PopulationTracker

Zimbabwe population

Current population of Zimbabwe

17,303,419

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
288
Deaths today
72
Change today (UTC)
+182
World rank
74th of 218
0.21% of world population
Population
16,950,795
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+1.88%
2025
Density
42 /km²
2023
Land area
386,850 km²
Urban population
40%
2025
Median age
18.1 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
3.67
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
63.1 yrs
2024
Net migration
−54,555
2025
Capital
Harare
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa

Population of Zimbabwe: overview

Zimbabwe has a population of 16,950,795 according to the latest official estimates (2025), the 74th largest in the world. Zimbabwe is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa region and its capital is Harare.

The population is expanding quickly, at 1.88% per year. In absolute terms that meant roughly 316,422 additional people over the past year. That growth comes despite net emigration of about 54,555 people in 2025.

The country is sparsely settled, with only about 42 people per km², spread across 386,850 km² of land. The country remains predominantly rural, though cities are growing: 40% of residents are urban.

With a median age of just 18.1 years, Zimbabwe has one of the youngest populations in the world. The fertility rate of 3.67 children per woman sits above the replacement level of 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 63.1 years (2024).

The UN projects strong growth ahead: 25.87 million people by 2050, about 53% more than today. The 2030 projection is 18,610,348.

Zimbabwe population, 1960–2025 and projections

07.5M15M22.5M30M19601980200020202040projected2025: 16.95M1960: 3,809,3891961: 3,930,4011962: 4,055,9591963: 4,185,8771964: 4,320,0061965: 4,458,4621966: 4,601,2171967: 4,748,3071968: 4,900,4401969: 5,058,1811970: 5,215,9181971: 5,374,7121972: 5,542,4451973: 5,720,4041974: 5,908,3281975: 6,098,6581976: 6,287,1051977: 6,449,5121978: 6,543,5751979: 6,647,5561980: 7,041,3031981: 7,498,6351982: 7,796,4961983: 8,098,4041984: 8,391,4881985: 8,686,8131986: 8,982,5781987: 9,284,6441988: 9,583,0941989: 9,864,7981990: 10,137,2811991: 10,404,8161992: 10,702,7001993: 10,860,2881994: 10,873,1481995: 10,974,5991996: 11,158,3601997: 11,369,8271998: 11,594,2971999: 11,783,4582000: 11,892,0552001: 11,971,9012002: 12,087,6532003: 12,232,3232004: 12,365,8962005: 12,483,4322006: 12,636,4452007: 12,804,0582008: 12,959,1492009: 13,142,7902010: 13,356,5482011: 13,595,4242012: 13,817,8872013: 14,013,8082014: 14,207,3592015: 14,399,0132016: 14,600,2942017: 14,812,4822018: 15,034,4522019: 15,271,3682020: 15,526,8882021: 15,797,2102022: 16,069,0562023: 16,340,8222024: 16,634,3732025: 16,950,7952030: 18,610,3482050: 25,866,385
Population of Zimbabwe by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
202516,950,795+1.88%+316,422
202416,634,373+1.78%+293,551
202316,340,822+1.68%+271,766
202216,069,056+1.71%+271,846
202115,797,210+1.73%+270,322
202015,526,888+1.66%+255,520
201915,271,368+1.56%+236,916
201815,034,452+1.49%+221,970
201714,812,482+1.44%+212,188
201614,600,294+1.39%+201,281
201514,399,013+1.34%+191,654
201414,207,359+1.37%+193,551
201013,356,548+1.61%+213,758
200512,483,432+0.95%+117,536
200011,892,055+0.92%+108,597
199510,974,599+0.93%+101,451
199010,137,281+2.72%+272,483
19858,686,813+3.46%+295,325
19807,041,303+5.75%+393,747
19756,098,658+3.17%+190,330
19705,215,918+3.07%+157,737
19654,458,462+3.15%+138,456
19603,809,389––

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

Zimbabwe population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of Zimbabwe
YearProjected populationvs today
203018,610,348+9.8%
205025,866,385+52.6%

Zimbabwe population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 40.3% of Zimbabwe's population is under 15, 56.2% is of working age (15–64), and 3.6% 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: 1,187,836 (7.0%)0-4 female: 1,167,733 (6.9%)0-45-9 male: 1,107,619 (6.5%)5-9 female: 1,091,765 (6.4%)10-14 male: 1,142,287 (6.7%)10-14 female: 1,131,148 (6.7%)10-1415-19 male: 980,182 (5.8%)15-19 female: 976,100 (5.8%)20-24 male: 818,224 (4.8%)20-24 female: 840,162 (5.0%)20-2425-29 male: 575,645 (3.4%)25-29 female: 643,899 (3.8%)30-34 male: 425,249 (2.5%)30-34 female: 516,295 (3.0%)30-3435-39 male: 433,943 (2.6%)35-39 female: 531,522 (3.1%)40-44 male: 464,247 (2.7%)40-44 female: 573,658 (3.4%)40-4445-49 male: 307,838 (1.8%)45-49 female: 431,531 (2.5%)50-54 male: 178,080 (1.1%)50-54 female: 281,724 (1.7%)50-5455-59 male: 126,291 (0.7%)55-59 female: 178,351 (1.1%)60-64 male: 101,180 (0.6%)60-64 female: 134,587 (0.8%)60-6465-69 male: 93,064 (0.5%)65-69 female: 134,317 (0.8%)70-74 male: 77,028 (0.5%)70-74 female: 113,516 (0.7%)70-7475-79 male: 41,556 (0.2%)75-79 female: 64,479 (0.4%)80-84 male: 18,631 (0.1%)80-84 female: 32,883 (0.2%)80-8485-89 male: 6,713 (0.0%)85-89 female: 13,409 (0.1%)90-94 male: 1,871 (0.0%)90-94 female: 4,581 (0.0%)90-9495-99 male: 353 (0.0%)95-99 female: 1,149 (0.0%)100+ male: 27 (0.0%)100+ female: 119 (0.0%)100+

Zimbabwe population FAQ

What is the population of Zimbabwe in 2026?

Zimbabwe's population is estimated at about 17.3 million in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 16,950,795 (2025). Zimbabwe ranks 74th in the world by population.

Is the population of Zimbabwe growing or shrinking?

Zimbabwe's population is growing at about 1.88% per year, an increase of roughly 316,422 people over the past year.

How densely populated is Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe has about 42 people per square kilometre across a land area of 386,850 km².

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

Zimbabwe is home to about 0.21% of the world's population.

What is Zimbabwe's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put Zimbabwe's population at 25,866,385 in 2050, passing through 18,610,348 in 2030.

What is the median age in Zimbabwe?

The median age in Zimbabwe is 18.1 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.