ZAMBIA

Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia (Tonga: Cisi ca Zambia; Nyanja: Dziko la Zambia) is a landlocked country in Southern-Central Africa (although some sources consider it part of East Africa). Its neighbours are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique to the southeast, Zimbabwe and Botswana to the south, Namibia to the southwest, and Angola to the west. The capital city is Lusaka, located in the south-central part of Zambia. The population is concentrated mainly around Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt Province to the northwest, the core economic hubs of the country. Originally inhabited by Khoisan peoples, the region was affected by the Bantu expansion of the thirteenth century. Following European explorers in the eighteenth century, the British colonised the region into the British protectorates of Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia towards the end of the nineteenth century. These were merged in 1911 to form Northern Rhodesia. For most of the colonial period, Zambia was governed by an administration appointed from London with the advice of the British South Africa Company. On 24 October 1964, Zambia became independent of the United Kingdom and prime minister Kenneth Kaunda became the inaugural president. Kaunda's socialist United National Independence Party (UNIP) maintained power from 1964 until 1991.

The territory of what is now Zambia was known as Northern Rhodesia from 1911. It was renamed Zambia at independence in 1964. The new name of Zambia was derived from the Zambezi river (Zambezi may mean "Grand River"). In 1953, the creation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland grouped together Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now Malawi) as a single semi-autonomous region. This was undertaken despite opposition from a sizeable minority of the population, who demonstrated against it in 1960–61.

Two of the Zambezi's longest and largest tributaries, the Kafue and the Luangwa, flow mainly in Zambia. Their confluences with the Zambezi are on the border with Zimbabwe at Chirundu and Luangwa town respectively. Before its confluence, the Luangwa River forms part of Zambia's border with Mozambique. From Luangwa town, the Zambezi leaves Zambia and flows into Mozambique, and eventually into the Mozambique Channel.  The Zambezi falls about 100 metres (328 ft) over the 1.6 km (0.99 mi) wide Victoria Falls, located in the south-west corner of the country, subsequently flowing into Lake Kariba. The Zambezi valley, running along the southern border, is both deep and wide. From Lake Kariba going east it is formed by grabens and like the Luangwa, Mweru-Luapula, Mweru-wa-Ntipa and Lake Tanganyika valleys, is a rift valley. Zambia has approximately 12,505 identified species—63% animal species, 33% plant species and 4% bacterial and microorganism species.

There are an estimated 3,543 species of wild flowering plants, consisting of sedges, herbaceous plants and woody plants . The Northern and North-Western parts of the country especially have the highest diversity of flowering plants.  A total of 242 mammalian species exist, with most endemic ones occupying the woodland and grassland ecosystems. The Rhodesian giraffe and Kafue Lechwe are some of the well-known subspecies that are endemic to Zambia. An estimated 757 bird species are known to exist, of which 600 are either resident or Afrotropic migrants; 470 breed in the country; and 100 are non-breeding migrants. The Zambian barbet is a well-known species endemic to Zambia. Roughly 490 known fish species, belonging to 24 fish families have been reported in Zambia, with Lake Tanganyika having the highest number of diverse and endemic species. 

The official language of Zambia is English, which is used for official business and instruction in schools. The main local language, especially in Lusaka, is Nyanja (Chewa), followed by Bemba. In the Copperbelt Bemba is the main language and Nyanja second. Bemba and Nyanja are spoken in the urban areas in addition to other indigenous languages which are commonly spoken in Zambia. These include Lozi, Kaonde, Tonga, Lunda and Luvale, which feature on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC)'s local languages section. The total number of languages spoken in Zambia is 73.

In the 1890s, mail from North-Western Rhodesia was carried by runner to Bulawayo, while North-Eastern Rhodesia mail went via British Central Africa until 1895. Stamps were issued by the British South Africa Company in 1890 for use in territories administered by the company. From 1909, stamps were inscribed "Rhodesia" in addition to the company's name. On 1 April 1925, Northern Rhodesia issued its first stamps. Inscribed "NORTHERN RHODESIA", the seventeen values all depicted a wilderness scene with elephants and a giraffe, surmounted by a profile of King George V. The same design was adapted for King George VI in 1938. Northern Rhodesia's first commemorative stamps were a set of five on 30 May 1953, marking the birth centennial of Cecil Rhodes, along with another stamp issued on the same day for the Rhodes Centenary Exhibition. As Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom was already on the throne, the stamps included her profile, even though the official coronation stamp did not come out until 2 June. This was followed in September by a definitive series using the same design as before, with the monarch's profile updated once again. Only a few months later, these stamps were withdrawn, and stamps of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland issued in their place.

Northern Rhodesia used the Federation's stamps from 1954 until it was dissolved in 1963. For an interim period, the stamps of Northern Rhodesia were valid for postage in all three territories: Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia & Nyasaland. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation (CAF), was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963. The state included the former self-governing (since 1923) Colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland. The Federation officially ended on 31 December 1963, when Northern Rhodesia gained independence from the United Kingdom as the new nation of Zambia and Nyasaland gained independence as the new nation of Malawi. Southern Rhodesia then became known as Rhodesia and is now Zimbabwe. The Federation issued its first postage stamps in 1954, all with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in three kinds of designs, and inscribed "RHODESIA & NYASALAND". The first to appear were 15 values from a halfpenny to £1 on 1 July.

This definitive series was withdrawn on 23 October 1964 when Northern Rhodesia achieved independence and became the Republic of Zambia. The first stamps of independent Zambia were issued on 24 October 1964.

I received three airmail covers from Zambia, which is prepared by me and sent by  Deo, while he visited there. The postmark is very perfect and it is done by Deo on special request to the Zampost Staff. Actually I prepared these covers for making Registered letters, but the postal staff has strange and meaningless rules, that they will not postmark or even accept the covers with stamps for sending as registered mail. Deo requested that no need to consider the affixed stamps , will pay again, still they were adamant and refused the service. Finally Deo sent these covers are normal mail. I wrote them an angry letter regarding this issue, they always speak about stamp business, but not ready to do a perfect service to the collectors.So I decided that no more future plan with Zambia either buying stamps or making covers. I removed the UPU barcode label from the non stamped registered mail and affixed on my cover with stamps.

This is my first cover from Zambia, arranged by my good friend Holger. The cover posted on Nov 13, 2014 and It received on December 05, 2014.