A Timeline of Zambia

By Tim Lambert

Early Zambia

1st Century AD Bushmen live in Zambia

4th Century AD Bantu speaking immigrants arrive in Zambia

12 Century The Iron Age Luanga culture exists in Zambia

1500 Organised kingdoms arise in Zambia

1851 David Livingstone is the first European to reach Zambia

1889 Cecil Rhodes sets up the South African Company

1891 Cecil Rhodes makes treaties with Zambian tribes

1898 The British take control of all of Zambia

1905 Livingstone is founded. Lusaka is founded.

1925 A legislative council if formed in Zambia

1935 Urban advisory councils are formed

1936 Kitwe is founded as a copper mining center

1939 Zambia is the world’s main source of copper

1948 African miners form a union. For the first time Africans are appointed to the legislative council.

1949 African railwaymen form a union. The African National Congress is formed.

1953 Zambia is made to form a federation with Malawi and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)

1955-59 The Kariba dam is built

1958 Zambia is given a new constitution

1961 Kenneth Kaunda becomes head of the National Independence Party

Independent Zambia

1964 Zambia becomes independent

1967 Kenneth Kaunda declares a policy of ‘humanism’

1972 Kaunda bans opposition parties in Zambia

1974 A railway opens from Zambia to Tanzania

1985 As the Zambian economy flounders the IMF demands cuts

1990 Kaunda’s mishandling of the economy provokes riots in Zambia

1991 Kaunda is forced to hold elections. Frederick Chiluba wins the presidential election and abandons Kuanda’s failed policies

1994 Privatization begins

2005 The Zambian economy begins to grow reasonably strongly