Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Zambia
Zambia: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 45.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
45.9%
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
172nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
45.9%
in 2025
All-time low
11.5%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita 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 %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Zambia stood at 45.9%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Zambia peaked at 45.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 11.5%, in 1950.
That places Zambia 172nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11.5% | — |
| 1951 | 11.6% | +1.1% |
| 1952 | 11.9% | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 12.3% | +3.1% |
| 1954 | 12.7% | +3.9% |
| 1955 | 13.3% | +4.5% |
| 1956 | 14.0% | +4.9% |
| 1957 | 14.7% | +5.2% |
| 1958 | 15.5% | +5.4% |
| 1959 | 16.3% | +5.5% |
| 1960 | 17.2% | +5.5% |
| 1961 | 18.1% | +5.4% |
| 1962 | 19.1% | +5.2% |
| 1963 | 20.1% | +5.1% |
| 1964 | 21.3% | +6.1% |
| 1965 | 22.9% | +7.3% |
| 1966 | 24.6% | +7.6% |
| 1967 | 26.4% | +7.2% |
| 1968 | 28.0% | +6.3% |
| 1969 | 29.4% | +5.0% |
| 1970 | 30.7% | +4.2% |
| 1971 | 31.9% | +4.1% |
| 1972 | 33.2% | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 34.4% | +3.8% |
| 1974 | 35.6% | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 36.8% | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 37.8% | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 38.6% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 39.3% | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 39.7% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 39.9% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 39.9% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 39.9% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 39.8% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 39.8% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 39.7% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 39.7% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 39.6% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 39.5% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 39.5% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 39.4% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 39.3% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 39.1% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 38.9% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 38.7% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 38.4% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 38.0% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 37.4% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 36.7% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 36.2% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 36.8% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 37.3% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 37.8% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 38.4% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 39.0% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 39.5% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 40.0% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 40.4% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 40.8% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 41.2% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 41.6% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 42.0% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 42.7% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 43.1% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 43.5% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 43.9% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 44.2% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 44.6% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 45.0% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 45.5% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 45.9% | +1.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 45.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 90% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 45.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.4% | 11.5% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 22.7% | 17.2% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 35.8% | 30.7% | 39.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.7% | 39.5% | 39.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.2% | 36.2% | 39.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.3% | 35.9% | 39.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.7% | 40.0% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.9% | 43.9% | 45.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 169 Turkmenistan 47.1% compare
- 170 Guinea-Bissau 46.7% compare
- 171 Sierra Leone 45.9% compare
- 173 Seychelles 45.5% compare
- 174 Democratic Republic of Congo 45.1% compare
- 175 Lesotho 44.7% 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 urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Zambia?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Zambia was 45.9% 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 share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 45.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.5% in 1950.
- How does Zambia rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Zambia ranks 172nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.