by Flagpictures.org

Formerly called Northern Rhodesia until its independence from Britain in 1964, the Republic of Zambia shipped US$13.3 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2025.

That dollar amount results from an 18.8% increase from $11.2 billion five years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, the overall value of Zambia’s exported products accelerated by 18.2% compared to $11.3 billion starting in 2024.

Zambia is a landlocked nation in Africa’s southern region.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2025, the Zambian Kwacha appreciated by 21.5% against the US dollar since 2021 but diluted by -4.3% from 2024 to 2025. Zambia’s weaker local currency since 2024 makes its exports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively less expensive for international buyers starting with American currency.

The latest available country-specific data shows that 94.7% of products exported from Zambia was bought by importers in: Canada (25.8% of the Zambian total), Switzerland (16.5%), Singapore (13.7%), Democratic Republic Congo (12%), mainland China (8.8%), United Arab Emirates (5.5%), South Africa (3.5%), Zimbabwe (2.7%), Tanzania (2.2%), Namibia (1.8%), Malawi (1.3%) and Botswana (1%).

From a continental perspective, 29.3% of Zambia’s exports by value was delivered to Asia countries while 27.0% was sold to importers located in fellow African nations.

Zambia shipped another 26.2% worth of goods to buyers in North America.

Smaller percentages went to customers in Europe (17.5%), Latin America (0.02%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania’s Australia only (0.005%).

Given Zambia’s population of 21.7 million people, its total US$13.3 billion in 2025 exports translates to approximately $600 for every resident in the African nation. That dollar metric outpaces the average $540 per capita one year earlier during 2024.

Zambia’s top 10 exports accounted for 87.8% of the overall value of its global shipments.

Electrical machinery and equipment represents the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 249.2% from 2024 to 2025.

In second place for improving export sales was ores, slag and ash via a 94.3% advance led by zinc ores and concentrates.

Zambia’s shipments of soaps, washing preparations, lubricants and waxes posted the third-fastest gain in value, up by 50.8%.

The most modest gainer among Zambia’s top 10 export categories was gems and precious metals, thanks to a 4% year-over-year improvement.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, Zambia’s most valuable exported products are unrefined copper (47.4% of the Zambian total), refined copper (17.7%), zinc ores and concentrates (2.9%), electrical energy (2.1%), copper ores and concentrates (2%), nickel ores and concentrates (also 2%), unmanufactured tobacco and tobacco waste (1.7%), non-sublimed sulphur (1.5%), hydraulic cements (1.4%) then non-alcoholic drinks excluding water or juice and milk (also 1.4%).

Zambia posted a US$124.6 million trade surplus during 2025, expanding by -1,494% from $7.8 million in black ink for 2024.

The following types of Zambian product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.

In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.

Not one Zambian corporation ranks on the Forbes Global 2000 of biggest businesses.

Wikipedia lists exporters from Zambia including companies engaged in international trade. Selected examples are shown below.

 
In macroeconomic terms, Zambia’s total exported goods represent 13.6% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2025 ($98.2 billion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 13.6% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2025 compares to 12.5% for 2024. Those percentages suggest a relatively increasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Zambia’s total economic performance, albeit based on a short timeframe.

Another vital economic indicator is Zambia’s unemployment rate, which rose modestly from an average 12.9% for 2024 to the average 12.95% jobless rate for 2025 according to Trading Economics statistics.

Zambia’s capital city is Lusaka.

See also Uganda’s Top 10 Exports, Nigeria’s Top 10 Exports and South Africa’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Africa: Zambia. Accessed on September 13, 2026

EXCHANGE-RATES.org, Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) To US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rate History. Accessed on September 13, 2026

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 13, 2026

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on September 13, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 13, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 13, 2026

Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on September 13, 2026

Wikipedia, List of Companies of Zambia. Accessed on September 13, 2026

Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on September 13, 2026

Wikipedia, Zambia. Accessed on September 13, 2026