Tobacco production in Zambia
Zambia: Tobacco production was 20,768 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
20,768 tonnes
Change on year
down 36.0%
World rank
28th
of 146 countries
All-time high
58,211 tonnes
in 2005
All-time low
2,308 tonnes
in 1992
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Tobacco production in Zambia, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 20,768 tonnes for tobacco production in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 36.0% on the previous year and down 41.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tobacco production in Zambia peaked at 58,211 tonnes in 2005 and was at its lowest, 2,308 tonnes, in 1992.
That places Zambia 28th out of 146 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Tobacco production in Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 7,273 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 7,941 tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1963 | 8,020 tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 11,784 tonnes | +46.9% |
| 1965 | 9,119 tonnes | -22.6% |
| 1966 | 7,367 tonnes | -19.2% |
| 1967 | 5,353 tonnes | -27.3% |
| 1968 | 6,679 tonnes | +24.8% |
| 1969 | 5,338 tonnes | -20.1% |
| 1970 | 5,050 tonnes | -5.4% |
| 1971 | 6,297 tonnes | +24.7% |
| 1972 | 5,917 tonnes | -6.0% |
| 1973 | 6,693 tonnes | +13.1% |
| 1974 | 6,631 tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 6,978 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1976 | 6,474 tonnes | -7.2% |
| 1977 | 5,900 tonnes | -8.9% |
| 1978 | 3,964 tonnes | -32.8% |
| 1979 | 4,971 tonnes | +25.4% |
| 1980 | 4,681 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 1981 | 2,984 tonnes | -36.3% |
| 1982 | 2,573 tonnes | -13.8% |
| 1983 | 2,874 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 1984 | 3,121 tonnes | +8.6% |
| 1985 | 2,673 tonnes | -14.4% |
| 1986 | 3,899 tonnes | +45.9% |
| 1987 | 3,551 tonnes | -8.9% |
| 1988 | 4,350 tonnes | +22.5% |
| 1989 | 3,600 tonnes | -17.2% |
| 1990 | 4,400 tonnes | +22.2% |
| 1991 | 5,500 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1992 | 2,308 tonnes | -58.0% |
| 1993 | 6,652 tonnes | +188.2% |
| 1994 | 6,098 tonnes | -8.3% |
| 1995 | 3,800 tonnes | -37.7% |
| 1996 | 3,842 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 3,026 tonnes | -21.2% |
| 1998 | 3,053 tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 8,599 tonnes | +181.7% |
| 2000 | 9,533 tonnes | +10.9% |
| 2001 | 11,616 tonnes | +21.9% |
| 2002 | 13,982 tonnes | +20.4% |
| 2003 | 20,035 tonnes | +43.3% |
| 2004 | 37,311 tonnes | +86.2% |
| 2005 | 58,211 tonnes | +56.0% |
| 2006 | 22,427 tonnes | -61.5% |
| 2007 | 17,463 tonnes | -22.1% |
| 2008 | 21,664 tonnes | +24.1% |
| 2009 | 27,245 tonnes | +25.8% |
| 2010 | 31,880 tonnes | +17.0% |
| 2011 | 38,287 tonnes | +20.1% |
| 2012 | 31,244 tonnes | -18.4% |
| 2013 | 29,769 tonnes | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 35,546 tonnes | +19.4% |
| 2015 | 26,894 tonnes | -24.3% |
| 2016 | 19,017 tonnes | -29.3% |
| 2017 | 20,496 tonnes | +7.8% |
| 2018 | 24,894 tonnes | +21.5% |
| 2019 | 15,814 tonnes | -36.5% |
| 2020 | 53,937 tonnes | +241.1% |
| 2021 | 34,599 tonnes | -35.9% |
| 2022 | 23,144 tonnes | -33.1% |
| 2023 | 32,449 tonnes | +40.2% |
| 2024 | 20,768 tonnes | -36.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 20,768 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2,560 tonnes, 8.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 20,768 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2,288 tonnes, 9.1× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tobacco production in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +241.1% | 15,814 tonnes | 53,937 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7,653 tonnes | 5,338 tonnes | 11,784 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 5,888 tonnes | 3,964 tonnes | 6,978 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 3,431 tonnes | 2,573 tonnes | 4,681 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,728 tonnes | 2,308 tonnes | 8,599 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 23,949 tonnes | 9,533 tonnes | 58,211 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 27,384 tonnes | 15,814 tonnes | 38,287 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 32,980 tonnes | 20,768 tonnes | 53,937 tonnes | 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)
- 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)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tobacco production in Zambia?
- Tobacco production in Zambia was 20,768 tonnes in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tobacco production recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 58,211 tonnes in 2005.
- What is the lowest tobacco production recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,308 tonnes in 1992.
- How does Zambia rank for tobacco production?
- Zambia ranks 28th out of 146 countries with data for 2024.
- Is tobacco production rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Tobacco production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Tobacco production is measured in tonnes.