Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zambia
Zambia: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 45.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
45.9%
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
174th
of 238 countries
All-time high
45.9%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zambia, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 45.9% for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zambia peaked at 45.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Zambia ranks 174th of 238 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.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.4% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 1.2% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 1.3% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 1.4% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 1.6% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 1.7% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 1.9% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 2.1% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 2.3% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 2.5% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 2.7% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 3.0% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 3.3% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 3.6% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 3.9% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 4.3% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 4.7% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 5.1% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 5.6% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 6.2% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 6.7% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 7.4% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 8.1% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 8.9% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 9.7% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 10.6% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 11.5% | +8.1% |
| 1951 | 11.6% | +1.1% |
| 1952 | 11.9% | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 12.3% | +3.1% |
| 1954 | 12.7% | +3.9% |
| 1955 | 13.3% | +4.5% |
| 1956 | 14.0% | +4.9% |
| 1957 | 14.7% | +5.2% |
| 1958 | 15.5% | +5.4% |
| 1959 | 16.3% | +5.5% |
| 1960 | 17.2% | +5.5% |
| 1961 | 18.1% | +5.4% |
| 1962 | 19.1% | +5.2% |
| 1963 | 20.1% | +5.1% |
| 1964 | 21.3% | +6.1% |
| 1965 | 22.9% | +7.3% |
| 1966 | 24.6% | +7.6% |
| 1967 | 26.4% | +7.2% |
| 1968 | 28.0% | +6.3% |
| 1969 | 29.4% | +5.0% |
| 1970 | 30.7% | +4.2% |
| 1971 | 31.9% | +4.1% |
| 1972 | 33.2% | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 34.4% | +3.8% |
| 1974 | 35.6% | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 36.8% | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 37.8% | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 38.6% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 39.3% | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 39.7% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 39.9% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 39.9% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 39.9% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 39.8% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 39.8% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 39.7% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 39.7% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 39.6% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 39.5% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 39.5% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 39.4% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 39.3% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 39.1% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 38.9% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 38.7% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 38.4% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 38.0% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 37.4% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 36.7% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 36.2% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 36.8% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 37.3% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 37.8% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 38.4% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 39.0% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 39.5% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 40.0% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 40.4% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 40.8% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 41.2% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 41.6% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 42.0% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 42.7% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 43.1% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 43.5% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 43.9% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 44.2% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 44.6% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 45.0% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 45.5% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 45.9% | +1.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 45.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 90% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 45.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1750s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1760s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1780s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1790s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1800s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1810s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 1820s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1 |
| 1830s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 1840s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1850s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 1860s | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 1 |
| 1870s | 5.6% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 1 |
| 1880s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 1890s | 6.7% | 6.7% | 6.7% | 1 |
| 1900s | 7.4% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 1 |
| 1910s | 8.1% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 1 |
| 1920s | 8.9% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 1 |
| 1930s | 9.7% | 9.7% | 9.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 10.6% | 10.6% | 10.6% | 1 |
| 1950s | 13.4% | 11.5% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 22.7% | 17.2% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 35.8% | 30.7% | 39.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.7% | 39.5% | 39.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.2% | 36.2% | 39.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.3% | 35.9% | 39.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.7% | 40.0% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.9% | 43.9% | 45.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 171 Turkmenistan 47.1% compare
- 172 Guinea-Bissau 46.7% compare
- 173 Sierra Leone 45.9% compare
- 175 Seychelles 45.5% compare
- 176 Democratic Republic of Congo 45.1% compare
- 177 Lesotho 44.7% 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)
- 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 do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zambia?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zambia was 45.9% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 45.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Zambia rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Zambia ranks 174th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.