Here are five things to know about the southern African nation of 19.6 million inhabitants, which is a key target of China's massive Africa investment drive. Crippled by debtIn 2020, Zambia became the first country in Africa to default on its foreign debt since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Zambia was already struggling with its debt pile before Covid hit, hammering the prices of the commodities that prop up the economy. Located on the Zambezi River, the falls straddle the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the two countries share the flow of tourists. 'African Gandhi'Zambia's first president Kenneth Kaunda, pictured here in 1975, died in 2021 at the age of 97.

Source: Daily Nation June 22, 2023 18:12 UTC