Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Zambia
Zambia: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 1.37 million animals in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.37 million animals
Change on year
down 4.5%
World rank
45th
of 198 countries
All-time high
1.44 million animals
in 2023
All-time low
129,700 animals
in 1964
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Zambia, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
In 2024, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Zambia stood at 1.37 million animals.
That represents a change of down 4.5% on the previous year and up 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Zambia peaked at 1.44 million animals in 2023 and was at its lowest, 129,700 animals, in 1964.
Zambia ranks 45th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Zambia, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 132,000 animals | — |
| 1962 | 131,000 animals | -0.8% |
| 1963 | 130,000 animals | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 129,700 animals | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 142,200 animals | +9.6% |
| 1966 | 143,000 animals | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 134,000 animals | -6.3% |
| 1968 | 140,000 animals | +4.5% |
| 1969 | 139,000 animals | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 153,000 animals | +10.1% |
| 1971 | 147,000 animals | -3.9% |
| 1972 | 149,000 animals | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 153,500 animals | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 155,000 animals | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 161,500 animals | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 166,700 animals | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 173,200 animals | +3.9% |
| 1978 | 176,500 animals | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 183,800 animals | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 181,000 animals | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 192,400 animals | +6.3% |
| 1982 | 203,800 animals | +5.9% |
| 1983 | 187,000 animals | -8.2% |
| 1984 | 177,230 animals | -5.2% |
| 1985 | 197,600 animals | +11.5% |
| 1986 | 201,600 animals | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 208,100 animals | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 211,000 animals | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 214,000 animals | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 345,000 animals | +61.2% |
| 1991 | 360,000 animals | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 360,000 animals | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 335,000 animals | -6.9% |
| 1994 | 315,000 animals | -6.0% |
| 1995 | 290,000 animals | -7.9% |
| 1996 | 265,000 animals | -8.6% |
| 1997 | 325,000 animals | +22.6% |
| 1998 | 350,000 animals | +7.7% |
| 1999 | 370,000 animals | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 330,000 animals | -10.8% |
| 2001 | 340,000 animals | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 370,000 animals | +8.8% |
| 2003 | 370,000 animals | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 350,000 animals | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 370,000 animals | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 360,000 animals | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 365,000 animals | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 490,000 animals | +34.2% |
| 2009 | 760,000 animals | +55.1% |
| 2010 | 960,000 animals | +26.3% |
| 2011 | 962,312 animals | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 1.01 million animals | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 1.24 million animals | +23.0% |
| 2014 | 1.30 million animals | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 1.00 million animals | -23.1% |
| 2016 | 990,000 animals | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 1.30 million animals | +31.3% |
| 2018 | 1.13 million animals | -13.2% |
| 2019 | 1.16 million animals | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 1.10 million animals | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 1.16 million animals | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 1.12 million animals | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 1.44 million animals | +28.6% |
| 2024 | 1.37 million animals | -4.5% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 1.37 million animals is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 424,850 animals, 3.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 1.37 million animals is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 250,645 animals, 5.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +61.2% | 214,000 animals | 345,000 animals |
| 2009 | +55.1% | 490,000 animals | 760,000 animals |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 135,656 animals | 129,700 animals | 143,000 animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 161,920 animals | 147,000 animals | 183,800 animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 197,373 animals | 177,230 animals | 214,000 animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 331,500 animals | 265,000 animals | 370,000 animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 410,500 animals | 330,000 animals | 760,000 animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.10 million animals | 960,000 animals | 1.30 million animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.24 million animals | 1.10 million animals | 1.44 million animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- 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)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5408 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Zambia?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Zambia was 1.37 million animals 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 yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.44 million animals in 2023.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 129,700 animals in 1964.
- How does Zambia rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- Zambia ranks 45th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.7%. 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 Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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