Annual growth rate of urban population share in Zambia
Zambia: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 0.979 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.979
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
44th
of 236 countries
All-time high
7.28
in 1965
All-time low
-1.74
in 1997
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Zambia, 1950–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, annual growth rate of urban population share in Zambia stood at 0.979.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in Zambia peaked at 7.28 in 1965 and was at its lowest, -1.74, in 1997.
That places Zambia 44th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.9 | — |
| 1951 | 1.48 | -22.1% |
| 1952 | 2.64 | +78.7% |
| 1953 | 3.46 | +31.0% |
| 1954 | 4.12 | +19.0% |
| 1955 | 4.62 | +12.1% |
| 1956 | 4.98 | +7.7% |
| 1957 | 5.2 | +4.5% |
| 1958 | 5.32 | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 5.34 | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 5.28 | -1.0% |
| 1961 | 5.17 | -2.2% |
| 1962 | 4.94 | -4.4% |
| 1963 | 5.44 | +10.1% |
| 1964 | 6.52 | +19.8% |
| 1965 | 7.28 | +11.6% |
| 1966 | 7.18 | -1.3% |
| 1967 | 6.58 | -8.4% |
| 1968 | 5.48 | -16.7% |
| 1969 | 4.44 | -19.0% |
| 1970 | 4.01 | -9.7% |
| 1971 | 3.99 | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 3.83 | -4.0% |
| 1973 | 3.59 | -6.3% |
| 1974 | 3.27 | -8.8% |
| 1975 | 2.89 | -11.6% |
| 1976 | 2.45 | -15.1% |
| 1977 | 1.96 | -20.1% |
| 1978 | 1.42 | -27.6% |
| 1979 | 0.7453 | -47.4% |
| 1980 | 0.1811 | -75.7% |
| 1981 | -0.0284 | -115.7% |
| 1982 | -0.062 | +118.3% |
| 1983 | -0.0918 | +48.1% |
| 1984 | -0.119 | +29.6% |
| 1985 | -0.1437 | +20.8% |
| 1986 | -0.1658 | +15.4% |
| 1987 | -0.1854 | +11.8% |
| 1988 | -0.2023 | +9.1% |
| 1989 | -0.214 | +5.8% |
| 1990 | -0.2429 | +13.5% |
| 1991 | -0.3365 | +38.5% |
| 1992 | -0.4547 | +35.1% |
| 1993 | -0.5565 | +22.4% |
| 1994 | -0.6279 | +12.8% |
| 1995 | -0.8564 | +36.4% |
| 1996 | -1.37 | +59.5% |
| 1997 | -1.74 | +27.5% |
| 1998 | -1.71 | -1.7% |
| 1999 | -1.15 | -32.9% |
| 2000 | -0.419 | -63.6% |
| 2001 | 0.3049 | -172.8% |
| 2002 | 0.7027 | +130.5% |
| 2003 | 1.02 | +44.9% |
| 2004 | 1.25 | +22.5% |
| 2005 | 1.4 | +12.0% |
| 2006 | 1.47 | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 1.47 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 1.41 | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 1.26 | -10.6% |
| 2010 | 1.1 | -12.6% |
| 2011 | 0.9925 | -9.7% |
| 2012 | 0.9809 | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 0.9639 | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 0.9471 | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 0.9305 | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 0.9141 | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 0.8978 | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 0.8817 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 0.8657 | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 0.8499 | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 0.8245 | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 0.875 | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 0.9852 | +12.6% |
| 2024 | 0.9765 | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 0.979 | +0.3% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 0.979 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.895, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 0.979 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.16, 85% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual growth rate of urban population share in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +172.8% | -0.419 | 0.3049 |
| 2002 | +130.5% | 0.3049 | 0.7027 |
| 1982 | -118.3% | -0.0284 | -0.062 |
| 1981 | -115.7% | 0.1811 | -0.0284 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.91 | 1.48 | 5.34 | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.83 | 4.44 | 7.28 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.81 | 0.7453 | 4.01 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.1031 | -0.214 | 0.1811 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.9047 | -1.74 | -0.2429 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9858 | -0.419 | 1.47 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9473 | 0.8657 | 1.1 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.915 | 0.8245 | 0.9852 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 41 Cote d'Ivoire 1.06 compare
- 42 Haiti 1.03 compare
- 43 Afghanistan 0.9824 compare
- 45 Liberia 0.9706 compare
- 46 Central African Republic 0.9659 compare
- 47 Niue 0.9593 compare
More population data for Zambia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5254 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.2495 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5254 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5112 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 37,460 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.52 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2967 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.516 (2100)
- Population density 86.73 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 4.60 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in Zambia?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in Zambia was 0.979 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.28 in 1965.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.74 in 1997.
- How does Zambia rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- Zambia ranks 44th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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