The Zambia Atlas
The national picture, on one map.
Ten provinces, four decades of context, one click deep. Switch the lens between drought impact, rainfall, production and modelled risk. Every number is traceable to its source through the open API.
Click a province · boundaries: geoBoundaries (CC-BY) · official + compiled data, sources on every endpoint
Southern
AEZ I/IIaChoma · 85,283 km² · 2.4M people
- 2024 maize area lost
- 89.4%
- Maize planted (IAS)
- 455,970 ha
- Maize produced
- 25,946 t
- Yield on planted
- 0.06 t/ha
- Rainfall 2023/24
- 55% of normal
- Rainfall 2024/25
- 105% of normal
Lixisols, Luvisols, Vertisols (Kafue flats) · pH 5.2-7
Historic maize/cattle belt, fertile but the most drought-exposed province
National maize production, 2000-2025
tonnes · ZamStats CFS / FAOSTAT · drought years in red
2023/24 maize: planted vs harvested area
hectares, small & medium farms · IAS 2024 (official), the gap is the drought
Staple prices through the crisis
ZMW · indicative national averages · maize grain (50kg) & breakfast meal (25kg)
Key agricultural districts
44 main production districts · 2024 drought severity classification
| District | Province | AEZ | Key crops | 2024 drought |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choma | southern | IIa | maize, cattle | extreme |
| Monze | southern | IIa | maize, cattle | extreme |
| Kalomo | southern | IIa | maize, tobacco | extreme |
| Mazabuka | southern | IIa | sugarcane, maize | severe |
| Gwembe | southern | I | sorghum, goats | extreme |
| Sinazongwe | southern | I | sorghum, fisheries | extreme |
| Namwala | southern | IIa | cattle, maize | severe |
| Mongu | western | IIb | rice, cattle | extreme |
| Senanga | western | IIb | rice, cassava | extreme |
| Kaoma | western | IIb | maize, cashew | severe |
| Sesheke | western | I | cattle, maize | extreme |
| Mumbwa | central | IIa | maize, cotton, soybeans | severe |
| Mkushi | central | IIa | maize, wheat, soybeans | high |
| Chibombo | central | IIa | maize, vegetables | severe |
| Kabwe | central | IIa | maize, horticulture | severe |
| Serenje | central | III | maize, beans | moderate |
| Chongwe | lusaka | IIa | maize, horticulture | severe |
| Kafue | lusaka | IIa | maize, fisheries | severe |
| Luangwa | lusaka | I | sorghum, fisheries | extreme |
| Rufunsa | lusaka | I | maize, goats | severe |
| Chipata | eastern | IIa | maize, groundnuts, cotton | high |
| Petauke | eastern | IIa | maize, cotton, sunflower | high |
| Katete | eastern | IIa | maize, groundnuts | high |
| Lundazi | eastern | IIa | maize, tobacco | moderate |
| Nyimba | eastern | I | cotton, sorghum | severe |
| Ndola | copperbelt | III | vegetables, poultry | high |
| Chingola | copperbelt | III | maize, vegetables | high |
| Mpongwe | copperbelt | III | maize, wheat, soybeans | moderate |
| Masaiti | copperbelt | III | maize, cassava | high |
| Solwezi | north western | III | maize, beans | moderate |
| Kasempa | north western | III | maize, cassava | moderate |
| Mwinilunga | north western | III | pineapple, cassava | low |
| Zambezi | north western | IIb | cassava, rice | moderate |
| Chinsali | muchinga | III | maize, beans | moderate |
| Mpika | muchinga | III | maize, cassava | moderate |
| Isoka | muchinga | III | maize, coffee | low |
| Nakonde | muchinga | III | maize, beans | low |
| Kasama | northern | III | cassava, beans, rice | low |
| Mbala | northern | III | maize, beans, coffee | low |
| Luwingu | northern | III | cassava, millet | low |
| Mansa | luapula | III | cassava, maize | low |
| Samfya | luapula | III | fisheries, cassava, rice | low |
| Kawambwa | luapula | III | cassava, palm oil | low |
| Nchelenge | luapula | III | fisheries, cassava | low |