Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population) in Zambia
Zambia: Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population) was 31.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Access to electricity, rural in Zambia, 1992–2024
Source: SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of rural population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for access to electricity, rural in Zambia is 31.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
The figure is up 77.8% on the previous year and up 645.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, access to electricity, rural in Zambia peaked at 31.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1994.
That places Zambia 194th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 6.7% | — |
| 1994 | 0.6% | -91.4% |
| 1995 | 1.3% | +125.7% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | +39.6% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +52.9% |
| 1998 | 2.9% | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 4.3% | +47.4% |
| 2000 | 2.1% | -50.7% |
| 2001 | 5.8% | +176.2% |
| 2002 | 2.2% | -62.1% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | -13.6% |
| 2004 | 4.7% | +147.4% |
| 2005 | 6.7% | +42.6% |
| 2006 | 7.0% | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 0.6% | -91.4% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | +1133.3% |
| 2009 | 7.6% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 4.0% | -47.4% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | +102.5% |
| 2012 | 8.2% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 8.4% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | -50.0% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | +11.9% |
| 2016 | 9.9% | +110.6% |
| 2017 | 14.0% | +41.4% |
| 2018 | 12.4% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 14.2% | +14.5% |
| 2020 | 14.0% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 14.5% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 15.0% | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 17.6% | +17.3% |
| 2024 | 31.3% | +77.8% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 31.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 81.1%, 39% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 31.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 40.2%, 78% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +1133.3% | 0.6% | 7.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.9% | 0.6% | 6.7% | 7 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 0.6% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.8% | 4.0% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.5% | 14.0% | 31.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 191 Togo 33.9% compare
- 192 Tanzania 33.7% compare
- 193 Mali 31.4% compare
- 195 Guinea 29.4% compare
- 196 Madagascar 26.5% compare
- 197 Guinea-Bissau 24.9% compare
- 197 Sierra Leone 24.9% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0001 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1752 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0008 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.09 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 65.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 54.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is access to electricity, rural in Zambia?
- Access to electricity, rural in Zambia was 31.3% in 2024, according to SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest access to electricity, rural recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 31.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest access to electricity, rural recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1994.
- How does Zambia rank for access to electricity, rural?
- Zambia ranks 194th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is access to electricity, rural rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 645.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank (WB), published as part of Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Access to electricity, rural is the percentage of rural population with access to electricity.