ABSTRACT
Zambia, the former Northern Rhodesia, became independent in 1964. Like Nigeria, she had experienced over half a century of colonial rule but both the acquisition of the territory now Zambia and the nature of her colonial experience were different. Unlike Nigeria, Zambia is a land-locked state in the interior of central Africa and this location meant she remained one of the 'unknown' regions for a longer period. Explored by missionaries, notably Livingstone, there appeared little at first to attract economic exploitation, and Britain was hesitant to embark upon an expensive venture with little prospect of reward. Indeed at one stage it appeared likely that the area would pass into the hands of the Portuguese. In the event it was the striding ambition of Cecil Rhodes to see the British present on African soil from the Cape to the Mediterranean which initiated a complex, and often unsavoury, chain of events which led to much of what is now Zambia becoming part of the British Central African Protectorate (Hall 1965).
