Annual population growth in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Annual population growth was 271,768 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
271,768
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
59th
of 236 countries
All-time high
457,337
in 1981
All-time low
12,861
in 1994
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual population growth in Zimbabwe, 1951–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, annual population growth in Zimbabwe stood at 271,768.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 38.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual population growth in Zimbabwe peaked at 457,337 in 1981 and was at its lowest, 12,861, 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 population growth in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 89,993 | — |
| 1952 | 92,012 | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 94,259 | +2.4% |
| 1954 | 96,712 | +2.6% |
| 1955 | 99,337 | +2.7% |
| 1956 | 102,312 | +3.0% |
| 1957 | 105,625 | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 109,027 | +3.2% |
| 1959 | 112,625 | +3.3% |
| 1960 | 116,582 | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 121,010 | +3.8% |
| 1962 | 125,566 | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 129,907 | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 134,129 | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 138,453 | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 142,766 | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 147,086 | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 152,131 | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 157,745 | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 157,734 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | 158,800 | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 167,725 | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 177,969 | +6.1% |
| 1974 | 187,924 | +5.6% |
| 1975 | 190,316 | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 188,454 | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 162,410 | -13.8% |
| 1978 | 94,056 | -42.1% |
| 1979 | 103,984 | +10.6% |
| 1980 | 393,747 | +278.7% |
| 1981 | 457,337 | +16.1% |
| 1982 | 297,862 | -34.9% |
| 1983 | 301,905 | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 293,086 | -2.9% |
| 1985 | 295,321 | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 295,764 | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 302,070 | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 298,450 | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 281,698 | -5.6% |
| 1990 | 272,490 | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 267,533 | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 297,877 | +11.3% |
| 1993 | 157,588 | -47.1% |
| 1994 | 12,861 | -91.8% |
| 1995 | 101,461 | +688.9% |
| 1996 | 183,757 | +81.1% |
| 1997 | 211,469 | +15.1% |
| 1998 | 224,466 | +6.1% |
| 1999 | 189,155 | -15.7% |
| 2000 | 108,601 | -42.6% |
| 2001 | 79,849 | -26.5% |
| 2002 | 115,757 | +45.0% |
| 2003 | 144,663 | +25.0% |
| 2004 | 133,577 | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 117,532 | -12.0% |
| 2006 | 153,009 | +30.2% |
| 2007 | 167,620 | +9.5% |
| 2008 | 155,092 | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 183,637 | +18.4% |
| 2010 | 213,760 | +16.4% |
| 2011 | 238,870 | +11.7% |
| 2012 | 222,466 | -6.9% |
| 2013 | 195,924 | -11.9% |
| 2014 | 193,556 | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 191,641 | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 201,289 | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 212,187 | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 221,973 | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 236,920 | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 255,510 | +7.8% |
| 2021 | 270,333 | +5.8% |
| 2022 | 271,841 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 271,768 | -0.0% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 271,768 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 167,005, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 271,768 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 359,940, 76% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual population growth 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 | 101,461 |
| 1980 | +278.7% | 103,984 | 393,747 |
| 1994 | -91.8% | 157,588 | 12,861 |
| 1996 | +81.1% | 101,461 | 183,757 |
| 1993 | -47.1% | 297,877 | 157,588 |
| 2000 | -42.6% | 189,155 | 108,601 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 100,211 | 89,993 | 112,625 | 9 |
| 1960s | 136,538 | 116,582 | 157,745 | 10 |
| 1970s | 158,937 | 94,056 | 190,316 | 10 |
| 1980s | 321,724 | 281,698 | 457,337 | 10 |
| 1990s | 191,866 | 12,861 | 297,877 | 10 |
| 2000s | 135,934 | 79,849 | 183,637 | 10 |
| 2010s | 212,859 | 191,641 | 238,870 | 10 |
| 2020s | 267,363 | 255,510 | 271,841 | 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)
- Population growth rate 0.188 (2100)
- Population density 96.07 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.49 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual population growth in Zimbabwe?
- Annual population growth in Zimbabwe was 271,768 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual population growth recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 457,337 in 1981.
- What is the lowest annual population growth recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 12,861 in 1994.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for annual population growth?
- Zimbabwe ranks 59th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual population growth 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Annual population growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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