What Language Do They Speak in Zambia?
Facts last checked 9 October 2026.
The official language of Zambia is English. English is also an official language in 58 other countries worldwide.
Learn some English before you go
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Languages of Zambia at a glance
| Official language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of official languages | 1 |
| Countries on this site where English is official | 59 |
| People (demonym) | Zambian |
| Capital | Lusaka |
| Internet domain | .zm |
Other countries where English is official
English is also an official language in 58 other countries covered here:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Dominica
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Malawi
…and 34 more.
Languages of neighbouring countries
| Angola | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Botswana | Tswana, English |
| DR Congo | French, Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba |
| Malawi | Chewa, English |
| Mozambique | Portuguese |
| Namibia | Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga, Tswana |
| Tanzania | Swahili, English |
| Zimbabwe | Shona, Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language |
Zambia in context
- Zambia covers 752,612 km², making it the 38th largest of the 196 countries on this site.
- Its population density of about 26 people per km² ranks 160th of 196 (1st = most crowded).
- It shares a land border with 8 countries: Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.
- Zambia is landlocked, with no direct coastline.
- With 19,693,423 people, Zambia holds about 4.5% of the population of Eastern Africa.
- Traffic drives on the left, and calendars start the week on Monday.
- Zambia is a member state of the United Nations.
Compare Zambia
Languages in Zambia — FAQ
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language of Zambia is English.
How many official languages does Zambia have?
Zambia has 1 official language: English.
Is English spoken anywhere else?
English is also an official language in 58 other countries.
Travelling to Zambia?
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