Lusaka << loo SAH kuh >> (pop. 818,994) is the capital and largest city of Zambia. The city lies on a high plateau in south-central Zambia. It is near the midpoint of a railroad and at the junction of two main roads.
Lusaka has many large buildings, including the parliament buildings and the University of Zambia. Most of the city’s commercial and government buildings stand along wide, shaded streets. Lusaka is a city of contrasts, with upper-class areas and slums. The city has several scenic parks. The main shopping district is famous for open-air bazaars that sell handmade items.
Lusaka is a trade center and a major market for farm products raised in rural areas of Zambia. Its main industries make cement, furniture, shoes, and textiles and process beverages, food, and tobacco. Zambia’s government employs many of the city’s people.
European settlers established Lusaka about 1905 as a small trading post. It was originally called Lusaakas. The city came under British rule in the early 1900’s. In 1935, the United Kingdom made Lusaka the capital of its colony of Northern Rhodesia. The colony became the independent nation of Zambia in 1964.
