Access to electricity (% of total population) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Access to electricity (% of total population) was 38.1% in 2016. ▲ Rising
Access to electricity in Zimbabwe, 1990–2016
Source: World Bank Global Electrification Database 2012. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2016, access to electricity in Zimbabwe stood at 38.1%.
The figure is up 13.2% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, access to electricity in Zimbabwe peaked at 43.4% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 28.1%, in 1994.
That places Zimbabwe 196th out of 218 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Access to electricity (% of total population) in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 30.4% | — |
| 1991 | 30.7% | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | -8.2% |
| 1993 | 31.4% | +11.5% |
| 1994 | 28.1% | -10.6% |
| 1995 | 32.1% | +14.3% |
| 1996 | 32.5% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 32.8% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 33.1% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 38.4% | +16.1% |
| 2000 | 33.6% | -12.5% |
| 2001 | 33.8% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 34.2% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 34.3% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 34.5% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 34.7% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 37.2% | +7.2% |
| 2007 | 35.2% | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 35.5% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 43.4% | +22.3% |
| 2010 | 36.1% | -16.8% |
| 2011 | 36.9% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 36.7% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 37.1% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 32.3% | -12.9% |
| 2015 | 33.7% | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 38.1% | +13.2% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 38.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 64.5%, 59% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 38.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 41.0%, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 31.8% | 28.1% | 38.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.6% | 33.6% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.8% | 32.3% | 38.1% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.1903 (2026)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.2726 (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.8086 (2026)
- Country level monthly temperature anomalies -0.5886 (2026)
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Urban area long term, annual growth rate 1.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban area long term, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban area long term, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is access to electricity in Zimbabwe?
- Access to electricity in Zimbabwe was 38.1% in 2016, according to World Bank Global Electrification Database 2012.
- What is the highest access to electricity recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 43.4% in 2009.
- What is the lowest access to electricity recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.1% in 1994.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for access to electricity?
- Zimbabwe ranks 196th out of 218 countries with data for 2016.
- Is access to electricity rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Global Electrification Database 2012, published as part of Access to electricity (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Access to electricity is the percentage of population with access to electricity.