Table 4: Ethnicity Bemba Broad Ethnic Groups by Sex and Residence, 2000 Zambia Both Male Sexes 33.6 Rural Both Female Sexes 33.5 33.6 30.5 Male Female 30.5 Urban Both Male Sexes Female 30.5 39.1 38.8 39.3 Tonga 16.8 16.7 16.9 20.0 20.0 20.1 11.0 10.8 11.1 North-Western 10.3 10.4 10.3 11.3 11.4 11.3 8.6 8.7 8.4 7.8 7.7 7.9 8.8 8.6 8.9 6.1 6.2 6.1 18.2 18.2 18.2 16.9 16.9 16.9 20.5 20.4 20.5 Mambwe 5.9 5.9 5.8 5.3 5.4 5.3 7.0 7.0 6.9 Tumbuka 5.1 5.1 5.0 4.8 4.8 4.8 5.6 5.7 5.4 Barotse Language Eastern Others Total Percent Total Population 2.3 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.2 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 4,743,135 5,990,356 2,931,551 3,058,805 9,337,425 4,594,290 Source: CSO, Census of Population National Analytical Report, 2000 8. 3,347,069 1,662,739 1,684,330 Zambia is generally a very peaceful country. Despite the many tribes and ethnic groupings, Zambia has not suffered from any ethnic conflicts that have been witnessed in some African countries and other parts of the world. The existing peace in Zambia and its continued assurance could partly be attributed to the use of English as a neutral language of communication. Additionally, there are seven languages that are used in Zambia besides English for official purposes such as dissemination of information, radio and television broadcasting and literacy campaigns. These languages: Bemba, Kaonde, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja and Tonga, correspond to language clusters around which are found several dialects (see Table 5 and 6 for predominant language groups). Although, the official language of instruction in schools is English, these languages are taught in lower schools in specific provinces. It is apparent that local settlement of indigenous Zambians is not necessarily limited by one’s ethnicity (see Table 7). 16