Total population (thousands) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Total population (thousands) was 16,790 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
16,790 thousands
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
73rd
of 233 countries
All-time high
16,790 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
5,138 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Zimbabwe, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population in Zimbabwe is 16,790 thousands, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Zimbabwe peaked at 16,790 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5,138 thousands, in 1970.
Zimbabwe ranks 73rd of 233 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5,138 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 5,293 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 5,456 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 5,629 thousands | +3.2% |
| 1974 | 5,812 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 6,005 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 6,193 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 6,382 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 6,517 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 6,570 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 6,725 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 7,357 thousands | +9.4% |
| 1982 | 7,640 thousands | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 7,953 thousands | +4.1% |
| 1984 | 8,244 thousands | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 8,539 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 8,835 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 9,131 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 9,439 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 9,728 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 10,002 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 10,272 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 10,537 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 10,868 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 10,852 thousands | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 10,894 thousands | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 11,055 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 11,262 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 11,478 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 11,710 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 11,856 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 11,928 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 12,016 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 12,159 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 12,306 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 12,426 thousands | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 12,541 thousands | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 12,732 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 12,876 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 13,042 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 13,243 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 13,470 thousands | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 13,721 thousands | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 13,915 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 14,113 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 14,302 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 14,496 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 14,705 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 14,920 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 15,148 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 15,394 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 15,660 thousands | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 15,935 thousands | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 16,203 thousands | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 16,478 thousands | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 16,790 thousands | +1.9% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 16,790 thousands is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12,314 thousands, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 16,790 thousands is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,783 thousands, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5,899 thousands | 5,138 thousands | 6,570 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 8,359 thousands | 6,725 thousands | 9,728 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 10,893 thousands | 10,002 thousands | 11,710 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 12,388 thousands | 11,856 thousands | 13,042 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 14,203 thousands | 13,243 thousands | 15,148 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 16,077 thousands | 15,394 thousands | 16,790 thousands | 6 |
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)
- 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 total population in Zimbabwe?
- Total population in Zimbabwe was 16,790 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 16,790 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,138 thousands in 1970.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for total population?
- Zimbabwe ranks 73rd out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release