PopulationTracker

Zambia population

Current population of Zambia

22,584,252

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
408
Deaths today
64
Change today (UTC)
+346
World rank
62nd of 218
0.27% of world population
Population
21,913,874
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+2.77%
2025
Density
28 /km²
2023
Land area
743,390 km²
Urban population
46%
2025
Median age
17.9 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
4.04
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
66.5 yrs
2024
Net migration
+6,562
2025
Capital
Lusaka
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa

Population of Zambia: overview

Zambia has a population of 21,913,874 according to the latest official estimates (2025), the 62nd largest in the world. Zambia is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa region and its capital is Lusaka.

The population is growing rapidly, at 2.77% per year — among the fastest rates recorded anywhere. In absolute terms that meant roughly 598,918 additional people over the past year.

The country is sparsely settled, with only about 28 people per km², spread across 743,390 km² of land. The country remains predominantly rural, though cities are growing: 46% of residents are urban.

With a median age of just 17.9 years, Zambia has one of the youngest populations in the world. Fertility remains high at 4.04 children per woman. Life expectancy at birth is 66.5 years (2024).

The UN projects strong growth ahead: 38.08 million people by 2050, about 74% more than today. The 2030 projection is 25,024,901.

Zambia population, 1960–2025 and projections

010M20M30M40M19601980200020202040projected2025: 21.91M1960: 3,153,7291961: 3,254,0861962: 3,358,0991963: 3,465,9071964: 3,577,0171965: 3,692,0861966: 3,812,0031967: 3,936,3431968: 4,065,5931969: 4,197,1161970: 4,321,7181971: 4,442,5251972: 4,569,3091973: 4,702,6931974: 4,842,7461975: 4,990,0861976: 5,143,8421977: 5,302,4801978: 5,465,3741979: 5,631,7281980: 5,802,8331981: 5,983,2891982: 6,178,6371983: 6,381,0381984: 6,580,4901985: 6,780,9531986: 6,986,4711987: 7,191,2821988: 7,391,4401989: 7,589,2161990: 7,786,1691991: 7,981,6501992: 8,176,6801993: 8,373,9211994: 8,576,2691995: 8,785,7631996: 9,004,0531997: 9,237,0631998: 9,482,4081999: 9,740,0052000: 10,017,6312001: 10,325,1852002: 10,647,9492003: 10,983,5952004: 11,338,1982005: 11,718,8192006: 12,129,5532007: 12,565,0852008: 13,021,3242009: 13,490,3892010: 13,965,5942011: 14,437,7962012: 14,913,6292013: 15,398,9972014: 15,895,3152015: 16,399,0892016: 16,914,4232017: 17,441,3202018: 17,973,5692019: 18,513,8392020: 19,059,3952021: 19,603,6072022: 20,152,9382023: 20,723,9652024: 21,314,9562025: 21,913,8742030: 25,024,9012050: 38,083,385
Population of Zambia by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
202521,913,874+2.77%+598,918
202421,314,956+2.81%+590,991
202320,723,965+2.79%+571,027
202220,152,938+2.76%+549,331
202119,603,607+2.82%+544,212
202019,059,395+2.90%+545,556
201918,513,839+2.96%+540,270
201817,973,569+3.01%+532,249
201717,441,320+3.07%+526,897
201616,914,423+3.09%+515,334
201516,399,089+3.12%+503,774
201415,895,315+3.17%+496,318
201013,965,594+3.46%+475,205
200511,718,819+3.30%+380,621
200010,017,631+2.81%+277,626
19958,785,763+2.41%+209,494
19907,786,169+2.56%+196,953
19856,780,953+3.00%+200,463
19805,802,833+2.99%+171,105
19754,990,086+3.00%+147,340
19704,321,718+2.93%+124,602
19653,692,086+3.17%+115,069
19603,153,729––

Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.

Zambia population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of Zambia
YearProjected populationvs today
203025,024,901+14.2%
205038,083,385+73.8%

Zambia population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 41.0% of Zambia's population is under 15, 57.0% is of working age (15–64), and 2.0% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%2%2%4%4%6%6%8%8%0-4 male: 1,630,053 (7.4%)0-4 female: 1,627,579 (7.4%)0-45-9 male: 1,483,025 (6.8%)5-9 female: 1,484,002 (6.8%)10-14 male: 1,375,400 (6.3%)10-14 female: 1,378,280 (6.3%)10-1415-19 male: 1,232,866 (5.6%)15-19 female: 1,240,877 (5.7%)20-24 male: 1,028,128 (4.7%)20-24 female: 1,043,581 (4.8%)20-2425-29 male: 876,717 (4.0%)25-29 female: 892,840 (4.1%)30-34 male: 749,419 (3.4%)30-34 female: 760,813 (3.5%)30-3435-39 male: 649,969 (3.0%)35-39 female: 653,351 (3.0%)40-44 male: 542,948 (2.5%)40-44 female: 542,076 (2.5%)40-4445-49 male: 432,642 (2.0%)45-49 female: 437,807 (2.0%)50-54 male: 314,637 (1.4%)50-54 female: 332,284 (1.5%)50-5455-59 male: 212,620 (1.0%)55-59 female: 239,049 (1.1%)60-64 male: 142,588 (0.7%)60-64 female: 172,037 (0.8%)60-6465-69 male: 89,649 (0.4%)65-69 female: 119,098 (0.5%)70-74 male: 50,389 (0.2%)70-74 female: 75,920 (0.3%)70-7475-79 male: 23,619 (0.1%)75-79 female: 39,593 (0.2%)80-84 male: 9,764 (0.0%)80-84 female: 18,160 (0.1%)80-8485-89 male: 3,026 (0.0%)85-89 female: 6,456 (0.0%)90-94 male: 626 (0.0%)90-94 female: 1,607 (0.0%)90-9495-99 male: 88 (0.0%)95-99 female: 262 (0.0%)100+ male: 7 (0.0%)100+ female: 26 (0.0%)100+

Zambia population FAQ

What is the population of Zambia in 2026?

Zambia's population is estimated at about 22.58 million in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 21,913,874 (2025). Zambia ranks 62nd in the world by population.

Is the population of Zambia growing or shrinking?

Zambia's population is growing at about 2.77% per year, an increase of roughly 598,918 people over the past year.

How densely populated is Zambia?

Zambia has about 28 people per square kilometre across a land area of 743,390 km².

What share of the world's population lives in Zambia?

Zambia is home to about 0.27% of the world's population.

What is Zambia's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put Zambia's population at 38,083,385 in 2050, passing through 25,024,901 in 2030.

What is the median age in Zambia?

The median age in Zambia is 17.9 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.

Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.