Zambia Population (LIVE)

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Zambia Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Zambia is 20,968,287 as of Monday, March 18, 2024, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data 1.
  • Zambia 2023 population is estimated at 20,569,737 people at mid year.
  • Zambia population is equivalent to 0.26% of the total world population.
  • Zambia ranks number 63 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Zambia is 28 per Km2 (72 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 743,390 Km2 (287,024 sq. miles)
  • 45.9 % of the population is urban (9,445,888 people in 2023)
  • The median age in Zambia is 17.3 years.
1. Updated on July 16, 2023 with the latest July 2023-July 2024 estimates from the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Zambia (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationZambia
Global Rank
2024 21,134,695 2.75 % 564,958 -5,000 17.4 4.10 28 46.6 % 9,843,878 0.26 % 8,118,835,999 63
2023 20,569,737 2.76 % 552,062 -5,000 17.3 4.18 28 45.9 % 9,445,888 0.26 % 8,045,311,447 63
2022 20,017,675 2.80 % 544,550 -5,000 17.1 4.24 27 45.3 % 9,062,291 0.25 % 7,975,105,156 63
2020 18,927,715 2.98 % 547,238 9,015 16.8 4.38 25 44.0 % 8,336,381 0.24 % 7,840,952,880 66
2015 16,248,230 3.33 % 491,229 16,283 16.0 4.79 22 41.5 % 6,747,236 0.22 % 7,426,597,537 67
2010 13,792,086 3.59 % 445,443 22,765 15.5 5.36 19 39.5 % 5,450,667 0.20 % 6,985,603,105 70
2005 11,564,870 3.18 % 334,747 35,351 15.0 5.71 16 38.5 % 4,448,559 0.18 % 6,558,176,119 71
2000 9,891,136 2.64 % 241,400-5,152 14.6 5.93 13 37.1 % 3,665,128 0.16 % 6,148,898,975 79
1995 8,684,135 2.47 % 199,547 -45,408 14.5 6.24 12 39.0 % 3,390,243 0.15 % 5,743,219,454 80
1990 7,686,401 2.83 % 199,990 -40,900 14.5 6.53 10 41.2 % 3,163,284 0.14 % 5,316,175,862 82
1985 6,686,449 3.17 % 193,202 -21,769 14.3 6.92 9 41.2 % 2,758,109 0.14 % 4,861,730,613 84
1980 5,720,438 3.01 % 157,838 -25,771 14.0 7.15 8 41.0 % 2,344,812 0.13 % 4,444,007,706 88
1975 4,931,249 2.87 % 129,916 -30,891 14.2 7.39 7 35.2 % 1,734,432 0.12 % 4,069,437,231 91
1970 4,281,671 3.20 % 124,729 -31,372 14.8 7.37 6 29.6 % 1,266,841 0.12 % 3,695,390,336 94
1965 3,658,024 3.24 % 107,719 -5,370 15.3 7.29 5 22.8 % 832,850 0.11 % 3,337,111,983 102
1960 3,119,430 3.10 % 88,444 -3,894 15.8 7.12 4 17.7 % 552,492 0.10 % 3,019,233,434 98
1955 2,677,209 2.92 % 71,752 -2,343 16.3 6.82 4 14.3 % 382,236 0.10 % 2,746,072,141 102
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Zambia Population Forecast

-5,000
YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationZambia
Global Rank
2025 21,706,928 2.78 % 555,843 -5,000 17.6 4.03 29 47.3 % 10,256,668 0.26 % 8,191,988,453 63
2030 24,676,417 2.60 % 593,898 -5,000 18.7 3.73 33 50.9 % 12,548,518 0.29 % 8,546,141,327 61
2035 27,782,051 2.40 % 621,127 -5,000 19.8 3.44 37 54.8 % 15,219,971 0.31 % 8,879,397,401 60
2040 30,973,549 2.20 % 638,300 -5,000 20.9 3.21 42 59.0 % 18,271,801 0.34 % 9,188,250,492 59
2045 34,204,865 2.00 % 646,263 -5,000 21.9 3.03 46 63.5 % 21,722,143 0.36 % 9,467,543,575 58
2050 37,460,435 1.83 % 651,114   23.0 2.86 50 68.3 % 25,576,780 0.39 % 9,709,491,761 54
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Zambia Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of Zambia
Life Expectancy
62.96 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
36.6
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
52.2
(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Zambia

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

# CITY NAME POPULATION
1 Lusaka 1,267,440
2 Kitwe 400,914
3 Ndola 394,518
4 Kabwe 188,979
5 Chingola 148,564
6 Mufulira 120,500
7 Luanshya 113,365
8 Livingstone 109,203
9 Kasama 91,056
10 Chipata 85,963
11 Kalulushi 66,575
12 Mazabuka 64,006
13 Chililabombwe 57,328
14 Mongu 52,534
15 Kafue 47,554
16 Choma 46,746
17 Mansa 42,277
18 Kansanshi 40,705
19 Kapiri Mposhi 37,942
20 Monze 30,257
21 Mpika 28,445
22 Nchelenge 23,693
23 Kawambwa 20,589
24 Mbala 20,570
25 Samfya 20,470
26 Sesheke 20,149
27 Petauke 19,296
28 Mumbwa 19,086
29 Siavonga 18,638

See also

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Notes

The Zambia Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Zambia delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Zambia (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Zambia in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.