Luapula Province

Luapula Province exists because water exists—the Luapula River and its flood plains, Lake Bangweulu's vast wetlands, and Lake Mweru on the DRC border create an aquatic ecosystem unlike anywhere else in landlocked Zambia. For centuries, the Lunda and Bemba peoples built economies around fishing, and fish remains the primary protein source and income generator. The province's isolation from road and rail networks preserved traditional livelihoods while locking out industrial development. Mansa, the capital, sits far from any major corridor, and the province contributes minimally to national GDP. Bangweulu Wetlands, a 6,000 square kilometer swamp system, hosts the shoebill stork and black lechwe in populations found nowhere else—an ecological uniqueness that conservation organizations increasingly value. The 2024 drought paradoxically affected fishing by altering water levels and fish breeding cycles, demonstrating how even water-rich provinces face climate vulnerability. Cross-border trade with DRC operates largely informally, with goods and people moving across Lake Mweru in ways that escape official statistics. Manganese deposits near Mansa attracted exploration interest, but extraction remains speculative. The province's poverty rate ranks among Zambia's highest, with few formal employment opportunities outside fishing and subsistence farming. By 2026, Luapula's future likely remains tied to water—either through sustainable fisheries management or aquaculture development—rather than integration into Zambia's copper-focused economy.