+260 explained
The Zambia country code, 260, is what you dial before a Zambia number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Zambia dialing code, Zambia calling code, or Zambia phone code. In the Zambia phone number format, +260 comes first, then the area code, such as 211 for Lusaka, then the local number.
- Country code
- +260
- The 00260 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- ZM, ZMB
- Use the ZM country code or the ZMB country code on forms and passports. To call Zambia, dial +260
- Used in
- Zambia
- No other country or territory dials +260
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- 0
- Drop it after +260
- Number length
- 9 digits
- After +260
- Time now in Zambia
- Zambia mobile number format
- 095 5123456
- From abroad: +260 95 5123456
- Zambia landline number format
- 0211 234 567
- From abroad: +260 211 234 567
+260 area codes of main cities
Each +260 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +260, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Zambia, callers leave out +260 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Lusaka is +260 211 from abroad and 0211 at home.
- Lusaka
- +260211
- Ndola
- +260212
- Livingstone
- +260213
- Kasama
- +260214
- Kabwe
- +260215
- Chipata
- +260216
- Solwezi
- +260217
- Mongu
- +260218
Zambia phone number types
The first digits of a Zambia number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of Zambia phone number, as dialed inside Zambia and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Zambia
“Muli bwanji?”
It means how are you in Nyanja. No source names a special way Zambians answer the phone, so this is the everyday Lusaka greeting.
Reply
“Nili bwino”
Emergency number
991
991 reaches the police. 992 reaches an ambulance, and 993 reaches the fire brigade.
Zambia Police ServiceZambia's own emergency line is 991, not 999. Ambulance calls go to 992, and the fire brigade to 993.
Zambia Police ServiceZICTA, which sets Zambia's numbering plan, was formed in 2009 and also regulates postal and courier services.
Wikipedia: Zambia Information and Communications Technology AuthorityZambia's area codes cover whole provinces, not single cities. Every fixed line in Lusaka Province dials out on 0211.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in Zambia
What it costs to call Zambia (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.83/minMobile from $0.74/min
Only 42 of 220 countries cost more to call than Zambia.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Zambia?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Zambia fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 is still in the number
The 0 at the start of a Zambian number is for calls inside Zambia. From abroad, leave it out: +260 takes its place.
- Connects
- 011 260 211 234 567
- Does not connect
- 011 260 0211 234 567
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from Zambia and most of the world. From the US and Canada the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 260 211 234 567
- Does not connect
- 00 260 211 234 567
The number does not take calls from abroad
Numbers that start with 0800 are for calls inside Zambia and often will not connect from outside the country.
- Connects
- 011 260 211 234 567
- Does not connect
- 011 260 800 123 456
Questions about +260
Which country is +260?
+260, or country code 260, belongs to Zambia. Zambia does not share this code with another country.
What is +260?
+260 is the part you dial before a Zambian number when you call from another country.
What is the difference between +260 and 00260?
The + stands for your exit code. 00 is the exit code in Zambia and most of the world, so 00260 and +260 reach the same number. From the US and Canada, dial 011 260 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +260?
Yes. The 0 is Zambia's trunk prefix and works only inside the country. Dial +260 211 234 567, not +260 0211 234 567.
Can I text a +260 number?
Yes. Write the number as +260 without its first 0.
How much does it cost to call Zambia?
A call to a Zambian mobile costs more than a call to a landline. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
What is the emergency number in Zambia?
The Zambia Police Service lists 991 as its emergency line, not 999. Ambulance calls go to 992, and the fire brigade to 993.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
Telephone numbers in Zambia, Wikipedia