Lusaka

Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. One of the fastest-developing cities in Southern Africa, Lusaka is located in the southern part of the central plateau at an elevation of about 1,279 metres (4,195 feet). As of 2010, the city's population is about 1.7 million, while as the urban population is 2.4 million. Lusaka is the centre of both commerce and government in Zambia and connects to the country's four main highways heading north, south, east and west. English is the official language of the city, but Nyanja and Bemba are also common.

Government and administration

As national capital, Lusaka is the seat of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, epitomized by the presence of the National Assembly (parliament), the State House (office of the President), and the High Court. The Parliament is situated at the Parliament complex, which features a 15-story building. The city is also the capital of Lusaka Province, the smallest and most populous of the country's nine provinces, and forms an administrative district run by Lusaka City Council. In 2007, the mayor was Steven Chilatu (PF), and the deputy mayor was Mary Phiri.