Annual change in population in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Annual change in population was 271,768 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
271,768 people
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
59th
of 236 countries
All-time high
457,337 people
in 1981
All-time low
12,861 people
in 1994
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual change in population in Zimbabwe, 1951–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, annual change in population in Zimbabwe stood at 271,768 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 38.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in population in Zimbabwe peaked at 457,337 people in 1981 and was at its lowest, 12,861 people, in 1994.
That places Zimbabwe 59th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 73 years of available data.
Annual change in population in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 89,993 people | — |
| 1952 | 92,012 people | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 94,259 people | +2.4% |
| 1954 | 96,712 people | +2.6% |
| 1955 | 99,337 people | +2.7% |
| 1956 | 102,312 people | +3.0% |
| 1957 | 105,625 people | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 109,027 people | +3.2% |
| 1959 | 112,625 people | +3.3% |
| 1960 | 116,582 people | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 121,010 people | +3.8% |
| 1962 | 125,566 people | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 129,907 people | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 134,129 people | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 138,453 people | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 142,766 people | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 147,086 people | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 152,131 people | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 157,745 people | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 157,734 people | -0.0% |
| 1971 | 158,800 people | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 167,725 people | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 177,969 people | +6.1% |
| 1974 | 187,924 people | +5.6% |
| 1975 | 190,316 people | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 188,454 people | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 162,410 people | -13.8% |
| 1978 | 94,056 people | -42.1% |
| 1979 | 103,984 people | +10.6% |
| 1980 | 393,747 people | +278.7% |
| 1981 | 457,337 people | +16.1% |
| 1982 | 297,862 people | -34.9% |
| 1983 | 301,905 people | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 293,086 people | -2.9% |
| 1985 | 295,321 people | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 295,764 people | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 302,070 people | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 298,450 people | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 281,698 people | -5.6% |
| 1990 | 272,490 people | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 267,533 people | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 297,877 people | +11.3% |
| 1993 | 157,588 people | -47.1% |
| 1994 | 12,861 people | -91.8% |
| 1995 | 101,461 people | +688.9% |
| 1996 | 183,757 people | +81.1% |
| 1997 | 211,469 people | +15.1% |
| 1998 | 224,466 people | +6.1% |
| 1999 | 189,155 people | -15.7% |
| 2000 | 108,601 people | -42.6% |
| 2001 | 79,849 people | -26.5% |
| 2002 | 115,757 people | +45.0% |
| 2003 | 144,663 people | +25.0% |
| 2004 | 133,577 people | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 117,532 people | -12.0% |
| 2006 | 153,009 people | +30.2% |
| 2007 | 167,620 people | +9.5% |
| 2008 | 155,092 people | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 183,637 people | +18.4% |
| 2010 | 213,760 people | +16.4% |
| 2011 | 238,870 people | +11.7% |
| 2012 | 222,466 people | -6.9% |
| 2013 | 195,924 people | -11.9% |
| 2014 | 193,556 people | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 191,641 people | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 201,289 people | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 212,187 people | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 221,973 people | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 236,920 people | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 255,510 people | +7.8% |
| 2021 | 270,333 people | +5.8% |
| 2022 | 271,841 people | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 271,768 people | -0.0% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 271,768 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 167,005 people, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 271,768 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 359,940 people, 76% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in population in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +688.9% | 12,861 people | 101,461 people |
| 1980 | +278.7% | 103,984 people | 393,747 people |
| 1994 | -91.8% | 157,588 people | 12,861 people |
| 1996 | +81.1% | 101,461 people | 183,757 people |
| 1993 | -47.1% | 297,877 people | 157,588 people |
| 2000 | -42.6% | 189,155 people | 108,601 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 100,211 people | 89,993 people | 112,625 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 136,538 people | 116,582 people | 157,745 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 158,937 people | 94,056 people | 190,316 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 321,724 people | 281,698 people | 457,337 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 191,866 people | 12,861 people | 297,877 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 135,934 people | 79,849 people | 183,637 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 212,859 people | 191,641 people | 238,870 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 267,363 people | 255,510 people | 271,841 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More population data for Zimbabwe
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1887 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.0209 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1887 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0944 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 26,439 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.94 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5219 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 96.07 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.49 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in population in Zimbabwe?
- Annual change in population in Zimbabwe was 271,768 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in population recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 457,337 people in 1981.
- What is the lowest annual change in population recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 12,861 people in 1994.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for annual change in population?
- Zimbabwe ranks 59th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual change in population rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual change in population, calculated as the difference between population on 1 July of consecutive years.