Zambia has 72 languages, some of which have a long history in Zambia, while others, such as Silozi, arose as a result of 18th- and 19th-century migrations. All of Zambia’s vernacular languages are members of the Bantu family and are closely related to one another.

Although there are several languages spoken in Zambia, seven of them were officially recognized as regional languages, and they still have this official status. Together, these represent the major languages of each province:
Bemba (Northern Province, Luapula, Muchinga and the Copperbelt), Nyanja (Lusaka), Lozi (Western Province), Tonga and Lozi (Southern Province), and Kaonde, Luvale and Lunda (Northwestern Province). These seven languages are used, together with English, in early primary schooling and in some government publications.