Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Zambia
Zambia: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 29.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Zambia, 1960–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 29.5% for share of urban population who live in the largest city in 2020. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of up 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Zambia peaked at 29.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 1960.
That places Zambia 72nd out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.5% | 4.9% | 6.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 8.3% | 7.9% | 8.7% | 2 |
| 1980s | 14.7% | 13.2% | 16.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 19.7% | 19.2% | 20.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 22.9% | 21.9% | 23.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 26.6% | 25.8% | 27.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 29.5% | 29.5% | 29.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More population data for Zambia
- 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)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 4.04 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 4.04 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 79,275 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 4.04 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 4.1 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 3.82 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Zambia?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Zambia was 29.5% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 29.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 1960.
- How does Zambia rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Zambia ranks 72nd out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.