Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Personal remittances and foreign aid received was 2.57 billion current US$ in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Zimbabwe, 1977–2021
Source: World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 2.57 billion current US$ for personal remittances and foreign aid received in 2021. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 40.5% on the previous year and up 34.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances and foreign aid received in Zimbabwe peaked at 2.57 billion current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 349,842 current US$, in 1991.
Zimbabwe ranks 56th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 17.65 million current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 12.89 million current US$ | -26.9% |
| 1979 | 19.40 million current US$ | +50.5% |
| 1980 | 16.89 million current US$ | -12.9% |
| 1981 | 28.29 million current US$ | +67.5% |
| 1982 | 32.90 million current US$ | +16.3% |
| 1983 | 19.56 million current US$ | -40.6% |
| 1984 | 3.81 million current US$ | -80.5% |
| 1985 | 619,641 current US$ | -83.7% |
| 1986 | 785,055 current US$ | +26.7% |
| 1987 | 1.14 million current US$ | +45.6% |
| 1988 | 1.38 million current US$ | +21.0% |
| 1989 | 712,249 current US$ | -48.5% |
| 1990 | 848,636 current US$ | +19.1% |
| 1991 | 349,842 current US$ | -58.8% |
| 1992 | 587,727 current US$ | +68.0% |
| 1993 | 1.13 million current US$ | +91.6% |
| 1994 | 43.69 million current US$ | +3780.4% |
| 2009 | 1.21 billion current US$ | +2659.9% |
| 2010 | 1.41 billion current US$ | +17.2% |
| 2011 | 1.92 billion current US$ | +35.8% |
| 2012 | 2.11 billion current US$ | +10.1% |
| 2013 | 1.89 billion current US$ | -10.6% |
| 2014 | 1.90 billion current US$ | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 2.05 billion current US$ | +7.5% |
| 2016 | 1.86 billion current US$ | -9.3% |
| 2017 | 1.73 billion current US$ | -6.8% |
| 2018 | 1.43 billion current US$ | -17.5% |
| 2019 | 1.42 billion current US$ | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 1.83 billion current US$ | +29.3% |
| 2021 | 2.57 billion current US$ | +40.5% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 2.57 billion current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 650.39 million current US$, 4.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 2.57 billion current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 318.64 million current US$, 8.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Zimbabwe changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +3780.4% | 1.13 million current US$ | 43.69 million current US$ |
| 2009 | +2659.9% | 43.69 million current US$ | 1.21 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.65 million current US$ | 12.89 million current US$ | 19.40 million current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 10.61 million current US$ | 619,641 current US$ | 32.90 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.32 million current US$ | 349,842 current US$ | 43.69 million current US$ | 5 |
| 2000s | 1.21 billion current US$ | 1.21 billion current US$ | 1.21 billion current US$ | 1 |
| 2010s | 1.77 billion current US$ | 1.41 billion current US$ | 2.11 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.20 billion current US$ | 1.83 billion current US$ | 2.57 billion current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (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 11,077 2010 = 100 (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances and foreign aid received in Zimbabwe?
- Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Zimbabwe was 2.57 billion current US$ in 2021, according to World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 2.57 billion current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 349,842 current US$ in 1991.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for personal remittances and foreign aid received?
- Zimbabwe ranks 56th out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
- Is personal remittances and foreign aid received rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Personal remittances and foreign aid received. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends. Foreign aid is measured as official development assistance. Both are measured in current US$.