Median age in Zambia
Zambia: Median age was 17.49 years in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
17.49 years
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
221st
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.49 years
in 2023
All-time low
14.22 years
in 1980
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Median age in Zambia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 17.49 years for median age in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median age in Zambia peaked at 17.49 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 14.22 years, in 1980.
That places Zambia 221st out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Median age in Zambia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 16.43 years | — |
| 1951 | 16.4 years | -0.2% |
| 1952 | 16.36 years | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 16.31 years | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 16.27 years | -0.3% |
| 1955 | 16.22 years | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 16.17 years | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 16.1 years | -0.4% |
| 1958 | 16.03 years | -0.4% |
| 1959 | 15.96 years | -0.5% |
| 1960 | 15.88 years | -0.5% |
| 1961 | 15.8 years | -0.5% |
| 1962 | 15.73 years | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 15.65 years | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 15.56 years | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 15.46 years | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 15.38 years | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 15.34 years | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 15.31 years | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 15.26 years | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 15.15 years | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 15.01 years | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 14.86 years | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 14.73 years | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 14.61 years | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 14.49 years | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 14.4 years | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 14.32 years | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 14.27 years | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 14.23 years | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 14.22 years | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 14.24 years | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 14.29 years | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 14.35 years | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 14.4 years | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 14.44 years | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 14.49 years | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 14.54 years | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 14.57 years | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 14.61 years | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 14.64 years | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 14.67 years | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 14.7 years | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 14.72 years | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 14.72 years | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 14.72 years | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 14.71 years | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 14.72 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 14.73 years | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 14.76 years | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 14.8 years | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 14.88 years | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 14.97 years | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 15.05 years | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 15.13 years | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 15.2 years | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 15.28 years | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 15.36 years | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 15.45 years | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 15.54 years | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 15.62 years | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 15.69 years | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 15.77 years | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 15.87 years | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 15.98 years | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 16.11 years | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 16.26 years | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 16.43 years | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 16.59 years | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 16.76 years | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 16.94 years | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 17.11 years | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 17.29 years | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 17.49 years | +1.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 17.49 years is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.43 years, 82% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 17.49 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.22 years, 96% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.23 years | 15.96 years | 16.43 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 15.54 years | 15.26 years | 15.88 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.61 years | 14.23 years | 15.15 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.41 years | 14.22 years | 14.61 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.71 years | 14.64 years | 14.76 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.17 years | 14.8 years | 15.54 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.11 years | 15.62 years | 16.76 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.21 years | 16.94 years | 17.49 years | 4 |
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 median age in Zambia?
- Median age in Zambia was 17.49 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median age recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 17.49 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest median age recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.22 years in 1980.
- How does Zambia rank for median age?
- Zambia ranks 221st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is median age rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Median age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Age that divides the population into two halves of equal size — half are younger and half are older.