Population growth rate in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Population growth rate was 1.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate in Zimbabwe, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, population growth rate in Zimbabwe stood at 1.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Zimbabwe peaked at 9.0% in 1980 and was at its lowest, -0.1%, in 1993.
That places Zimbabwe 69th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.2% | — |
| 1951 | 3.2% | -1.0% |
| 1952 | 3.1% | -0.8% |
| 1953 | 3.1% | -0.6% |
| 1954 | 3.1% | -0.5% |
| 1955 | 3.1% | -0.4% |
| 1956 | 3.1% | +0.1% |
| 1957 | 3.1% | +0.1% |
| 1958 | 3.1% | +0.1% |
| 1959 | 3.1% | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 3.1% | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 3.1% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 3.2% | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 3.2% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 3.2% | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 3.2% | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 3.1% | -0.0% |
| 1968 | 3.2% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 3.2% | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 3.0% | -6.5% |
| 1971 | 3.0% | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 3.1% | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 3.2% | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 3.3% | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 3.1% | -5.5% |
| 1976 | 3.0% | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 2.1% | -29.9% |
| 1978 | 0.8% | -62.1% |
| 1979 | 2.3% | +193.6% |
| 1980 | 9.0% | +283.2% |
| 1981 | 3.8% | -58.0% |
| 1982 | 4.0% | +6.4% |
| 1983 | 3.6% | -10.4% |
| 1984 | 3.5% | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 3.4% | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 3.3% | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 3.3% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 3.0% | -9.2% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | -7.6% |
| 1990 | 2.7% | -4.2% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | -4.6% |
| 1992 | 3.1% | +21.6% |
| 1993 | -0.1% | -104.8% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -360.5% |
| 1995 | 1.5% | +283.6% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | +25.9% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | +5.1% |
| 1999 | 1.2% | -38.1% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | -51.8% |
| 2001 | 0.7% | +23.7% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | +59.9% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 1.0% | -18.5% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | -6.1% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | +65.6% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | -26.1% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | +14.7% |
| 2009 | 1.5% | +18.7% |
| 2010 | 1.7% | +11.3% |
| 2011 | 1.8% | +8.6% |
| 2012 | 1.4% | -23.8% |
| 2013 | 1.4% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -5.5% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | +0.8% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 1.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.7%, 99% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 1.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 72% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +360.5% | -0.1% | 0.4% |
| 1980 | +283.2% | 2.3% | 9.0% |
| 1995 | +283.6% | 0.4% | 1.5% |
| 1979 | +193.6% | 0.8% | 2.3% |
| 1993 | -104.8% | 3.1% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | +65.6% | 0.9% | 1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.7% | 0.8% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.0% | 2.8% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | -0.1% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.6% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 66 British Virgin Islands 1.8% compare
- 67 Honduras 1.7% compare
- 68 French Guiana 1.7% compare
- 70 Saint Barthelemy 1.7% compare
- 71 Iceland 1.6% compare
- 72 Botswana 1.6% compare
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 population growth rate in Zimbabwe?
- Population growth rate in Zimbabwe was 1.7% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 9.0% in 1980.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1% in 1993.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for population growth rate?
- Zimbabwe ranks 69th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.