Population and Demographics of Zambia
A very young population · 41.46% under age 15 in 2024
Zambia's demographic profile combines +2.85% annual change with fertility of 4.0, and the broad age profile puts 56.59% between ages 15 and 64. Over the 24 years from 2000 to 2024, Zambia moved +112.8% in population size. The medium projection reaches 38.08 million in 2050, placing the mid-century total 78.7% above 2024.
Population Over Time in Zambia
Between 2000 and 2024, Zambia's population increased by about 11.30 million, moving from 10.018M to 21.315M. The UN medium projection places 2050 at 38.083M, about 78.7% above the 2024 reference point. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
The age distribution adds important context to Zambia's 2024 population total and points to a very young profile. At 41.46%, the under-15 group is larger than the 1.95% aged 65+, while ages 15 to 64 account for 56.59%. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives Zambia a female share of 50.5% and a male share of 49.5%. Females exceed males by 1.0 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Females made up 50.5% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.5% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Zambia records +2.85% annual population change in 2024 and 4.0 children per woman, alongside a 41.46% child share and 1.95% older-adult share.
The 24-year population path to 2024 amounts to +112.8% for Zambia, and the UN medium projection subsequently changes the total +78.7% by 2050; separate component statistics would be needed to attribute the movement.
2024 estimate for Zambia. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Zambia vs. World
Relative to the 2024 world benchmarks, Zambia's population change is higher than the global rate, its fertility is above the global level, and its population is younger than the corresponding global median-age profile.
| Indicator | Zambia | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +2.85% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 4 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 18 | 30.6 | 2024 |
The table is built for like-for-like comparison, using 2024 values from a single harmonized source context linked to UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 total is 21,314,956 people. Annual change in the same harmonized table is +2.85%.
Broad age shares show 1.95% aged 65+ compared with 41.46% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 56.59%.
The World Bank 2024 sex-share series is 50.5% female and 49.5% male.
The 2050 medium projection is 38.083M, 78.7% above the 2024 estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Zambia?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Zambia is 21,314,956 people.
Is the population of Zambia growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Zambia's population is growing, with annual change of +2.85%.
What percentage of the population of Zambia is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 1.95% of Zambia's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Zambia in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Zambia's 2050 population at 38,083,385.
What is the fertility rate in Zambia?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Zambia is 4 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.