Language

Although the official language in Zambia is English, there are over 40 different languages and many more dialects spoken across the country. The most common languages include Bemba (also known as Chibemba, Ichibemba, Wemba, Chiwemba), Nyanja (Chinyanja) and Tonga (Chitonga, Zambezi, Plateau Tonga).

The full list of languages spoken in Zambia is as follows:

• Afrikaans
• Aushi (Northern, Luapula Province)
• Bemba (Northern, Copperbelt and Luapula provinces)
• Bwile
• Chokwe (Northwestern Province, east of the Mbunda)
• English
• Fanagalo (Towns and mining areas)
• Gujarati
• Ila (Central and Southern provinces, west of the Sala)
• Kaonde (Northwest of Mumbwe, Northwestern and Central provinces)
• Khwe (Western Zambia, east of the Zambesi River near Luzu and remote areas of southeastern Senaga District)
• Kunda (Southeastern Central Province)
• Lala-Bisa (Eastern, along Luangwa River (Bisa), and southwest (Lala), Northern, Central, and Eastern provinces)
• Lamba (Copperbelt, Central, and southeastern Northwestern provinces)
• Lenje (Lukanga Swamp area, Central Province)
• Lozi (Barotseland, Western Province, and Southern Province near Livingstone)
• Luchazi (West central Northwestern Province)
• Lunda (Northwestern Province, Copperbelt)
• Luvale (Northwestern and Western provinces)
• Luyana (Eastern Lozi-Luyana area, Western Province)
• Mambwe-Lungu (Northeastern Northern Province south of Lake Tanganyika)
• Mashi (Southwestern Western Province)
• Mbowe (North central Western Province)
• Mbukushu (Southwestern corner of Western Province, along the Kwando River)
• Mbunda (Northern Barotseland, western Northwestern Province)
• Nkoya (Mankoya area, Western and Southern provinces)
• Nsenga (Petauke District, Eastern and Central provinces)
• Nyamwanga (Eastern Northern Province to Lake Rukwa)
• Nyanja (Eastern and Central provinces)
• Nyiha (Northeastern Northern Province near the Malawi border, Isoka and Chama districts)
• Sala (South central Central Province)
• Settla
• Shona (Mumbwe. Mumbwa, Central Province)
• Simaa (Western Lozi-Luyana area, Western Province)
• Soli (Central Province, east of Lusaka)
• Subiya (Southeastern corner of Western Province)
• Taabwa (Northwestern Northern Province)
• Tonga (With Ila, it predominates in the south, Southern and Western provinces)
• Totela (Southeastern Western Province, north of Subia)
• Tumbuka (Northeastern Eastern Province)
• Yao (Eastern Province, Chipata District, Kapata Township, and Katete District)
• Yauma (Southwest corner, Kwando River area)
• Zambian Sign Language