Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 6.86 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
6.86 million people
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
85th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.86 million people
in 2025
All-time low
299,706 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zimbabwe, 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
Zimbabwe recorded 6.86 million people for number of people living in urban and rural areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 42.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zimbabwe peaked at 6.86 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 299,706 people, in 1950.
Zimbabwe ranks 85th 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 299,706 people | — |
| 1951 | 311,299 people | +3.9% |
| 1952 | 322,109 people | +3.5% |
| 1953 | 334,889 people | +4.0% |
| 1954 | 349,501 people | +4.4% |
| 1955 | 365,939 people | +4.7% |
| 1956 | 384,206 people | +5.0% |
| 1957 | 404,290 people | +5.2% |
| 1958 | 426,139 people | +5.4% |
| 1959 | 449,698 people | +5.5% |
| 1960 | 474,917 people | +5.6% |
| 1961 | 501,742 people | +5.6% |
| 1962 | 530,416 people | +5.7% |
| 1963 | 563,728 people | +6.3% |
| 1964 | 603,254 people | +7.0% |
| 1965 | 647,900 people | +7.4% |
| 1966 | 696,621 people | +7.5% |
| 1967 | 748,219 people | +7.4% |
| 1968 | 801,429 people | +7.1% |
| 1969 | 854,909 people | +6.7% |
| 1970 | 908,218 people | +6.2% |
| 1971 | 962,610 people | +6.0% |
| 1972 | 1.02 million people | +5.9% |
| 1973 | 1.08 million people | +5.9% |
| 1974 | 1.14 million people | +5.9% |
| 1975 | 1.21 million people | +5.8% |
| 1976 | 1.28 million people | +5.6% |
| 1977 | 1.34 million people | +5.0% |
| 1978 | 1.39 million people | +3.9% |
| 1979 | 1.45 million people | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 1.57 million people | +8.5% |
| 1981 | 1.72 million people | +9.1% |
| 1982 | 1.83 million people | +6.6% |
| 1983 | 1.95 million people | +6.7% |
| 1984 | 2.08 million people | +6.8% |
| 1985 | 2.23 million people | +6.9% |
| 1986 | 2.38 million people | +6.8% |
| 1987 | 2.54 million people | +6.7% |
| 1988 | 2.70 million people | +6.3% |
| 1989 | 2.85 million people | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 3.00 million people | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 3.14 million people | +4.6% |
| 1992 | 3.27 million people | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 3.35 million people | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 3.39 million people | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 3.45 million people | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 3.53 million people | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 3.63 million people | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 3.72 million people | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 3.80 million people | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 3.85 million people | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 3.89 million people | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 3.94 million people | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 3.99 million people | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 4.03 million people | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 4.08 million people | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 4.13 million people | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 4.18 million people | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 4.24 million people | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 4.30 million people | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 4.37 million people | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 4.45 million people | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 4.53 million people | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 4.61 million people | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 4.71 million people | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 4.83 million people | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 4.98 million people | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 5.14 million people | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 5.32 million people | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 5.53 million people | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 5.75 million people | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 5.98 million people | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 6.22 million people | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 6.42 million people | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 6.64 million people | +3.4% |
| 2025 | 6.86 million people | +3.4% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 6.86 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.62 million people, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 6.86 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.82 million people, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 364,778 people | 299,706 people | 449,698 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 642,314 people | 474,917 people | 854,909 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.18 million people | 908,218 people | 1.45 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.18 million people | 1.57 million people | 2.85 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.43 million people | 3.00 million people | 3.80 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.06 million people | 3.85 million people | 4.30 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.85 million people | 4.37 million people | 5.53 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.31 million people | 5.75 million people | 6.86 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More population data for Zimbabwe
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0944 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1887 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.49 million people (2100)
- Population density 96.07 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5219 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.94 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zimbabwe?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Zimbabwe was 6.86 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 6.86 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 299,706 people in 1950.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Zimbabwe ranks 85th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.