It sounds like you've ended up purging the "zones" too, and the evidence of that would be found if you go to Admin->Locations/Taxes->Zones ... and see nothing in the list.
To re-populate the zones supplied with Zen Cart, you would need to go into your phpMyAdmin, select your database, then click on the SQL tab, and paste the following into the textarea field, and click Go:```
#Empty the table for fresh data
TRUNCATE TABLE zones;
USA
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (1,223,'AL','Alabama');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (2,223,'AK','Alaska');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (3,223,'AS','American Samoa');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (4,223,'AZ','Arizona');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (5,223,'AR','Arkansas');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (6,223,'AF','Armed Forces Africa');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (7,223,'AA','Armed Forces Americas');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (8,223,'AC','Armed Forces Canada');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (9,223,'AE','Armed Forces Europe');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (10,223,'AM','Armed Forces Middle East');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (11,223,'AP','Armed Forces Pacific');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (12,223,'CA','California');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (13,223,'CO','Colorado');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (14,223,'CT','Connecticut');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (15,223,'DE','Delaware');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (16,223,'DC','District of Columbia');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (17,223,'FM','Federated States Of Micronesia');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (18,223,'FL','Florida');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (19,223,'GA','Georgia');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (20,223,'GU','Guam');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (21,223,'HI','Hawaii');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (22,223,'ID','Idaho');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (23,223,'IL','Illinois');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (24,223,'IN','Indiana');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (25,223,'IA','Iowa');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (26,223,'KS','Kansas');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (27,223,'KY','Kentucky');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (28,223,'LA','Louisiana');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (29,223,'ME','Maine');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (30,223,'MH','Marshall Islands');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (31,223,'MD','Maryland');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (32,223,'MA','Massachusetts');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (33,223,'MI','Michigan');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (34,223,'MN','Minnesota');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (35,223,'MS','Mississippi');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (36,223,'MO','Missouri');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (37,223,'MT','Montana');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (38,223,'NE','Nebraska');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (39,223,'NV','Nevada');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (40,223,'NH','New Hampshire');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (41,223,'NJ','New Jersey');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (42,223,'NM','New Mexico');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (43,223,'NY','New York');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (44,223,'NC','North Carolina');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (45,223,'ND','North Dakota');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (46,223,'MP','Northern Mariana Islands');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (47,223,'OH','Ohio');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (48,223,'OK','Oklahoma');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (49,223,'OR','Oregon');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (50,163,'PW','Palau');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (51,223,'PA','Pennsylvania');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (52,223,'PR','Puerto Rico');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (53,223,'RI','Rhode Island');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (54,223,'SC','South Carolina');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (55,223,'SD','South Dakota');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (56,223,'TN','Tennessee');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (57,223,'TX','Texas');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (58,223,'UT','Utah');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (59,223,'VT','Vermont');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (60,223,'VI','Virgin Islands');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (61,223,'VA','Virginia');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (62,223,'WA','Washington');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (63,223,'WV','West Virginia');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (64,223,'WI','Wisconsin');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (65,223,'WY','Wyoming');
Canada
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (66,38,'AB','Alberta');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (67,38,'BC','British Columbia');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (68,38,'MB','Manitoba');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (69,38,'NF','Newfoundland');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (70,38,'NB','New Brunswick');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (71,38,'NS','Nova Scotia');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (72,38,'NT','Northwest Territories');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (73,38,'NU','Nunavut');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (74,38,'ON','Ontario');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (75,38,'PE','Prince Edward Island');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (76,38,'QC','Quebec');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (77,38,'SK','Saskatchewan');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (78,38,'YT','Yukon Territory');
Germany
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (79,81,'NDS','Niedersachsen');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (80,81,'BAW','Baden-Wrttemberg');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (81,81,'BAY','Bayern');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (82,81,'BER','Berlin');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (83,81,'BRG','Brandenburg');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (84,81,'BRE','Bremen');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (85,81,'HAM','Hamburg');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (86,81,'HES','Hessen');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (87,81,'MEC','Mecklenburg-Vorpommern');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (88,81,'NRW','Nordrhein-Westfalen');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (89,81,'RHE','Rheinland-Pfalz');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (90,81,'SAR','Saarland');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (91,81,'SAS','Sachsen');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (92,81,'SAC','Sachsen-Anhalt');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (93,81,'SCN','Schleswig-Holstein');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (94,81,'THE','Thringen');
Austria
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (95,14,'WI','Wien');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (96,14,'NO','Niedersterreich');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (97,14,'OO','Obersterreich');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (98,14,'SB','Salzburg');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (99,14,'KN','Kärtnen');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (100,14,'ST','Steiermark');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (101,14,'TI','Tirol');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (102,14,'BL','Burgenland');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (103,14,'VB','Voralberg');
Swizterland
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (104,204,'AG','Aargau');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (105,204,'AI','Appenzell Innerrhoden');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (106,204,'AR','Appenzell Ausserrhoden');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (107,204,'BE','Bern');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (108,204,'BL','Basel-Landschaft');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (109,204,'BS','Basel-Stadt');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (110,204,'FR','Freiburg');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (111,204,'GE','Genf');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (112,204,'GL','Glarus');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (113,204,'JU','Graubnden');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (114,204,'JU','Jura');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (115,204,'LU','Luzern');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (116,204,'NE','Neuenburg');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (117,204,'NW','Nidwalden');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (118,204,'OW','Obwalden');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (119,204,'SG','St. Gallen');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (120,204,'SH','Schaffhausen');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (121,204,'SO','Solothurn');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (122,204,'SZ','Schwyz');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (123,204,'TG','Thurgau');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (124,204,'TI','Tessin');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (125,204,'UR','Uri');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (126,204,'VD','Waadt');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (127,204,'VS','Wallis');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (128,204,'ZG','Zug');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (129,204,'ZH','Zrich');
Spain
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'A Corua','A Corua');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Alava','Alava');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Albacete','Albacete');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Alicante','Alicante');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Almeria','Almeria');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Asturias','Asturias');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Avila','Avila');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Badajoz','Badajoz');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Baleares','Baleares');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Barcelona','Barcelona');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Burgos','Burgos');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Caceres','Caceres');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Cadiz','Cadiz');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Cantabria','Cantabria');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Castellon','Castellon');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Ceuta','Ceuta');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Ciudad Real','Ciudad Real');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Cordoba','Cordoba');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Cuenca','Cuenca');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Girona','Girona');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Granada','Granada');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Guadalajara','Guadalajara');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Guipuzcoa','Guipuzcoa');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Huelva','Huelva');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Huesca','Huesca');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Jaen','Jaen');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'La Rioja','La Rioja');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Las Palmas','Las Palmas');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Leon','Leon');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Lleida','Lleida');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Lugo','Lugo');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Madrid','Madrid');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Malaga','Malaga');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Melilla','Melilla');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Murcia','Murcia');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Navarra','Navarra');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Ourense','Ourense');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Palencia','Palencia');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Pontevedra','Pontevedra');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Salamanca','Salamanca');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Santa Cruz de Tenerife','Santa Cruz de Tenerife');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Segovia','Segovia');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Sevilla','Sevilla');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Soria','Soria');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Tarragona','Tarragona');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Teruel','Teruel');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Toledo','Toledo');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Valencia','Valencia');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Valladolid','Valladolid');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Vizcaya','Vizcaya');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Zamora','Zamora');
INSERT INTO zones (zone_country_id, zone_code, zone_name) VALUES (195,'Zaragoza','Zaragoza');
#australian zones
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (NULL, 13, 'ACT', 'Australian Capital Territory');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (NULL, 13, 'NSW', 'New South Wales');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (NULL, 13, 'NT', 'Northern Territory');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (NULL, 13, 'QLD', 'Queensland');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (NULL, 13, 'SA', 'South Australia');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (NULL, 13, 'TAS', 'Tasmania');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (NULL, 13, 'VIC', 'Victoria');
INSERT INTO zones VALUES (NULL, 13, 'WA', 'Western Australia');