What is the capital of Zambia?
Lusaka sits on the southern part of Zambia's central plateau at about 1,279 metres above sea level, at the meeting point of the country's four main highways.
Lusaka is the capital and seat of government of Zambia. Zambia itself has an estimated population of 21,913,874 (2025).
Lusaka is also the largest city in Zambia, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Lusaka at a glance
| City population | 2,204,059 (2022 census) |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | loo-SAH-kə |
| Country | 🇿🇲 Zambia |
| Founded | 1905 |
| Largest city in Zambia | Lusaka |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (CAT) |
| Currency | Zambian kwacha (ZMW) |
About Lusaka
The settlement was established in 1905 and was granted city status on 25 August 1960.
There is evidence of settlement in the area from the 6th century AD, and the first known settlement dates from the 11th century, when the area was home to the Lenje people.
Lusaka is the centre of both commerce and government in Zambia, and one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa.
English is the official language of the city administration, while Bemba, Tonga and Chichewa are the languages spoken on the street.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Lusaka.
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Zambia on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.