Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Zambia
Zambia: Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita was 53.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Zambia, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Zambia is 53.2%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Zambia peaked at 53.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 45.0%, in 1950.
That places Zambia 203rd out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 45.0% | — |
| 1955 | 45.9% | +2.0% |
| 1960 | 46.9% | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 48.1% | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 49.4% | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 50.4% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 50.3% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 48.8% | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 47.7% | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 47.9% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 48.1% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 50.1% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 51.6% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 52.7% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 53.2% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 45.5% | 45.0% | 45.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 47.5% | 46.9% | 48.1% | 2 |
| 1970s | 49.9% | 49.4% | 50.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 49.6% | 48.8% | 50.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 47.8% | 47.7% | 47.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 49.1% | 48.1% | 50.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 52.2% | 51.6% | 52.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 53.2% | 53.2% | 53.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 200 Slovakia 53.5% compare
- 201 Tanzania, United Republic of 53.5% compare
- 202 Republic of Moldova 53.4% compare
- 204 Chad 51.5% compare
- 205 Bosnia and Herzegovina 51.2% compare
- 206 Slovenia 50.3% 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 share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Zambia?
- Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Zambia was 53.2% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 53.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.0% in 1950.
- How does Zambia rank for share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita?
- Zambia ranks 203rd out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. 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 major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.