Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths in Zambia
Zambia: Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths was 351,372 children in 2024. ▲ Rising
Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths in Zambia, 1990–2024
Source: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in children.
Analysis
The most recent figure for children orphaned due to aids deaths in Zambia is 351,372 children, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 8.8% on the previous year and down 44.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children orphaned due to aids deaths in Zambia peaked at 739,490 children in 2008 and was at its lowest, 57,246 children, in 1990.
That places Zambia 11th out of 139 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths in Zambia, year by year
| Year | children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 57,246 children | — |
| 1991 | 78,990 children | +38.0% |
| 1992 | 105,556 children | +33.6% |
| 1993 | 137,181 children | +30.0% |
| 1994 | 173,334 children | +26.4% |
| 1995 | 212,764 children | +22.7% |
| 1996 | 255,447 children | +20.1% |
| 1997 | 300,633 children | +17.7% |
| 1998 | 347,509 children | +15.6% |
| 1999 | 395,218 children | +13.7% |
| 2000 | 443,497 children | +12.2% |
| 2001 | 491,623 children | +10.9% |
| 2002 | 539,643 children | +9.8% |
| 2003 | 586,216 children | +8.6% |
| 2004 | 628,526 children | +7.2% |
| 2005 | 668,078 children | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 703,244 children | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 732,038 children | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 739,490 children | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 732,120 children | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 722,018 children | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 709,417 children | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 688,430 children | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 662,343 children | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 633,999 children | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 604,273 children | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 572,121 children | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 543,784 children | -5.0% |
| 2018 | 525,591 children | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 507,567 children | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 481,019 children | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 450,444 children | -6.4% |
| 2022 | 417,563 children | -7.3% |
| 2023 | 385,270 children | -7.7% |
| 2024 | 351,372 children | -8.8% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 351,372 children is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 38,246 children, 9.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 351,372 children is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 83,352 children, 4.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 206,388 children | 57,246 children | 395,218 children | 10 |
| 2000s | 626,448 children | 443,497 children | 739,490 children | 10 |
| 2010s | 616,954 children | 507,567 children | 722,018 children | 10 |
| 2020s | 417,134 children | 351,372 children | 481,019 children | 5 |
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)
- Political opposition, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament and government, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is children orphaned due to aids deaths in Zambia?
- Children orphaned due to aids deaths in Zambia was 351,372 children in 2024, according to Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest children orphaned due to aids deaths recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 739,490 children in 2008.
- What is the lowest children orphaned due to aids deaths recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 57,246 children in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for children orphaned due to aids deaths?
- Zambia ranks 11th out of 139 countries with data for 2024.
- Is children orphaned due to aids deaths rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of children, aged 17 and under, who have been orphaned by the death of one or both parents from AIDS at any point in their lives. This is the central estimate.