Population, total in Zambia
Zambia: Population, total was 21.91 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
21.91 million
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
61st
of 218 countries
All-time high
21.91 million
in 2025
All-time low
3.15 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population, total in Zambia, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population, total in Zambia is 21.91 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 33.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, total in Zambia peaked at 21.91 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.15 million, in 1960.
That places Zambia 61st out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population, total in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.15 million | — |
| 1961 | 3.25 million | +3.2% |
| 1962 | 3.36 million | +3.2% |
| 1963 | 3.47 million | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 3.58 million | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 3.69 million | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 3.81 million | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 3.94 million | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 4.07 million | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 4.20 million | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 4.32 million | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 4.44 million | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 4.57 million | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 4.70 million | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 4.84 million | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 4.99 million | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 5.14 million | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 5.30 million | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 5.47 million | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 5.63 million | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 5.80 million | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 5.98 million | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 6.18 million | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 6.38 million | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 6.58 million | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 6.78 million | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 6.99 million | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 7.19 million | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 7.39 million | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 7.59 million | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 7.79 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 7.98 million | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 8.18 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 8.37 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 8.58 million | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 8.79 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 9.00 million | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 9.24 million | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 9.48 million | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 9.74 million | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 10.02 million | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 10.33 million | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 10.65 million | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 10.98 million | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 11.34 million | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 11.72 million | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 12.13 million | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 12.57 million | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 13.02 million | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 13.49 million | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 13.97 million | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 14.44 million | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 14.91 million | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 15.40 million | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 15.90 million | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 16.40 million | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 16.91 million | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 17.44 million | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 17.97 million | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 18.51 million | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 19.06 million | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 19.60 million | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 20.15 million | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 20.72 million | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 21.32 million | +2.9% |
| 2025 | 21.91 million | +2.8% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 21.91 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.35 million, 1.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 21.91 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.96 million, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.65 million | 3.15 million | 4.20 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.94 million | 4.32 million | 5.63 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.69 million | 5.80 million | 7.59 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.71 million | 7.79 million | 9.74 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.62 million | 10.02 million | 13.49 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.19 million | 13.97 million | 18.51 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.46 million | 19.06 million | 21.91 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More climate change data for Zambia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 303.19 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,795 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,752 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.55 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 169.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,153 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,033 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 120.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.67 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, total in Zambia?
- Population, total in Zambia was 21.91 million in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population, total recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 21.91 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, total recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.15 million in 1960.
- How does Zambia rank for population, total?
- Zambia ranks 61st out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, total rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.