Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in Zambia
Zambia: Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking was 10.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in Zambia, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in Zambia is 10.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in Zambia peaked at 16.0% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 2020.
That places Zambia 172nd out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.0% | — |
| 2001 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 16.0% | +6.7% |
| 2009 | 16.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 16.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 16.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 15.0% | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 14.0% | -6.7% |
| 2016 | 13.0% | -7.1% |
| 2017 | 12.0% | -7.7% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 11.0% | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 10.0% | -9.1% |
| 2021 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 10.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 45.5%, 22% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 10.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.0%, 77% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.2% | 15.0% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.0% | 11.0% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10.0% | 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 clean fuels for cooking in Zambia?
- Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in Zambia was 10.0% in 2024, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 2008.
- What is the lowest share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 2020.
- How does Zambia rank for share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking?
- Zambia ranks 172nd out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Access to clean fuels or technologies such as natural gas, electricity, and clean cookstoves reduces exposure to indoor air pollutants, a leading cause of death in low-income households.