Rural population, per square kilometre in Zambia
Zambia: Rural population, per square kilometre was 15.32 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Rural population, per square kilometre in Zambia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population, per square kilometre in Zambia is 15.32 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in Zambia peaked at 15.32 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.58 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Zambia 145th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in Zambia, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.58 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 3.65 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 3.73 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 3.79 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 3.83 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 3.87 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 3.9 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 3.94 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 3.98 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 4.03 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 4.07 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 4.11 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 4.15 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 4.19 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 4.24 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 4.31 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 4.38 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 4.47 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 4.57 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 4.69 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 4.84 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 5 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 5.16 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 5.33 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 5.5 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 5.67 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 5.84 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 6.01 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 6.18 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 6.35 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 6.52 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 6.7 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 6.88 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 7.08 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 7.28 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 7.51 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 7.78 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 8.07 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 8.36 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 8.64 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 8.91 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 9.16 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 9.4 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 9.64 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 9.88 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 10.14 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 10.41 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 10.69 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 10.98 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 11.28 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 11.58 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 11.88 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 12.19 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 12.49 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 12.8 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 13.12 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 13.44 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 13.75 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 14.07 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 14.39 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 14.71 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 15.02 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 15.32 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.81 units per square kilometre | 3.58 units per square kilometre | 3.98 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.25 units per square kilometre | 4.03 units per square kilometre | 4.57 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.42 units per square kilometre | 4.69 units per square kilometre | 6.18 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.25 units per square kilometre | 6.35 units per square kilometre | 8.36 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.79 units per square kilometre | 8.64 units per square kilometre | 10.98 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.66 units per square kilometre | 11.28 units per square kilometre | 14.07 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.86 units per square kilometre | 14.39 units per square kilometre | 15.32 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 142 San Marino 16.18 units per square kilometre compare
- 143 Montenegro 16.01 units per square kilometre compare
- 144 Bulgaria 15.6 units per square kilometre compare
- 146 Lithuania 14.42 units per square kilometre compare
- 147 South Sudan 14.34 units per square kilometre compare
- 148 United States Virgin Islands 14.17 units per square kilometre compare
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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in Zambia?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in Zambia was 15.32 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 15.32 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.58 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Zambia rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- Zambia ranks 145th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.7%. 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, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.