Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zambia
Zambia: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 10.06 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
10.06 million people
Change on year
up 3.8%
World rank
67th
of 236 countries
All-time high
10.06 million people
in 2025
All-time low
266,950 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zambia, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zambia is 10.06 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.8% on the previous year and up 46.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zambia peaked at 10.06 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 266,950 people, in 1950.
Zambia ranks 67th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 in Zambia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 266,950 people | — |
| 1951 | 278,289 people | +4.2% |
| 1952 | 293,161 people | +5.3% |
| 1953 | 311,647 people | +6.3% |
| 1954 | 333,779 people | +7.1% |
| 1955 | 359,572 people | +7.7% |
| 1956 | 389,022 people | +8.2% |
| 1957 | 422,123 people | +8.5% |
| 1958 | 458,878 people | +8.7% |
| 1959 | 499,257 people | +8.8% |
| 1960 | 543,186 people | +8.8% |
| 1961 | 590,582 people | +8.7% |
| 1962 | 641,293 people | +8.6% |
| 1963 | 695,837 people | +8.5% |
| 1964 | 762,098 people | +9.5% |
| 1965 | 844,071 people | +10.8% |
| 1966 | 937,457 people | +11.1% |
| 1967 | 1.04 million people | +10.7% |
| 1968 | 1.14 million people | +9.8% |
| 1969 | 1.23 million people | +8.4% |
| 1970 | 1.32 million people | +7.3% |
| 1971 | 1.42 million people | +7.0% |
| 1972 | 1.52 million people | +7.0% |
| 1973 | 1.62 million people | +6.8% |
| 1974 | 1.73 million people | +6.6% |
| 1975 | 1.83 million people | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 1.94 million people | +5.9% |
| 1977 | 2.05 million people | +5.4% |
| 1978 | 2.15 million people | +4.8% |
| 1979 | 2.24 million people | +4.2% |
| 1980 | 2.31 million people | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 2.39 million people | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 2.46 million people | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 2.54 million people | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 2.62 million people | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 2.69 million people | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 2.77 million people | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 2.85 million people | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 2.92 million people | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 2.99 million people | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 3.06 million people | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 3.13 million people | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 3.20 million people | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 3.26 million people | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 3.32 million people | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 3.37 million people | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 3.42 million people | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 3.45 million people | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 3.48 million people | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 3.52 million people | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 3.59 million people | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 3.71 million people | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 3.84 million people | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 4.00 million people | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 4.17 million people | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 4.37 million people | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 4.59 million people | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 4.83 million people | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 5.07 million people | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 5.33 million people | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 5.58 million people | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 5.83 million people | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 6.08 million people | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 6.34 million people | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 6.61 million people | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 6.88 million people | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 7.16 million people | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 7.45 million people | +4.1% |
| 2018 | 7.75 million people | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 8.05 million people | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 8.36 million people | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 8.67 million people | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 8.99 million people | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 9.33 million people | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 9.69 million people | +3.9% |
| 2025 | 10.06 million people | +3.8% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 10.06 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.62 million people, 1.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 10.06 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.82 million people, 2.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 361,268 people | 266,950 people | 499,257 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 842,592 people | 543,186 people | 1.23 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.78 million people | 1.32 million people | 2.24 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.66 million people | 2.31 million people | 2.99 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.32 million people | 3.06 million people | 3.52 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.35 million people | 3.59 million people | 5.33 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.77 million people | 5.58 million people | 8.05 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.18 million people | 8.36 million people | 10.06 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More population data for Zambia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5112 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5254 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 4.60 million people (2100)
- Population density 86.73 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2967 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.52 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zambia?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zambia was 10.06 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.06 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 266,950 people in 1950.
- How does Zambia rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Zambia ranks 67th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.