Zambia
/ˈzæm.bi.ə/noun
A landlocked country in south-central Africa.
Did you know?The country’s name comes from the Zambezi River, whose name is believed to derive from a local language term for the river, making Zambia a modern political name rooted in an older water-name rather than a European invention.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-colonial era
Bantu
*jambi / *zambezi?
“A local river-name form, likely referring to the great river itself (exact original form uncertain).”
16th Century
Portuguese
Zambeze
“Portuguese rendering of the Zambezi River name.”
19th Century
English
Zambezi
“The major river in south-central Africa.”
1964
English
Zambia
“The newly independent country named after the Zambezi River.”