Average annual surface temperature in Zambia
Zambia: Average annual surface temperature was 22.02 °C in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
22.02 °C
Change on year
down 3.4%
World rank
102nd
of 193 countries
All-time high
22.8 °C
in 2024
All-time low
20.7 °C
in 1974
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Average annual surface temperature in Zambia, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in °C.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 22.02 °C for average annual surface temperature in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual surface temperature in Zambia peaked at 22.8 °C in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.7 °C, in 1974.
Zambia ranks 102nd of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Average annual surface temperature in Zambia, year by year
| Year | °C | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 20.96 °C | — |
| 1941 | 21.92 °C | +4.6% |
| 1942 | 21.54 °C | -1.7% |
| 1943 | 21.5 °C | -0.2% |
| 1944 | 21.61 °C | +0.5% |
| 1945 | 21.48 °C | -0.6% |
| 1946 | 21.25 °C | -1.1% |
| 1947 | 21.31 °C | +0.3% |
| 1948 | 21.21 °C | -0.4% |
| 1949 | 21.67 °C | +2.1% |
| 1950 | 20.9 °C | -3.5% |
| 1951 | 21.99 °C | +5.2% |
| 1952 | 21.66 °C | -1.5% |
| 1953 | 20.86 °C | -3.7% |
| 1954 | 22.13 °C | +6.1% |
| 1955 | 20.88 °C | -5.7% |
| 1956 | 20.81 °C | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 21.15 °C | +1.6% |
| 1958 | 21.11 °C | -0.2% |
| 1959 | 21.18 °C | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 21.12 °C | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 21 °C | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 21.31 °C | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 21.19 °C | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 21.31 °C | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 21.18 °C | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 21.74 °C | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 21.32 °C | -1.9% |
| 1968 | 21.39 °C | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 21.29 °C | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 21.53 °C | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 21.14 °C | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 21.23 °C | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 21.56 °C | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 20.7 °C | -4.0% |
| 1975 | 21.09 °C | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 20.7 °C | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 21.65 °C | +4.6% |
| 1978 | 21.14 °C | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 21.05 °C | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 21.42 °C | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 21.35 °C | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 21.48 °C | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 22.3 °C | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 21.63 °C | -3.0% |
| 1985 | 21.23 °C | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 21.1 °C | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 22.37 °C | +6.0% |
| 1988 | 21.83 °C | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 21.47 °C | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 21.94 °C | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 21.65 °C | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 22.25 °C | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 21.7 °C | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 21.87 °C | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 22.48 °C | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 22.13 °C | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 21.96 °C | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 22.45 °C | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 21.71 °C | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 21.7 °C | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 21.73 °C | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 22.07 °C | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 21.98 °C | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 21.64 °C | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 22.59 °C | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 21.72 °C | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 21.86 °C | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 21.6 °C | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 21.63 °C | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 22.09 °C | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 21.74 °C | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 21.92 °C | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 22.22 °C | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 22.28 °C | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 22.37 °C | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 22.5 °C | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 21.99 °C | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 22.3 °C | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 22.62 °C | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 22.17 °C | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 22.13 °C | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 21.92 °C | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 22.73 °C | +3.7% |
| 2024 | 22.8 °C | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 22.02 °C | -3.4% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 22.02 °C is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24.33 °C, 91% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 22.02 °C is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.65 °C, 86% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 21.45 °C | 20.96 °C | 21.92 °C | 10 |
| 1950s | 21.27 °C | 20.81 °C | 22.13 °C | 10 |
| 1960s | 21.28 °C | 21 °C | 21.74 °C | 10 |
| 1970s | 21.18 °C | 20.7 °C | 21.65 °C | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.62 °C | 21.1 °C | 22.37 °C | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.01 °C | 21.65 °C | 22.48 °C | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.85 °C | 21.6 °C | 22.59 °C | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.2 °C | 21.74 °C | 22.62 °C | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.3 °C | 21.92 °C | 22.8 °C | 6 |
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 average annual surface temperature in Zambia?
- Average annual surface temperature in Zambia was 22.02 °C in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average annual surface temperature recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 22.8 °C in 2024.
- What is the lowest average annual surface temperature recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.7 °C in 1974.
- How does Zambia rank for average annual surface temperature?
- Zambia ranks 102nd out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is average annual surface temperature rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average annual surface temperature. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Temperature of the air measured 2 meters above the ground, encompassing land, sea, and in-land water surfaces.