English is the official language and the language of business and media. More than 73 dialects are spoken within Zambia's borders.
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The official currency is the Kwacha, which breaks down into 100 ngwee. The ngwee coins are almost worthless and rarely used. Bring traveller’s cheques in US dollars or South African rand, which you can change at exchange bureaus. Credit cards are usually accepted in tourist hotels, restaurants and larger shops in Lusaka and Livingstone, but not in rural areas. Lusaka and other major towns have ATMs.
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260 is the international code. To call another country from Zambia, dial 00 followed by the appropriate country code - 0044 for the UK, for example. Most public phones need tokens. Livingstone and Lusaka are the best places to find Internet cafes.
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Most visitors have trouble-free stays in Zambia, however beware of bag snatching and theft from parked cars. Keep valuables out of sight.
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If you’re coming from an area infected with yellow fever, you’ll need a yellow fever vaccination certificate. It’s a good idea to get immunised against typhoid, polio, rabies and hepatitis A, as well as malaria preventions. There are often outbreaks of cholera, malaria and dysentery in the rainy season. HIV/AIDS is widespread. Bilharzia is also present, so don’t swim or wade in bodies of fresh water. Medical facilities are poor, and rural clinics rarely have any supplies. Make sure you have full medical insurance coverage that includes evacuation coverage. Only drink water that has been filtered or boiled or is in a sealed, branded bottle. Avoid street food.
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The electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz and uses square plugs.
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