Rural population, annual growth rate in Zambia
Zambia: Rural population, annual growth rate was 1.97 % change on previous year in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.97 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 2.9%
World rank
20th
of 208 countries
All-time high
3.73 % change on previous year
in 1998
All-time low
0.8447 % change on previous year
in 1967
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Rural population, annual growth rate in Zambia, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population, annual growth rate in Zambia is 1.97 % change on previous year, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, annual growth rate in Zambia peaked at 3.73 % change on previous year in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.8447 % change on previous year, in 1967.
That places Zambia 20th out of 208 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Rural population, annual growth rate in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.03 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 2 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1963 | 1.96 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 1.62 % change on previous year | -17.4% |
| 1965 | 1.18 % change on previous year | -27.4% |
| 1966 | 0.9312 % change on previous year | -20.8% |
| 1967 | 0.8447 % change on previous year | -9.3% |
| 1968 | 0.9552 % change on previous year | +13.1% |
| 1969 | 1.22 % change on previous year | +28.1% |
| 1970 | 1.17 % change on previous year | -4.0% |
| 1971 | 0.9259 % change on previous year | -21.2% |
| 1972 | 0.927 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 0.983 % change on previous year | +6.0% |
| 1974 | 1.09 % change on previous year | +10.5% |
| 1975 | 1.25 % change on previous year | +15.2% |
| 1976 | 1.45 % change on previous year | +16.1% |
| 1977 | 1.68 % change on previous year | +15.9% |
| 1978 | 1.97 % change on previous year | +16.8% |
| 1979 | 2.3 % change on previous year | +17.0% |
| 1980 | 2.73 % change on previous year | +18.5% |
| 1981 | 3.11 % change on previous year | +14.0% |
| 1982 | 3.3 % change on previous year | +6.0% |
| 1983 | 3.33 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 3.2 % change on previous year | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 3.14 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 3.14 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3.05 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 1988 | 2.91 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 1989 | 2.82 % change on previous year | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 2.74 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 2.7 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 2.71 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 2.75 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 2.81 % change on previous year | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 2.88 % change on previous year | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 3.18 % change on previous year | +10.4% |
| 1997 | 3.59 % change on previous year | +13.0% |
| 1998 | 3.73 % change on previous year | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 3.61 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 3.33 % change on previous year | -7.8% |
| 2001 | 3.05 % change on previous year | -8.4% |
| 2002 | 2.83 % change on previous year | -7.4% |
| 2003 | 2.64 % change on previous year | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 2.55 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 2005 | 2.55 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.61 % change on previous year | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 2.65 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 2.69 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 2.71 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 2.73 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 2.67 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 2.6 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 2.56 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 2.53 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 2.48 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 2.45 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 2.43 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 2.36 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 2.32 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 2.26 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 2.18 % change on previous year | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 2.13 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 2.04 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 2024 | 2.03 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 1.97 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.42 % change on previous year | 0.8447 % change on previous year | 2.03 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.38 % change on previous year | 0.9259 % change on previous year | 2.3 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.07 % change on previous year | 2.73 % change on previous year | 3.33 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.07 % change on previous year | 2.7 % change on previous year | 3.73 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.76 % change on previous year | 2.55 % change on previous year | 3.33 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.51 % change on previous year | 2.32 % change on previous year | 2.73 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.1 % change on previous year | 1.97 % change on previous year | 2.26 % change on previous year | 6 |
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, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5408 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture share gdp 4.11 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 4.11 (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
- Rural population 54.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, annual growth rate in Zambia?
- Rural population, annual growth rate in Zambia was 1.97 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.73 % change on previous year in 1998.
- What is the lowest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8447 % change on previous year in 1967.
- How does Zambia rank for rural population, annual growth rate?
- Zambia ranks 20th out of 208 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.