Daily supply of calories per person in Zambia
Zambia: Daily supply of calories per person was 2,170 kilocalories per day in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2,170 kilocalories per day
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
180th
of 192 countries
All-time high
2,417 kilocalories per day
in 1977
All-time low
1,716 kilocalories per day
in 2007
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Daily supply of calories per person in Zambia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilocalories per day.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 2,170 kilocalories per day for daily supply of calories per person in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, daily supply of calories per person in Zambia peaked at 2,417 kilocalories per day in 1977 and was at its lowest, 1,716 kilocalories per day, in 2007.
That places Zambia 180th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Daily supply of calories per person in Zambia, year by year
| Year | kilocalories per day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2,102 kilocalories per day | — |
| 1962 | 2,095 kilocalories per day | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 2,046 kilocalories per day | -2.3% |
| 1964 | 1,997 kilocalories per day | -2.4% |
| 1965 | 1,979 kilocalories per day | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 2,107 kilocalories per day | +6.5% |
| 1967 | 2,129 kilocalories per day | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 2,156 kilocalories per day | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 2,172 kilocalories per day | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 2,170 kilocalories per day | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 2,205 kilocalories per day | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 2,223 kilocalories per day | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 2,278 kilocalories per day | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 2,293 kilocalories per day | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 2,312 kilocalories per day | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 2,335 kilocalories per day | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 2,417 kilocalories per day | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 2,293 kilocalories per day | -5.1% |
| 1979 | 2,301 kilocalories per day | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 2,285 kilocalories per day | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 2,257 kilocalories per day | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 2,158 kilocalories per day | -4.4% |
| 1983 | 2,153 kilocalories per day | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 2,136 kilocalories per day | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 2,038 kilocalories per day | -4.6% |
| 1986 | 2,060 kilocalories per day | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 2,045 kilocalories per day | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 2,078 kilocalories per day | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 2,090 kilocalories per day | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 2,096 kilocalories per day | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 2,020 kilocalories per day | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 1,996 kilocalories per day | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 1,993 kilocalories per day | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 2,033 kilocalories per day | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 2,063 kilocalories per day | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 2,050 kilocalories per day | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 1,988 kilocalories per day | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 1,949 kilocalories per day | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 1,978 kilocalories per day | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 1,889 kilocalories per day | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 1,857 kilocalories per day | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 1,845 kilocalories per day | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 1,885 kilocalories per day | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 1,839 kilocalories per day | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 1,833 kilocalories per day | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 1,785 kilocalories per day | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 1,716 kilocalories per day | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 1,723 kilocalories per day | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 1,785 kilocalories per day | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 1,925 kilocalories per day | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 1,961 kilocalories per day | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 1,991 kilocalories per day | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 2,026 kilocalories per day | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 2,079 kilocalories per day | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 2,106 kilocalories per day | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 2,167 kilocalories per day | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 2,215 kilocalories per day | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 2,244 kilocalories per day | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 2,226 kilocalories per day | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 2,207 kilocalories per day | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 2,184 kilocalories per day | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 2,119 kilocalories per day | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 2,170 kilocalories per day | +2.4% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 2,170 kilocalories per day is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2,708 kilocalories per day, 80% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 2,170 kilocalories per day is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2,518 kilocalories per day, 86% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,087 kilocalories per day | 1,979 kilocalories per day | 2,172 kilocalories per day | 9 |
| 1970s | 2,283 kilocalories per day | 2,170 kilocalories per day | 2,417 kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,130 kilocalories per day | 2,038 kilocalories per day | 2,285 kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,016 kilocalories per day | 1,949 kilocalories per day | 2,096 kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,816 kilocalories per day | 1,716 kilocalories per day | 1,889 kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,094 kilocalories per day | 1,925 kilocalories per day | 2,244 kilocalories per day | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,170 kilocalories per day | 2,119 kilocalories per day | 2,207 kilocalories per day | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 177 Congo 2,187 kilocalories per day compare
- 178 Mozambique 2,186 kilocalories per day compare
- 179 Papua New Guinea 2,177 kilocalories per day compare
- 181 Solomon Islands 2,166 kilocalories per day compare
- 182 Kenya 2,146 kilocalories per day compare
- 183 Liberia 2,135 kilocalories per day compare
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 daily supply of calories per person in Zambia?
- Daily supply of calories per person in Zambia was 2,170 kilocalories per day in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest daily supply of calories per person recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 2,417 kilocalories per day in 1977.
- What is the lowest daily supply of calories per person recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,716 kilocalories per day in 2007.
- How does Zambia rank for daily supply of calories per person?
- Zambia ranks 180th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is daily supply of calories per person rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Daily supply of calories per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Measured in kilocalories per person per day. This indicates the calories that are available for consumption, but does not necessarily measure the number of calories actually consumed, since it doesn't factor in consumer waste.