Number of children under 5 in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Number of children under 5 was 2.31 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.31 million people
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
54th
of 236 countries
All-time high
2.38 million people
in 2015
All-time low
492,289 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children under 5 in Zimbabwe, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, number of children under 5 in Zimbabwe stood at 2.31 million people.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children under 5 in Zimbabwe peaked at 2.38 million people in 2015 and was at its lowest, 492,289 people, in 1950.
That places Zimbabwe 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of children under 5 in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 492,289 people | — |
| 1951 | 525,407 people | +6.7% |
| 1952 | 560,854 people | +6.7% |
| 1953 | 600,202 people | +7.0% |
| 1954 | 630,424 people | +5.0% |
| 1955 | 648,418 people | +2.9% |
| 1956 | 666,075 people | +2.7% |
| 1957 | 684,523 people | +2.8% |
| 1958 | 703,835 people | +2.8% |
| 1959 | 724,028 people | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 745,309 people | +2.9% |
| 1961 | 767,633 people | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 790,823 people | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 814,769 people | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 839,364 people | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 864,666 people | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 890,454 people | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 916,598 people | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 943,520 people | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 971,526 people | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 1.00 million people | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 1.03 million people | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 1.06 million people | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 1.10 million people | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 1.14 million people | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 1.18 million people | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 1.22 million people | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 1.26 million people | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 1.30 million people | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 1.33 million people | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 1.37 million people | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 1.43 million people | +4.2% |
| 1982 | 1.49 million people | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 1.54 million people | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 1.60 million people | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 1.65 million people | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 1.68 million people | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 1.70 million people | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 1.70 million people | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 1.70 million people | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 1.69 million people | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 1.69 million people | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 1.67 million people | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 1.65 million people | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 1.63 million people | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 1.62 million people | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 1.62 million people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.63 million people | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 1.67 million people | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 1.73 million people | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 1.79 million people | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 1.86 million people | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 1.92 million people | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 1.97 million people | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 2.01 million people | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 2.03 million people | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 2.04 million people | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 2.05 million people | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 2.07 million people | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 2.10 million people | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 2.16 million people | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 2.22 million people | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 2.29 million people | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 2.35 million people | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 2.38 million people | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 2.38 million people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.36 million people | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 2.32 million people | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 2.28 million people | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 2.26 million people | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 2.25 million people | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 2.26 million people | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 2.28 million people | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 2.31 million people | +1.3% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 2.31 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.25 million people, 1.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 2.31 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.19 million people, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 623,606 people | 492,289 people | 724,028 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 854,466 people | 745,309 people | 971,526 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.16 million people | 1.00 million people | 1.33 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.58 million people | 1.37 million people | 1.70 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.66 million people | 1.62 million people | 1.73 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.98 million people | 1.79 million people | 2.10 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.30 million people | 2.16 million people | 2.38 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.27 million people | 2.25 million people | 2.31 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- 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)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (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 11,077 2010 = 100 (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children under 5 in Zimbabwe?
- Number of children under 5 in Zimbabwe was 2.31 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children under 5 recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 2.38 million people in 2015.
- What is the lowest number of children under 5 recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 492,289 people in 1950.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for number of children under 5?
- Zimbabwe ranks 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children under 5 rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children under 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-4.