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Quick facts on Zambia

Zambia's Coat of Arms

·  Official Name: The Republic of Zambia

·  Size: 752,618 sq km. or 290,586 sq m.

·  Population: 9,100,000 - 12 per sq km

·  Largest cities:

• Lusaka
• Kitwe
• Ndola

·  Monetary unit: Kwacha - Ngwee

·  Languages: English and 73 indigenous languages.

RUPIAH BANDA

VICE PRESIDENT: 2006  -  present

Rupiah Bwezani Banda, a celebrated Zambian diplomat and politician, was born on February 13, 1937 in Gwenda, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).

He married Hope Mwansa Makulu in 1966 and two have five sons. He was educated at Munali Secondary School, University of Ethiopia, Lund University in Sweden, Wolfson College and Cambridge.

From 1960 to 1964 he was UNIP's representative in Europe and was named Ambassador to the United Arab Republic in 1965, serving until 1967 when he was moved to USA to serve as Zambia's Ambassador there for two years.

From 1970-74, Banda was the Executive Chairman of Rural Development Corporation and served as General Manager of National Marketing Board of Zambia. From 1974-75 he was Zambia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations where he also chaired the U. N. Council on Namibia.

He returned to Zambia to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1975-1976. He also was chairman of the board for several corporations, among them Chipoza Holdings, Robert Hudson Ltd, Allenwest and Chiparamba Enterprises. He also served as M.P. for Munali for many years.

In September 2006, Banda was named Vice President, replacing Lupando Mwape who lost his bid for a Parliamentary seat.

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