Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Zambia
Zambia: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate was 3.82 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3.82 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
23rd
of 234 countries
All-time high
11.06 % change on previous year
in 1966
All-time low
0.864 % change on previous year
in 1998
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Zambia, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Zambia is 3.82 % change on previous year, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Zambia peaked at 11.06 % change on previous year in 1966 and was at its lowest, 0.864 % change on previous year, in 1998.
That places Zambia 23rd out of 234 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 4.25 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 5.34 % change on previous year | +25.8% |
| 1953 | 6.31 % change on previous year | +18.0% |
| 1954 | 7.1 % change on previous year | +12.6% |
| 1955 | 7.73 % change on previous year | +8.8% |
| 1956 | 8.19 % change on previous year | +6.0% |
| 1957 | 8.51 % change on previous year | +3.9% |
| 1958 | 8.71 % change on previous year | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 8.8 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 8.8 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 1961 | 8.73 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 1962 | 8.59 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 1963 | 8.51 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 9.52 % change on previous year | +12.0% |
| 1965 | 10.76 % change on previous year | +13.0% |
| 1966 | 11.06 % change on previous year | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 10.67 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1968 | 9.79 % change on previous year | -8.3% |
| 1969 | 8.4 % change on previous year | -14.2% |
| 1970 | 7.27 % change on previous year | -13.4% |
| 1971 | 7.02 % change on previous year | -3.4% |
| 1972 | 6.97 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 6.82 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1974 | 6.58 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1975 | 6.27 % change on previous year | -4.6% |
| 1976 | 5.88 % change on previous year | -6.3% |
| 1977 | 5.39 % change on previous year | -8.3% |
| 1978 | 4.83 % change on previous year | -10.4% |
| 1979 | 4.19 % change on previous year | -13.2% |
| 1980 | 3.51 % change on previous year | -16.3% |
| 1981 | 3.11 % change on previous year | -11.4% |
| 1982 | 3.22 % change on previous year | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 3.2 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 3.02 % change on previous year | -5.6% |
| 1985 | 2.91 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1986 | 2.87 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 2.75 % change on previous year | -4.2% |
| 1988 | 2.58 % change on previous year | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 2.46 % change on previous year | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 2.37 % change on previous year | -3.7% |
| 1991 | 2.22 % change on previous year | -6.2% |
| 1992 | 2.04 % change on previous year | -8.4% |
| 1993 | 1.89 % change on previous year | -7.0% |
| 1994 | 1.8 % change on previous year | -4.8% |
| 1995 | 1.75 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 1.37 % change on previous year | -21.7% |
| 1997 | 0.9447 % change on previous year | -30.9% |
| 1998 | 0.864 % change on previous year | -8.5% |
| 1999 | 1.17 % change on previous year | +35.9% |
| 2000 | 2 % change on previous year | +70.4% |
| 2001 | 3.1 % change on previous year | +55.0% |
| 2002 | 3.66 % change on previous year | +18.0% |
| 2003 | 4.05 % change on previous year | +10.8% |
| 2004 | 4.41 % change on previous year | +8.9% |
| 2005 | 4.74 % change on previous year | +7.5% |
| 2006 | 5.01 % change on previous year | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 5.14 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 5.14 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 5.01 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 4.74 % change on previous year | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 4.45 % change on previous year | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 4.32 % change on previous year | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 4.26 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 4.21 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 4.14 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 4.1 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 4.05 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 3.97 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 3.91 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 3.83 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 3.73 % change on previous year | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 3.65 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 3.82 % change on previous year | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 3.86 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 3.82 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 3.82 % change on previous year is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.77 % change on previous year, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 3.82 % change on previous year is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.42 % change on previous year, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +70.4% | 1.17 % change on previous year | 2 % change on previous year |
| 2001 | +55.0% | 2 % change on previous year | 3.1 % change on previous year |
| 1999 | +35.9% | 0.864 % change on previous year | 1.17 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.21 % change on previous year | 4.25 % change on previous year | 8.8 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 9.48 % change on previous year | 8.4 % change on previous year | 11.06 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.12 % change on previous year | 4.19 % change on previous year | 7.27 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.96 % change on previous year | 2.46 % change on previous year | 3.51 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.64 % change on previous year | 0.864 % change on previous year | 2.37 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.23 % change on previous year | 2 % change on previous year | 5.14 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.22 % change on previous year | 3.91 % change on previous year | 4.74 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.79 % change on previous year | 3.65 % change on previous year | 3.86 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 20 Benin 4.02 % change on previous year compare
- 21 Madagascar 3.9 % change on previous year compare
- 22 Syrian Arab Republic 3.85 % change on previous year compare
- 24 Afghanistan 3.76 % change on previous year compare
- 25 Yemen 3.57 % change on previous year compare
- 26 Guinea 3.53 % change on previous year 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)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Population density 86.73 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 4.60 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Zambia?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Zambia was 3.82 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 11.06 % change on previous year in 1966.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.864 % change on previous year in 1998.
- How does Zambia rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate?
- Zambia ranks 23rd out of 234 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.