Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 40.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
40.5%
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
186th
of 238 countries
All-time high
40.5%
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 Zimbabwe, 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
In 2025, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zimbabwe stood at 40.5%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zimbabwe peaked at 40.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Zimbabwe 186th out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Zimbabwe, 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 | 1.1% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 1.2% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 1.3% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 1.4% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 1.6% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 1.7% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 1.9% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 2.1% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 2.3% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 2.5% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 2.7% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 3.0% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 3.3% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 3.6% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 3.9% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 4.3% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 4.7% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 5.1% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 5.6% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 6.2% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 6.8% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 7.4% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 8.1% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 8.9% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 9.7% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 10.7% | +10.5% |
| 1951 | 10.8% | +0.6% |
| 1952 | 10.8% | +0.3% |
| 1953 | 10.9% | +0.8% |
| 1954 | 11.0% | +1.2% |
| 1955 | 11.2% | +1.5% |
| 1956 | 11.4% | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 11.6% | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 11.9% | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 12.2% | +2.3% |
| 1960 | 12.5% | +2.4% |
| 1961 | 12.8% | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 13.1% | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 13.5% | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 14.0% | +3.7% |
| 1965 | 14.5% | +4.1% |
| 1966 | 15.1% | +4.2% |
| 1967 | 15.8% | +4.1% |
| 1968 | 16.4% | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 16.9% | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 17.9% | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 18.4% | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 18.9% | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 19.8% | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 20.3% | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 20.8% | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 21.3% | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 21.8% | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 22.3% | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 22.9% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 23.5% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 24.8% | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 25.6% | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 26.5% | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 27.3% | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 28.1% | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 28.9% | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 29.6% | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 30.6% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 30.9% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 31.2% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 31.4% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 31.7% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 32.1% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 32.3% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 32.4% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 32.5% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 32.6% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 32.6% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 32.6% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 32.6% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 32.7% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 32.7% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 32.7% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 32.7% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 32.7% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 32.8% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 32.8% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 32.9% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 33.2% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 33.6% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 34.1% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 34.7% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 35.4% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 36.2% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 37.0% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 37.9% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 38.7% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 39.3% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 39.9% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 40.5% | +1.5% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 40.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 80% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 40.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 90% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1750s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1780s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1790s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1800s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1810s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1820s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 1830s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1 |
| 1840s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 1850s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1860s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 1870s | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 1 |
| 1880s | 5.6% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 1 |
| 1890s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 1900s | 6.8% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 1 |
| 1910s | 7.4% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 8.1% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 1 |
| 1930s | 8.9% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 1 |
| 1940s | 9.7% | 9.7% | 9.7% | 1 |
| 1950s | 11.3% | 10.7% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 14.4% | 12.5% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.6% | 17.4% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.4% | 22.3% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.2% | 29.6% | 32.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.6% | 32.4% | 32.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.8% | 32.7% | 36.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.9% | 37.0% | 40.5% | 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 do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zimbabwe?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Zimbabwe was 40.5% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 40.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Zimbabwe ranks 186th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.