#countryoftheweek

I have to share something really interesting that I learned about Star Wars, but let me first explain how I got to that point:

Around 300 AD, Bantu groups began migrating to the area that is now Zambia (pushing out or assimilating with the proto-Khoisan people already living there.)  Bantu refers to ethnic groups that speak Bantu languages - one of which is Swahili.  These groups expanded throughout central and southern Africa.

While reading about the Bantu people (this demonstrates what a nerd I am), I kept thinking of banthas - the large mammoth-like creatures ridden by the Sand People of Tatooine.

The Star Wars bantha was played by a poor elephant wearing a fur costume with fake horns!  These scenes were filmed in Death Valley, California so the poor girl kept getting hot and pulling off her costume.  Banthas are not remotely related to the Bantu people, but I kept picturing deserty Tatooine and furry elephants while reading about Zambia. 

Zambia, however, is not entirely covered with sand - it is considered tropical!  Even though it is completely landlocked, Zambia is one of the most water-rich countries in Africa.  And the elephants roam free without fur or fake horns (and there is only one sun in the sky.)

BASIC FACTS

Until its independence from the United Kingdom in 1964, Zambia used to be known as Northern Rhodesia.  The name Zambia is derived from the Zambezi River, which flows through the western part of the country and forms its southern border with neighboring Zimbabwe

Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Texas

Flag description: green field with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag; green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red symbolizes the struggle for freedom, black the people of Zambia, and orange the country's mineral wealth; the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems

National symbol(s): African fish eagle; national colors: green, red, black, orange

Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)

Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower

Natural hazards: periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)

Geography - note: landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe; Lake Kariba on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border forms the world's largest reservoir by volume (180 cu km; 43 cu mi)

Ethnic groups: Bemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (north Western) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)

Languages: Bembe 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2%

note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family (2010 est.)

Religions: Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)

Population: 15,066,266

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 

12.37% (2014 est.) comparison to the world:  7

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 

1,150,400 (2014 est.) comparison to the world:  9

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 

18,900 (2014 est.) comparison to the world:  16

The 21st International AIDS Conference took place just last week in South Africa.  Much has been done to fight HIV and AIDS in the world, but as the numbers above indicate, there is still a lot of work to be done.

"The number of lives saved thanks to the HIV and AIDS response in this century is remarkable. But for the sake of the children and adolescents still affected, and for all future generations, we cannot mistake advancement for attainment. We must do more, and do it faster than ever. That's the only way to achieve an AIDS-free generation."  -- Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director

Clicking the button above will take you directly to UNICEF's website.  No money is handled through this website.

INTERESTING FACTS

The nearest ocean to Zambia is 600 miles away

Iron and Copper have been mined in Zambia for over 2000 years

Zambia is one of Africa's most urbanized countries, with over one third of Zambians live in urban areas; anything considered ‘rural’ is called ‘the bush’

One mushroom native to Zambia grows nearly a yard in diameter, making it the world's largest

Termite hills in Zambia often ‘grow’ to be as big as a cottage

Although the most famous stretches of River Zambezi are in Zambia and Zimbabwe, the river traverses a whopping six countries that include; Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique

The spray from the Victoria Falls makes the River Zambezi Rain Forest the only place that receives rainfall 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Ever heard of a moonbow?  Well, it is the rainbow formed by the reflection of moonlight on the water - at night, you will see the light from the moon forming a beautiful rainbow on the waters of the Victoria Waterfalls

During the months of September to December, thrill-seekers sit on the edge of the waterfalls at the naturally formed Devil's Swimming Pool (Seems way too thrilling to me)

The falls are one and a half times wider, and twice the height of the Niagara Falls

Measuring around 5,577 feet wide and between 262-304 feet high, the Victoria Falls are not the widest nor the tallest falls in the world, but by water volume they are the largest; it is estimated that roughly 600 million cubic liters of water hit the ground every minute