Share of the population with access to basic services in Zambia
Zambia: Share of the population with access to basic services was 53.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with access to basic services in Zambia, 1990–2024
Source: Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 53.6% for share of the population with access to basic services in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 92.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with access to basic services in Zambia peaked at 53.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.8%, in 1991.
Zambia ranks 196th of 214 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Share of the population with access to basic services in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 13.9% | — |
| 1991 | 12.8% | -8.3% |
| 1992 | 19.2% | +50.6% |
| 1993 | 14.2% | -26.0% |
| 1994 | 14.9% | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 15.7% | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 17.3% | +10.4% |
| 1997 | 17.1% | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 19.0% | +11.0% |
| 1999 | 18.5% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 16.7% | -9.9% |
| 2001 | 20.2% | +21.0% |
| 2002 | 17.4% | -13.9% |
| 2003 | 18.5% | +6.3% |
| 2004 | 20.3% | +9.7% |
| 2005 | 23.3% | +14.8% |
| 2006 | 24.1% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 18.5% | -23.2% |
| 2008 | 25.7% | +38.9% |
| 2009 | 26.6% | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 22.0% | -17.3% |
| 2011 | 28.3% | +28.6% |
| 2012 | 29.2% | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 30.1% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 27.9% | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 31.1% | +11.5% |
| 2016 | 35.4% | +13.8% |
| 2017 | 40.3% | +13.8% |
| 2018 | 40.2% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 43.0% | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 44.6% | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 46.7% | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 47.8% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 51.1% | +6.9% |
| 2024 | 53.6% | +4.9% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 53.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 88.7%, 60% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 53.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.8%, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.3% | 12.8% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.1% | 16.7% | 26.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.8% | 22.0% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.8% | 44.6% | 53.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with access to basic services in Zambia?
- Share of the population with access to basic services in Zambia was 53.6% in 2024, according to Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with access to basic services recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 53.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population with access to basic services recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.8% in 1991.
- How does Zambia rank for share of the population with access to basic services?
- Zambia ranks 196th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population with access to basic services rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 92.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with access to basic services. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Access to electricity means having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.