Moving to Zambia

Expats moving to Zambia with the right attitude are in for a real treat. Zambia is a beautiful country with varied wildlife and abundant natural wonders including the magnificent Victoria Falls and Zambezi River. The country is relatively sparsely populated and most of the country’s 11 million people live either in Lusaka, the capital, or Livingstone, the second largest city.

 

However those who are unwilling to give up some of their modern luxuries and indeed necessities, such as regular and fast internet and even electricity at times, should find somewhere else to live. Government schooling is generally not up to international standards, though expensive private schools are an option. Bad roads, poverty, limited selection of goods, poor healthcare, and local diseases all present manageable but real challenges to the Zambia expat.

 

Large portions of the population still struggle below the poverty line, and while the Zambian government is attempting to diversify its economy, most of its income is generated through copper mining and tourism. As a result, few expats move to Zambia for casual or services based work, with most having been placed by international companies and organisations. Nonetheless white English speakers of mostly British, Indian and South African origin number about 120 000 people. English is also the lingua franca of business and schooling, and most Zambians will demonstrate at least a smattering of the language.