State Capacity Index in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: State Capacity Index was 0.2965 in 2015. ◆ Volatile
State Capacity Index in Zimbabwe, 1970–2015
Source: Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for state capacity index in Zimbabwe is 0.2965, measured in 2015.
The figure is up 11.7% on the previous year and up 955.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, state capacity index in Zimbabwe peaked at 1.09 in 1998 and was at its lowest, -1.08, in 1973.
Zimbabwe ranks 97th of 166 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.
State Capacity Index in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -1.02 | — |
| 1971 | -1.02 | +0.1% |
| 1972 | -1.04 | +2.3% |
| 1973 | -1.08 | +3.7% |
| 1974 | -1.05 | -2.9% |
| 1975 | -1.05 | -0.2% |
| 1976 | -0.4675 | -55.5% |
| 1977 | -0.4881 | +4.4% |
| 1978 | -0.4815 | -1.4% |
| 1979 | -0.4565 | -5.2% |
| 1980 | 0.669 | -246.5% |
| 1981 | 0.7176 | +7.3% |
| 1982 | 0.7409 | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 0.6879 | -7.2% |
| 1984 | 0.4141 | -39.8% |
| 1985 | 0.4438 | +7.2% |
| 1986 | 0.4563 | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 0.5303 | +16.2% |
| 1988 | 0.6466 | +21.9% |
| 1989 | 0.6317 | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 0.5989 | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 0.5877 | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 0.7462 | +27.0% |
| 1993 | 0.8478 | +13.6% |
| 1994 | 0.8398 | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 0.8562 | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 0.8321 | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 0.8936 | +7.4% |
| 1998 | 1.09 | +22.5% |
| 1999 | 0.9057 | -17.3% |
| 2000 | 0.7135 | -21.2% |
| 2001 | 0.3261 | -54.3% |
| 2002 | 0.2442 | -25.1% |
| 2003 | 0.2828 | +15.8% |
| 2004 | 0.277 | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 0.0281 | -89.9% |
| 2006 | -0.1963 | -799.1% |
| 2007 | -0.1733 | -11.7% |
| 2008 | -0.4866 | +180.8% |
| 2009 | -0.2404 | -50.6% |
| 2010 | -0.1221 | -49.2% |
| 2011 | 0.0361 | -129.6% |
| 2012 | 0.0887 | +145.9% |
| 2013 | 0.0563 | -36.5% |
| 2014 | 0.2654 | +371.2% |
| 2015 | 0.2965 | +11.7% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 0.2965 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.0123, 24.2× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 0.2965 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.0931. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where State Capacity Index 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | -799.1% | 0.0281 | -0.1963 |
| 2014 | +371.2% | 0.0563 | 0.2654 |
| 1980 | +246.5% | -0.4565 | 0.669 |
| 2008 | -180.8% | -0.1733 | -0.4866 |
| 2012 | +145.9% | 0.0361 | 0.0887 |
| 2011 | +129.6% | -0.1221 | 0.0361 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -0.817 | -1.08 | -0.4565 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5938 | 0.4141 | 0.7409 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8203 | 0.5877 | 1.09 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0775 | -0.4866 | 0.7135 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1035 | -0.1221 | 0.2965 | 6 |
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 state capacity index in Zimbabwe?
- State capacity index in Zimbabwe was 0.2965 in 2015, according to Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest state capacity index recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 1.09 in 1998.
- What is the lowest state capacity index recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.08 in 1973.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for state capacity index?
- Zimbabwe ranks 97th out of 166 countries with data for 2015.
- Is state capacity index rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 955.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of State Capacity Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measures state capacity by combining 21 different indicators related to three key dimensions: extractive capacity, coercive capacity, and administrative capacity. Higher values indicate greater state capacity.