government: presidential republic

state of civil and political rights: Partly free

constitution: 30 August 1991; amended 1996, 2015, 2016; in late 2020, an amendment which would have altered the structure of the constitution was defeated in the National Assembly

legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

legislative system: unicameral National Assembly

judicial system: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and at least 11 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 11 judges); Court of Appeal; High Court; Industrial Relations Court; subordinate courts (3 levels, based on upper limit of money involved); Small Claims Court; local courts (2 grades, based on upper limit of money involved)

religion: Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)

death row: 170 (of which 168 male and two women, as of 27 April 2017, according to the Zambia Prisons Service)

year of last executions: 0-1-1997

death sentences: 0

executions: 0