Languages of Zambia a first or second language), Nyanja (37%), Tonga (15%) and Lozi (11%). In some languages, particularly Bemba and Nyanja, Zambians distinguish between a "deep" form of the language, associated with older and more traditional speakers in rural areas, and urban forms (sometimes called "town language" or "Chitauni", such as Town Bemba and Town Nyanja) that incorporate a large number of borrowings from English and other innovations. An urban variety of Nyanja is the lingua franca of the capital Lusaka and is widely spoken as a second language throughout Zambia. Bemba, the country's largest indigenous language, also serves as a lingua
Russia–Zambia relations and Zambia, by providing the public with objective information on the domestic and foreign policies of Russia, and by providing Russian language training. As of 2013, approximately 1,450 Zambians are enrolled and studying in Russia, making Zambia the largest recipient of Russian government sponsored scholarships in sub-Sahara Africa. Russia–Zambia relations Russia–Zambia relations () is the bilateral relationship between Russia and Zambia. When Northern Rhodesia gained independence from the United Kingdom as Zambia on 24 October 1964, the Soviet Union sent the government of Kenneth Kaunda a telegram recognising Zambian independence, and offered to establish diplomatic relations with the new state.