Per capita sources of protein in Zambia
Zambia: Per capita sources of protein was 34.96 grams of protein per day per capita in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
34.96 grams of protein per day per capita
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
171st
of 192 countries
All-time high
54.63 grams of protein per day per capita
in 1977
All-time low
32.18 grams of protein per day per capita
in 2020
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Per capita sources of protein in Zambia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in grams of protein per day per capita.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 34.96 grams of protein per day per capita for per capita sources of protein in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and down 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita sources of protein in Zambia peaked at 54.63 grams of protein per day per capita in 1977 and was at its lowest, 32.18 grams of protein per day per capita, in 2020.
That places Zambia 171st 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.
Per capita sources of protein in Zambia, year by year
| Year | grams of protein per day per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 49.43 grams of protein per day per capita | — |
| 1962 | 49 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.9% |
| 1963 | 48.07 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.9% |
| 1964 | 46.52 grams of protein per day per capita | -3.2% |
| 1965 | 45.89 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 48.62 grams of protein per day per capita | +6.0% |
| 1967 | 47.75 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.8% |
| 1968 | 48.06 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 48.8 grams of protein per day per capita | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 48.16 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 48.72 grams of protein per day per capita | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 49.33 grams of protein per day per capita | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 50.16 grams of protein per day per capita | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 51.31 grams of protein per day per capita | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 50.62 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 50.71 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 54.63 grams of protein per day per capita | +7.7% |
| 1978 | 51.37 grams of protein per day per capita | -6.0% |
| 1979 | 50.5 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 48.89 grams of protein per day per capita | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 47.58 grams of protein per day per capita | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 44.42 grams of protein per day per capita | -6.6% |
| 1983 | 45.18 grams of protein per day per capita | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 45.24 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 43.12 grams of protein per day per capita | -4.7% |
| 1986 | 43.49 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 43.57 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 44.28 grams of protein per day per capita | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 43.34 grams of protein per day per capita | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 41.58 grams of protein per day per capita | -4.1% |
| 1991 | 40.91 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 40.89 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 40.61 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 42.15 grams of protein per day per capita | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 43.77 grams of protein per day per capita | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 42.86 grams of protein per day per capita | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 40.66 grams of protein per day per capita | -5.1% |
| 1998 | 40.21 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 39.56 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 37.44 grams of protein per day per capita | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 37.32 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 36.59 grams of protein per day per capita | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 38.14 grams of protein per day per capita | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 36.32 grams of protein per day per capita | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 40.54 grams of protein per day per capita | +11.6% |
| 2006 | 36.86 grams of protein per day per capita | -9.1% |
| 2007 | 34.79 grams of protein per day per capita | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 37.19 grams of protein per day per capita | +6.9% |
| 2009 | 38.43 grams of protein per day per capita | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 34.53 grams of protein per day per capita | -10.1% |
| 2011 | 37.11 grams of protein per day per capita | +7.5% |
| 2012 | 37.21 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 37.93 grams of protein per day per capita | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 37.7 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 38.86 grams of protein per day per capita | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 39.2 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 37.68 grams of protein per day per capita | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 37.33 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 33.4 grams of protein per day per capita | -10.5% |
| 2020 | 32.18 grams of protein per day per capita | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 34.15 grams of protein per day per capita | +6.1% |
| 2022 | 33.9 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 34.96 grams of protein per day per capita | +3.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 34.96 grams of protein per day per capita is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 46.04 grams of protein per day per capita, 76% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 34.96 grams of protein per day per capita is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 45.39 grams of protein per day per capita, 77% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 48.02 grams of protein per day per capita | 45.89 grams of protein per day per capita | 49.43 grams of protein per day per capita | 9 |
| 1970s | 50.55 grams of protein per day per capita | 48.16 grams of protein per day per capita | 54.63 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.91 grams of protein per day per capita | 43.12 grams of protein per day per capita | 48.89 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.32 grams of protein per day per capita | 39.56 grams of protein per day per capita | 43.77 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.36 grams of protein per day per capita | 34.79 grams of protein per day per capita | 40.54 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.09 grams of protein per day per capita | 33.4 grams of protein per day per capita | 39.2 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.8 grams of protein per day per capita | 32.18 grams of protein per day per capita | 34.96 grams of protein per day per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 168 Burundi 35.9 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 169 Germany 35.63 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 170 Netherlands 35.62 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 172 Mongolia 34.87 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 173 Madagascar 34.55 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 174 Czechia 34.32 grams of protein per day per capita 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)
- 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 per capita sources of protein in Zambia?
- Per capita sources of protein in Zambia was 34.96 grams of protein per day per capita in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita sources of protein recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 54.63 grams of protein per day per capita in 1977.
- What is the lowest per capita sources of protein recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.18 grams of protein per day per capita in 2020.
- How does Zambia rank for per capita sources of protein?
- Zambia ranks 171st out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita sources of protein rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.8%. 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) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita sources of protein. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Quantity that is available for consumption at the end of the supply chain. It does not account for consumer waste, so the quantity that is actually consumed may be lower.