policies and coordinating the activities of various government departments within the province. The Provincial Minister is supported by a Provincial Permanent Secretary, who handles the day-to-day administration. Each province has a Provincial Development Coordinating Committee (PDCC) that plays a key role in development planning and coordinating projects within the province.

The current provinces were established following Zambia's independence in 1964, although their borders and functions have evolved over time to support the country’s decentralization efforts.

==List of provinces==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
! style="background:navajowhite;"|Province<ref name="statoids">{{cite web|url=http://www.statoids.com/uzm.html|title=Zambia Provinces|author=Gwillim Law|access-date=18 June 2015}} (Population figures are from the census of 2022).</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"|Capital
! style="background:navajowhite;"|Area (km<sup>2</sup>)<ref name=":02">[https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/@africa/@ro-abidjan/@ilo-lusaka/documents/genericdocument/wcms_888660.pdf 2022 Census of Population and Housing - Preliminary Report] (PDF)</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"|Population (2022)<ref name=":02" />
! style="background:navajowhite;"|Density<br/>(people/km<sup>2</sup>)<ref name=":02" />
! style="background:navajowhite;"|Districts
! style="background:navajowhite;"|Map
|-
| [[Central Province, Zambia|Central]]{{efn|name=fn1|Lusaka province was split from Central province in 1973. Initially Lusaka province was only 360 km2, but by 1988 it had been enlarged to its present size.}}|| [[Kabwe]] ||style="text-align:right"| 94,394 || style="text-align:right" | 2,252,483 || style="text-align:right" | 23.9 || style="text-align:right" | 11
|[[File:Central in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-
| [[Copperbelt Province|Copperbelt]]{{efn|name=fn2|The Copperbelt province was known as Western Province until 1969. At the same time the name of the [[Barotseland]] province was changed to Western province.}}|| [[Ndola]] ||style="text-align:right"| 31,328 ||style="text-align:right"| 2,757,539 || style="text-align:right" | 88 || style="text-align:right" | 10
|[[File:Copperbelt in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-
| [[Eastern Province, Zambia|Eastern]] || [[Chipata]] ||style="text-align:right"| 51,476 || style="text-align:right" | 2,454,788 || style="text-align:right" | 35.6 || style="text-align:right" | 15
|[[File:Eastern in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-
| [[Luapula Province|Luapula]] || [[Mansa, Zambia|Mansa]] ||style="text-align:right"| 50,567 ||style="text-align:right"| 1,514,011 || style="text-align:right" | 29.9 || style="text-align:right" | 12
|[[File:Luapula in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-
| [[Lusaka Province|Lusaka]]{{efn|name=fn1}}|| [[Lusaka]] ||style="text-align:right"| 21,896 || style="text-align:right" | 3,079,964 || style="text-align:right" | 140.1 || style="text-align:right" | 6
|[[File:Lusaka in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-
| [[Muchinga Province|Muchinga]]{{Efn|name=fn3|Created in November 2011, consisting of 5 districts from Northern Province and one from Eastern.}}|| [[Chinsali]]<ref>[http://www.mlgh.gov.zm/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73:zambias-10th-provincemuchinga&catid=1:latest&Itemid=60 ''Zambia's 10th Province, Muchinga'', Ministry of Local Government and Housing, Zambia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118034156/http://www.mlgh.gov.zm/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73:zambias-10th-provincemuchinga&catid=1:latest&Itemid=60 |date=2014-01-18 }}</ref> ||style="text-align:right"| 87,806 || style="text-align:right" | 918,296 || style="text-align:right" | 13.1 || style="text-align:right" | 8
|[[File:Muchinga in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-
| [[Northern Province, Zambia|Northern]]|| [[Kasama, Zambia|Kasama]]|| style="text-align:right" | 77,650 || style="text-align:right" | 1,618,412 || style="text-align:right" | 20.8 || style="text-align:right" | 12
|[[File:Northern in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-
| [[North-Western Province, Zambia|North-Western]]|| [[Solwezi]]|| style="text-align:right" | 125,826 || style="text-align:right" | 1,270,028 || style="text-align:right" | 10.1 || style="text-align:right" | 11
|[[File:North-Western in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-
| [[Southern Province, Zambia|Southern]] || [[Choma, Zambia|Choma]] || style="text-align:right"| 85,283 || style="text-align:right" | 2,381,728 || style="text-align:right" | 27.7 || style="text-align:right" | 15
|[[File:Southern in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-
| [[Western Province, Zambia|Western]]{{efn|name=fn2}}|| [[Mongu]] ||style="text-align:right"| 126,386 ||style="text-align:right"| 1,363,520 || style="text-align:right" | 10.8 || style="text-align:right" | 16
|[[File:Western in Zambia.svg|thumb|center|120px]]
|-class="sortbottom"
| '''Zambia''' || '''Lusaka''' ||style="text-align:right"| '''752,612''' ||style="text-align:right"| '''19,610,769''' ||style="text-align:right"| '''26.1''' ||style="text-align:right"| '''116''' ||
|}


==Administration==
The '''provincial government''' in Zambia is primarily established for administrative purposes. Each province is headed by a [[Provincial minister (Zambia)|Provincial Minister]] appointed by the [[President of Zambia|President]], who oversees the implementation of national policies and government programs at the provincial level. The administrative head of each province is the '''Provincial Permanent Secretary''', also appointed by the President, who is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the province. Supporting the Permanent Secretary are the '''Deputy Permanent Secretary''', heads of government departments, and other civil servants at the provincial level.

Provinces are further divided into [[Districts of Zambia|districts]], with 116 districts across the 10 provinces. Each district (except for Mafinga and Kanchibiya) shares its name with its headquarters. Within each district, there is a council headed by an elected representative known as a '''Councilor'''. Councilors hold office for five years and play a key role in local governance.

The '''administrative staff''' of the council is selected by the [[Local Government Service Commission]], either from within or outside the district. The office of the provincial government is located in each district headquarters and includes provincial local government officers and auditors.

Each council is responsible for raising and collecting local taxes. These funds are crucial for the council's operations, which include maintaining infrastructure and delivering services. The council's budget is audited annually and submitted to the central government for review. Councilors do not receive salaries but are compensated with allowances funded by the council.

Zambia’s provinces are predominantly rural, with only five city councils, namely [[Lusaka District|Lusaka]], [[Ndola District|Ndola]], [[Kitwe District|Kitwe]], [[Livingstone, Zambia|Livingstone]] and [[Chipata District|Chipata]]. The Zambian government has outlined 63 different functions for the councils, focusing mainly on infrastructure management and local administration. These functions include maintaining community centers, parks, drainage systems, playgrounds, cemeteries, libraries, museums, and art galleries.

In addition to these responsibilities, councils collaborate with specific government departments to support agriculture, natural resource conservation, postal services, and the establishment and maintenance of hospitals, schools, and colleges. The councils also prepare schemes to encourage community participation and development at the local level.<ref>{{cite report|title=Zambia Public Administration Country Profile|url=http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan023293.pdf|page=7|publisher=Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM), Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations|year=2004 |access-date=16 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|title=The local government system in Zambia|url=http://www.clgf.org.uk/default/assets/File/Country_profiles/Zambia.pdf|publisher=Commonwealth Local Government Forum|pages=218–220|access-date=16 October 2016}}</ref>

==Primary data==
Western Province is the largest in terms of area, having 126,386&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, while Lusaka Province was the smallest with 21,896&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. In terms of population, Lusaka District is the most populated and most densely populated with a population of 2,204,059 and density of 140 persons per km<sup>2</sup> as of the [[2022 Zambian census]]. As of 2010, Western Province had the highest sex ratio of 108 females for every 100 males, while Copperbelt had the lowest of 101. Northern had the highest number of basic schools, while Copperbelt had the highest number of high schools. The unemployment rate of youth (55%) and general unemployment rate (32%) was the highest in Copperbelt province, while Eastern had the lowest unemployment rate of 6 per cent. AIDS death was maximum in Copperbelt with 26,799 recorded deaths in 2010, while it was lowest in North-Western with 2,859 recorded deaths. Lusaka Province had the most doctors and fewest malaria related incidents, while North-Western has the lowest number of doctors.<ref name=H1/><ref name=H2/><ref name=H11/><ref name=H4/><ref name=H5/><ref name=H6/><ref name=H7/><ref name=H8/><ref name=H9/><ref name=H10/>

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Primary data of Zambia Provinces
|-
! style="background:navajowhite;"| Parameter
! style="background:navajowhite;"| Year
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Central Province, Zambia|Central]]<ref name=H1>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of Central Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/central|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Copperbelt Province, Zambia|Copperbelt]]<ref name=H5>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of Copperbelt Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/copperbelt|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Eastern Province, Zambia|Eastern]]<ref name=H9>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of Eastern Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/eastern|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Luapula Province, Zambia|Luapula]]<ref name=H2>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of Lauapula Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/luapula|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Lusaka Province|Lusaka]]<ref name=H6>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of Lusaka Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/lusaka|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Muchinga Province]]<ref name=H11>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of Muchinga Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/muchinga|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Northern Province, Zambia|Northern]]<ref name=H10>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of Northern Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/northern|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[North-Western Province, Zambia|North-Western]]<ref name=H7>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of North-Western Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/north-western|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Southern Province, Zambia|Southern]]<ref name=H4>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of Southern Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/southern|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Western Province, Zambia|Western]]<ref name=H8>{{cite web|title=Primary Data of Western Province|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/apps/atlas/western|year=2011|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=Zambia data portal, Central statistical Office of Zambia}}</ref>
|-
|Capital ||||Kabwe ||Ndola ||Chipata ||Mansa ||Lusaka||Chinsali||Kasama||Solwezi||Choma||Mongu
|-
|[[List of ministers of Zambian provinces|Provincial Minister]]|| 2022||Hon. [[Mwabashike Nkulukusa]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Provincial Ministers {{!}} National Assembly of Zambia |url=https://www.parliament.gov.zm/ministers/provincial |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=www.parliament.gov.zm}}</ref>||Hon. [[Elisha Matambo]]<ref name=":0" />||Hon. [[Peter Phiri (politician, born 1974)|Peter Phiri]]<ref name=":0" />||Hon. Njavwa Simutowe<ref name=":0" />||Hon. [[Sheal Mulyata]]<ref name=":0" />||Hon. [[Henry Sikazwe]]<ref name=":0" />||Hon. [[Leonard Mbao]]<ref name=":0" />||Hon. [[Robert Lihefu]]<ref name=":0" />||Hon. [[Credo Nanjuwa]]<ref name=":0" />||Hon. [[Kapelwa Mbangweta]]<ref name=":0" />
|-
|Land area, km<sup>2<ref name=":02" /></sup> ||||94,394 ||31,328 ||51,476 ||50,567 ||21,896||87,806||77,650||125,826||85,283||126,386
|-
|Population, persons ||2022<ref name=":02" />||2,252,483 ||2,757,539 ||2,454,788 ||1,514,011 ||3,079,964||918,296||1,618,412||1,270,028||2,381,728||1,363,520
|-
|Population density, people per km<sup>2</sup> ||2022<ref name=":02" />||24 ||88 ||36 ||30 ||140||13||21||10||28||11
|-
|Sex Ratio (females per 100 males) ||2010||102 ||101 ||103 ||103 ||102||103||102||103||104||108
|-
|Basic Schools ||2004||653 ||856 ||861 ||527 ||502||No data||1,208||536||995||648
|-
|High Schools ||2004||28 ||71 ||41 ||20 ||39||No data||26||23||45||26
|-
|Out of School Children Aged 7–15 ||2004||33,081 ||14,332 ||132,728 ||58,887 ||90,620||No data||22,348||26,834||30,390||36,984
|-
|Unemployment rate (%) ||2008||9 ||32 ||6 ||6 ||31||No data||7||14||7||10
|-
|Unemployment rate, Youth (%) ||2008||18 ||55 ||12 ||14 ||52||No data||012||31||6||18
|-
|Doctors ||2005||035||213 ||36 ||30 ||231||No data||40||25||50||46
|-
|Malaria Incidence rate per 1,000 population ||2005||331 ||377 ||447 ||407 ||313||No data||331||439||344||430
|-
|AIDS Deaths ||2010||9,016 ||26,799 ||9,338 ||5,209 ||15,429||No data||6,958||2,859||12,403||6,044
|}

==Economy==
Agriculture is the major profession in most of the provinces in Zambia. Maize, mixed beans, rice, sorghum, soya beans, sunflower, sweet potatoes and wheat are the major crops in the provinces. Among all provinces, Central had the maximum area, {{convert|391593.23|ha|acre|abbr=on}}, constituting 20.64 per cent of the total, while Luapula had the smallest area at 3.06 per cent. Maize production was maximum in Eastern (22.5%), mixed beans (51.66%) in Northern, sorghum in Southern (40.62%), sunflower in Eastern (70.2%), soya beans (45.06%), sweet potatoes (28.5%) and wheat (49.51%) in Central Province.<ref name=agri>{{cite web|title=Agriculture statistics of Zambia 2014|url=http://zambia.opendataforafrica.org/ZMAGRISTAT2016/agriculture-statistics-of-zambia-2014|publisher=Central Statistical Office of Zambia|year=2016|access-date=17 October 2016}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Agriculture data of Zambia Provinces in 2014<ref name=agri/>
|-
! style="background:navajowhite;"| Paramaeter
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Central Province, Zambia|Central]]
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Copperbelt Province, Zambia|Copperbelt]]
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Eastern Province, Zambia|Eastern]]
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Luapula Province, Zambia|Luapula]]
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Lusaka Province|Lusaka]]
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Muchinga Province]]
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Northern Province, Zambia|Northern]]
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[North-Western Province, Zambia|North-Western]]
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Southern Province, Zambia|Southern]]
! style="background:navajowhite;"| [[Western Province, Zambia|Western]]
|-
|Area Planted (HA) ||391,593.23 ||122,525.52 ||387,273.09 ||57,966.31 ||82,603.72
||112,345.23||191,104.56||79,528.80||360,160.32||112,153.47
|-
|Maize Production||723,760.85||235,415.71||745,580.30||131,746.91||148,290.62 ||244,978.50||283,755.88||160,866.33||597,999.41||78,276.86
|-
|Mixed Beans Production ||5,316.43 ||1,213.88 ||2,794.77 ||4,130.48 ||673.80 ||9,277.33||31,898.08||4,446.71||1,685.30||312.13
|-
|Rice Production ||017.85 ||004.24 ||900.37 ||2,254.43 ||036.53 ||6,928.63||18,169.24||445.61||021.22||20,861.51
|-
|Sorghum Production ||452.85 ||587.45 ||200.49 ||105.83 ||320.21 ||3,118.55||283.55||1,038.13||4,694.90||755.44
|-
|Soya Beans Production ||96,518.03 ||37,609.86 ||17,534.11 ||430.00 ||32,237.44 ||2,245.70||4,742.11||579.67||22,203.88||077.92
|-
|Sun Flower Production ||2,872.09 ||028.67 ||24,053.17 ||005.58 ||049.21 ||432.17||764.17||014.86||6,042.08||001.66
|-
|Sweet Potatoes Production ||42,787.85 ||11,603.63 ||7,842.74 ||11,356.02 ||4,689.72 ||18,151.34||11,636.01||8,200.76||31,048.67||2,841.24
|-
|Wheat Production ||99,758.27 ||28,690.00 ||120.00 ||000.00 ||48,509.73 ||000.00||000.00||000.00||24,426.13||000.00
|-
|Grand Total ||'''971,484.23''' ||'''315,153.44''' ||'''799,025.94''' ||'''150,029.26''' ||'''234,807.26''' ||'''285,132.23'''||'''351,249.04'''||'''175,592.09'''||'''688,121.60'''||'''103,126.75'''
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Maize Production 2022/2023 Trade Year<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 July 2023 |title=Zambia Maintains its Status as a Net Exporter of Corn |url=https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?fileName=Zambia%20Maintains%20its%20Status%20as%20a%20Net%20Exporter%20of%20Corn%20_Pretoria_Zambia_ZA2023-0001.pdf |access-date=28 August 2023 |website=apps.fas.usda.gov}}</ref>
!
!Central
!Copperbelt
!Eastern
!Luapula
!Lusaka
!Muchinga
!Northern
!North-Western
!Southern
!Western
!Total
|-
|Area Harvested
|266,864
|109,399
|272,019
|67,117
|66,765
|84,533
|152,028
|77,014
|235,349
|87,282
|'''1,418,370'''
|-
|Production (MT)
|681,913
|317,771
|544,303
|174,106
|138,395
|258,318
|376,133
|225,296
|448,479
|96,971
|'''3,261,685'''
|-
|Percentage Contribution
|21%
|10%
|17%
|5%
|4%
|8%
|12%
|7%
|14%
|3%
|'''100%'''
|-
|Yield (MT/Ha)
|2.6
|2.9
|2.0
|2.6
|2.1
|3.0
|2.5
|2.9
|1.9
|1.1
|'''2.3'''
|}

== Human development ==
This is a list of 9 provinces by [[Human Development Index]] as of 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/|title=Sub-national HDI – Area Database – Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="3" style="color:#fc0;" |Medium Human Development
|-
!Rank
!Province
!2017 HDI
|-
|1
|[[Lusaka Province|Lusaka]]
|0.672
|-
|2
|[[Copperbelt Province|Copperbelt]]
|0.670
|-
|3
|[[Southern Province, Zambia|Southern]]
|0.590
|-
|<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|{{ZMB}} (average)
|'''0.589'''
|-
|4
|[[Central Province, Zambia|Central]]
|0.572
|-
|5
|[[North-Western Province, Zambia|North-Western]]
|0.564
|-
! colspan="3" style="color:#900;" |Low Human Development
|-
|6
|[[Northern Province, Zambia|Northern]]
|0.538
|-
|7
|[[Western Province, Zambia|Western]]
|0.531
|-
|8
|[[Luapula Province, Zambia|Luapula]]
|0.528
|-
|9
|[[Eastern Province, Zambia|Eastern]] 
|0.507
|}

==See also==
*[[Districts of Zambia]]
*[[Subdivisions of Zambia]]
*[[Bibliography of the history of Zambia]]
*[[ISO 3166-2:ZM]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Districts of Zambia}}
{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of African countries}}

[[Category:Provinces of Zambia| ]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of Zambia]]
[[Category:Lists of administrative divisions|Zambia, Provinces]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in Africa|Zambia 1]]
[[Category:First-level administrative divisions by country|Provinces, Zambia]]
[[Category:Zambia geography-related lists]]