Expat guide to life in Zambia, find other expats & news in English
 

Zambia

Zambia

Zambia offers tourists some of the world’s best safari tours and adventures in Africa, it’s also where you’ll find one of the world’s seven natural wonders – Victoria Falls. Zambia has a population of over 13million, all of which mostly live in or around the capital, Lusaka, the Copperbelt region or Livingstone which also happens to be the second largest city and one of the popular tourist hubs in country.



If you are willing to sacrifice your modern day luxuries in place of this beautiful country then you’ll be in for a treat. Healthcare in the country is poor as large portions of the population struggle below the poverty line, government education does not provide schooling to international standards on any level however there are a few international schools in Lusaka although these will be expensive. As well as schooling and healthcare, local diseases in more rural areas are very real but largely manageable and you will pretty much need to forget your imported foods and groceries in place of local food as there is a poor selection available. You will also need to adjust to the poor infrastructure as poverty is at large in the country and poorly maintained highways and roads – see also driving in Zambia Public Transport is available in and around the main cities and the capital Lusaka. English is widely spoken in Zambia and by the locals, in particular the major towns and cities, it’s also the language of choice for schooling and businesses.



If you are (or plan to be) an expat living in Zambia, please find below a list of expat clubs, schools, general links for women living in Zambia, country information and more...


Zambia

Expat Clubs


The Coffee Shop/ Art Gallery

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Coffee-Gallery-Lusaka/622234744480355

Address: 7352 Nangwenya Road. Rhodes Park Lusaka, Zambia

Telephone: +260 979 264 352



International Women’s Club of Lusaka

The International Women’s club of Lusaka is a charitable, non-political, non-sectarian and non-profit making association. We are proud to state that we have members of all nationalities from all continents of the world. As a group of spouses, we fundraise publicly throughout the year to be able to give back something into the disadvantaged society of Lusaka.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/639084859502001



Expatriate Association of Zambia

A group aimed at bringing expatriates together to help improve communication between them and other expatriates to help develop Zambia.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ExpatriateAssociationOfZambia



International Schools 


American International School of Lusaka

AISL is an independent, non-profit, parent-governed, co-educational day school (Early Childhood thru Gr. 12) that is accredited by two school accreditation organizations- the Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, AISL is authorized to deliver the Primary Years Program (ELC thru Gr. 5), the Middle Years Program (Gr. 6-10), and the Diploma Program (Gr. 11-12). As an accredited school, AISL also offers the AISL High School Diploma.

Address: 487 A/F/3 Leopards Hill Road, PO Box 320176, Lusaka.

Telephone: +260 211 260 508

Website: www.aislusaka.org



International School of Lusaka

The International School of Lusaka, founded in 1963, is one of the oldest international schools on the continent of Africa, and is currently the third largest such school in the Association of International Schools in Africa. There are over 700 students from over 60 different countries. The teaching staff consists of over 50 professional educators from 15 countries.

Address: 6945 Nangwenya Road, PO Box 50121, Ridgeway, Lusaka.

Telephone: +260 211 252 291

Website: www.islzambia.org/



Lusaka International Community School

Lusaka International Community School (LICS) is an international school situated in Roma, a quiet residential district in the Zambian capital. The school serves the local, as well as the international community seeking educational continuity with schools elsewhere in the world. LICS follows the CIE (University of Cambridge International Examinations) curriculum as its base and provides a requisite range and variety of subjects in academic disciplines, as well as co-curricular activities in cultural, creative and sporting areas.

Address: 242A Kakola Road, Roma, Lusaka

Telephone: +260 211 290 626

Website: www.lics.sch.zm/



The French School of Lusaka

The French School was established in 1980 on the initiative of French families living in Zambia and in conjunction with the French Embassy in Lusaka.

Address: Plot 22725 - Alick Nkhata Avenue, Longacres - PO Box 30948 – Lusaka

Telephone: +260 211 254 122

Website: www.ambafrance-zm.org/-The-French-School-of-Lusaka



The Italian School of Lusaka

At present there are twenty-six teaching staff, qualified and experienced in their particular fields. All staff teaching subjects in the IGCSE programme have accreditation from the Cambridge International Examinations Board.

Website: italianschool.sch.zm/



Local News in English


The Post

Zambia’s leading independent newspaper.

Website: www.postzambia.com/



Times of Zambia

Website: www.times.co.zm/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Timesofzambia



Lusaka Times

Local news for Lusaka.

Website: www.lusakatimes.com/



Country Information 


Location: Africa

Capital City: Lusaka

Other Important Cities: Victoria Falls

Currency: Zambian kwacha

Language: English

Calling Code: +260

Internet TLD: .zm

Electricity: 230V 50Hz

Emergency Numbers:

Emergency 999

Police 991

Ambulance 991 



Embassy Information


Embassy Information, this website has a full list of all the local embassies in Zambia...

http://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-in/zambia



Driving License


Most expats living in Zambia will own a vehicle which will likely be a 4x4 or off road car as the driving and road conditions in the country are not great. Many roads are unpaved, rugged terrain and can sometimes be unpassable especially during the rainy season. The larger cities are not so bad but adequate signage is often lacking. You’re advised not to drive at night due to the increased risk of collision with wild animals and to avoid criminal activity such as car-jacking.



Expats are advised to get an International Driving Permit (IDP), this entitles you to drive in Zambia for three months after that and if you become resident you will need to take a local driving test. Many executives and those expats who work for larger companies use a driver, this might take a lot of the hassle of driving and could be worth considering.



Public transport

In and around the capital, Lusaka public transport is generally accessible and fairly cheap, for getting around in the city this might be your best option. Bus and rail services run between the main towns and cities. Taxis are readily available in Lusaka, they can be hailed from the street or by pre booking although it’s worth remembering to negotiate a price for the journey before getting into the cab because they are not metered.