IX.  Business Customs

 Business law in Zambia is based mostly on British law and
 business customs are similar to those in the U.S. and Europe.


 Travel Advisory and Visas

 Political or civil unrest is extremely rare in Zambia.  Crime,
 however, is an increasingly serious problem. Mugging is
 relatively rare but car theft and house and car break-ins are
 common.  There is civil war or breakdown in three neighboring
 countries, Angola, Mozambique and Zaire.  The Copperbelt towns
 along the Zaire border have seen a noticeable increase in crime
 because of problems in Zaire.  There are no internal travel
 restrictions although areas around military bases may have
 restricted access.

 Visas are required for U.S. passport holders and cost twenty
 dollars.  Single entry visas have been the norm but one can now
 obtain multiple entry visas.  In most cases one can get a visa
 at the border, but is recommended to have one before arrival.
 Green card holders with West African passports may have
 difficulty gaining entry and must have a visa before arrival.


 Holidays

 January 1 New Years Day
 March 12 Youth Day
 Good Friday
 Easter Monday
 May 1 Labor Day
 May 25 African Freedom Day
 July 4 Heroes Day
 July 5 Unity day
 August 1 Farmers Day
 October 24 Independence Day
 December 25 Christmas


 Business Infrastructure

 Language:  English is the official language and the language of
 government and business.

 Transportation:  There are connections to Zambia from London,
 Paris, Moscow, Bombay and a number of African cities, including
 Johannesburg, Nairobi, Harare, Lilongwe, Dar es Salaam, Windhoek
 and Gaborone.  Domestic Flights are available between Lusaka and
 the Ndola or Kitwe in the Copperbelt, Mfuwe and Chipata in
 Eastern Province, Livingstone, and Kasama in Northern Province.

 The rail system is run down and increasingly inefficient for
 cargo traffic.  Only the most adventurous Westerners travel by
 passenger rail.  The bus system is likewise crowded, dilapidated
 and unreliable.  There have recently been a few luxury coach
 services offering a Lusaka-Harare run.

 Road is the preferred means of transport for many goods, because
 an open and competitive road transport system has encouraged
 efficiency.  The road network is uneven, fairly good on some
 stretches and abysmal in others, even on the main North-South
 corridor.

 Zambia is landlocked and goods come in and out via four
 ports/routes.  Dar es Salaam in Tanzania is the closest port but
 the transport is less efficient than some other routes.  Beira
 via Zimbabwe and Mozambique is being used more now that winding
 down of civil war in Mozambique has made the route safer.
 Durban, via South Africa and Zimbabwe is the often the fastest
 and most reliable route despite the greater distance involved.
 Walvis bay in Namibia is gaining a small share of Zambian
 traffic.

 Communications:  The telecommunications infrastructure is fairly
 good by African standards but still far below Western standards.
 Getting a telephone line is possible with relatively short
 waits, but is frustrating nonetheless.  Sometimes the system
 works very well and sometimes it barely works at all.
 International telephone calls are expensive.  A call to the U.S.
 is about USD 8 per minute including tax.  AT&T's USA Direct is
 available as well as similar services to Britain, Sweden and
 some other European countries.  Fax machines are commonly used
 in Zambia.  Data quality lines for computer modems are available
 but experience the same difficulties as telephone lines in
 general.  Cellular communications are not yet available.  The
 government is on the verge of passing a telecommunications bill
 to open up the sector to private investment and competition
 which should eventually increase the variety and quality of
 services.

 Housing:  Good quality housing is available in Zambia.  But
 housing is in generally short supply in Zambia, particularly
 rental housing.  As a result houses which sell for roughly USD
 80,000-150,000 often rent for USD 25,000-30,000 per year.  Most
 houses have high wall fences for security.

 Health:  Lusaka is mostly free of malaria, but prophylaxis is
 strongly recommended if travelling outside the city where
 malaria is endemic.  HIV prevalence is very high in Zambia with
 positive rates of 30-40 percent of the adult population in urban
 areas.  The water in hotels is safe, and most water in Lusaka is
 safe.  When travelling outside the city, water should be boiled.

 Food:  Fresh meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables are
 readily available and of high quality in Zambia.  Most processed
 food is imported from South Africa and is readily available in
 urban supermarkets, though it may be somewhat expensive.  Lusaka
 has a number of good restaurants.