Average age of mothers at childbirth in Zambia
Zambia: Average age of mothers at childbirth was 28.44 years in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
28.44 years
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
173rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
29.7 years
in 1984
All-time low
28.44 years
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Average age of mothers at childbirth in Zambia, 1950–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 28.44 years for average age of mothers at childbirth in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average age of mothers at childbirth in Zambia peaked at 29.7 years in 1984 and was at its lowest, 28.44 years, in 2023.
That places Zambia 173rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Average age of mothers at childbirth in Zambia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 28.98 years | — |
| 1951 | 28.98 years | -0.0% |
| 1952 | 28.98 years | -0.0% |
| 1953 | 28.98 years | -0.0% |
| 1954 | 28.97 years | -0.0% |
| 1955 | 28.97 years | -0.0% |
| 1956 | 28.97 years | -0.0% |
| 1957 | 28.96 years | -0.0% |
| 1958 | 28.96 years | -0.0% |
| 1959 | 28.96 years | -0.0% |
| 1960 | 28.96 years | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 28.97 years | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 28.98 years | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 28.99 years | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 29.02 years | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 29.04 years | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 29.07 years | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 29.07 years | -0.0% |
| 1968 | 29.07 years | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 29.07 years | -0.0% |
| 1970 | 29.06 years | -0.0% |
| 1971 | 29.07 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 29.08 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 29.12 years | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 29.18 years | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 29.19 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 29.27 years | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 29.32 years | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 29.41 years | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 29.48 years | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 29.59 years | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 29.56 years | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 29.59 years | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 29.64 years | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 29.7 years | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 29.64 years | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 29.61 years | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 29.61 years | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 29.54 years | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 29.46 years | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 29.43 years | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 29.27 years | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 29.17 years | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 29.09 years | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 29.03 years | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 29.01 years | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 29 years | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 28.98 years | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 28.91 years | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 28.84 years | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 28.82 years | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 28.93 years | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 28.97 years | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 28.96 years | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 29 years | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 29.05 years | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 29.09 years | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 29.08 years | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 29.07 years | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 29.07 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 29.05 years | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 29.02 years | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 28.93 years | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 28.89 years | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 28.83 years | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 28.77 years | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 28.72 years | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 28.68 years | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 28.65 years | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 28.6 years | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 28.55 years | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 28.52 years | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 28.47 years | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 28.44 years | -0.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 28.44 years is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 28.56 years, 100% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 28.44 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.9 years, 98% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 28.97 years | 28.96 years | 28.98 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 29.02 years | 28.96 years | 29.07 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 29.22 years | 29.06 years | 29.48 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.59 years | 29.46 years | 29.7 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.07 years | 28.84 years | 29.43 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 29 years | 28.82 years | 29.09 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.81 years | 28.6 years | 29.05 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.5 years | 28.44 years | 28.55 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 170 British Virgin Islands 28.48 years compare
- 171 Sao Tome and Principe 28.47 years compare
- 172 Kyrgyzstan 28.46 years compare
- 174 Cameroon 28.42 years compare
- 175 Suriname 28.41 years compare
- 176 Mozambique 28.36 years 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 average age of mothers at childbirth in Zambia?
- Average age of mothers at childbirth in Zambia was 28.44 years in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average age of mothers at childbirth recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 29.7 years in 1984.
- What is the lowest average age of mothers at childbirth recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.44 years in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for average age of mothers at childbirth?
- Zambia ranks 173rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average age of mothers at childbirth rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Average age of mothers at childbirth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Mean age of mothers at the birth of their children if women were subject throughout their lives to the age-specific fertility rates observed in a given year.