GDP growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: GDP growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 2.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
GDP growth in Zimbabwe, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2024, gdp growth in Zimbabwe stood at 2.0%.
That represents a change of down 62.0% on the previous year and down 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp growth in Zimbabwe peaked at 22.6% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -17.7%, in 2008.
That places Zimbabwe 145th out of 212 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
GDP growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 22.6% | — |
| 1971 | 8.9% | -60.5% |
| 1972 | 8.3% | -6.6% |
| 1973 | 2.6% | -68.7% |
| 1974 | 6.6% | +154.4% |
| 1975 | -1.9% | -129.1% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | -124.1% |
| 1977 | -6.9% | -1575.9% |
| 1978 | -2.7% | -60.5% |
| 1979 | 3.3% | -221.8% |
| 1980 | 14.4% | +337.4% |
| 1981 | 12.5% | -13.1% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | -79.0% |
| 1983 | 1.6% | -39.8% |
| 1984 | -1.9% | -220.3% |
| 1985 | 6.9% | -464.1% |
| 1986 | 2.1% | -69.8% |
| 1987 | 1.2% | -45.2% |
| 1988 | 7.6% | +556.3% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | -31.2% |
| 1990 | 7.0% | +34.4% |
| 1991 | 5.5% | -20.8% |
| 1992 | -9.0% | -263.0% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | -111.7% |
| 1994 | 9.2% | +778.3% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -98.3% |
| 1996 | 10.4% | +6456.2% |
| 1997 | 2.7% | -74.1% |
| 1998 | 2.9% | +7.6% |
| 1999 | -0.8% | -128.3% |
| 2000 | -3.1% | +274.1% |
| 2001 | 1.4% | -147.1% |
| 2002 | -8.9% | -717.8% |
| 2003 | -17.0% | +91.1% |
| 2004 | -5.8% | -65.8% |
| 2005 | -5.7% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | -3.5% | -39.4% |
| 2007 | -3.7% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | -17.7% | +383.6% |
| 2009 | 13.3% | -175.1% |
| 2010 | 19.7% | +48.2% |
| 2011 | 14.2% | -27.9% |
| 2012 | 16.7% | +17.4% |
| 2013 | 2.0% | -88.1% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | +19.5% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | -25.1% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -57.5% |
| 2017 | 4.7% | +526.4% |
| 2018 | 5.0% | +5.8% |
| 2019 | -6.3% | -226.4% |
| 2020 | -7.8% | +23.4% |
| 2021 | 8.5% | -208.3% |
| 2022 | 6.1% | -27.5% |
| 2023 | 5.3% | -13.1% |
| 2024 | 2.0% | -62.0% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 2.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.7%, 55% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 2.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.1%, 49% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where GDP growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +6456.2% | 0.2% | 10.4% |
| 1977 | -1575.9% | 0.5% | -6.9% |
| 1994 | +778.3% | 1.1% | 9.2% |
| 2002 | -717.8% | 1.4% | -8.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.1% | -6.9% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.2% | -1.9% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.9% | -9.0% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | -5.1% | -17.7% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.1% | -6.3% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.8% | -7.8% | 8.5% | 5 |
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 gdp growth in Zimbabwe?
- Gdp growth in Zimbabwe was 2.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gdp growth recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 22.6% in 1970.
- What is the lowest gdp growth recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was -17.7% in 2008.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for gdp growth?
- Zimbabwe ranks 145th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gdp growth rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of GDP growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release