Africa
Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries - History
Although the first signs of life in the area belong to the early Stone Age period, followed by hunter-gatherer Bushman tribes and then those who started to farm and keep domestic animals, it is from the 17th Century that the country's history becomes better known. Swahili-Arab slave traders ventured in from their bases on the coast to find slaves for the hungry markets in Zanzibar, whilst the Portuguese came in search of gold, ivory and copper and the British, including a certain David Livingstone, came to explore and in search of religious converts.
The 19th Century saw the rise in power of Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company which controlled the area and secured much of the mineral rights in modern-day Zambia. In 1924, the British took administrative control of Northern Rhodesia from the British South Africa Company and just a few years later the discovery of rich copper deposits brought the area to the world's attention. The European settlers soon became fed up with the wealth being syphoned off by the administration in London and pushed for independence through a Central African Federation. This was duly formed, but failed to make any real progress; meanwhile huge numbers of unskilled workers were drafted in to the mines and paid little with tough working conditions. This led to the inevitable uprise in nationalism and during the 1950's the United National Independence Party (UNIP) was formed under the leadership of Kenneth Kaunda who continuously spoke out against the Federation during the 1950's & early 1960's.
In 1963 the Federation was dissolved and in October 1964 Zambia gained independence, elections were held and Kenneth Kaunda was unanimously voted in as the country's first president. The bulk of the country's wealth was dependent on its copper production and when the price collapsed in the 1970's the country's economy suffered and has remained in the doldrums ever since. In 1991 Frederick Chiluba was elected as the new president and has spent the last decade attempting to rejuvenate the economy. Zambia is now one of the most exciting safari destinations in Africa with some of the most pristine natural environments and most dazzling wildlife populations on the continent.
