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Zambia in figures

56 figures about Zambia, each checked against its primary source: its people and their languages, what there is to build on, and what is still missing. Where sources disagree, we say so. Where a number is derived or projected, we say that too.

Checked 2 October 2026 by Zamai Solutions, Lusaka. Download: zambia-figures.csv. Licence: CC BY 4.0 for this compilation (credit "Zamai Solutions, zamai.pro/data"); each figure also belongs to its source, so cite that too.

People and languages

A young country that speaks many languages. Seven are main regional languages; five of them appear in none of the standard tests used to score AI.

23.0 million
Projected mid-year population 2026 Projection
UN WPP 2024 gives 22,521,915 for 2026.
ZamStats, Population and Demographic Projections 2023-2047, National Report (Mar 2026), medium variant, Table A2. Reference date 2026-07-01.
18.3 years
Median age
16.9 in 2010. Rural 16.8, urban 20.3. No official mean age is published.
ZamStats, 2022 Census Revised Summary Report Vol. II, §2.9. Reference date 2022-09-08.
42%
Share of population under 15
8,275,958 people. The census undercounted young children, so the true share is likely a little higher.
ZamStats, 2022 Census Revised Summary Report Vol. II, Table 2.1. Reference date 2022-09-08.
about 690,000 a year
Population increase from 2025 to 2026 Derived
Derived. About 700,000 a year by the national projection; UN WPP 2024 gives about 613,000 for 2026.
ZamStats, Population and Demographic Projections 2023-2047, medium variant, Table A2 (difference of totals). Reference date 2025-2026.
about 570,000
People turning 15 in 2026 Derived
Derived from single-age projections; single ages show some heaping.
ZamStats, Population and Demographic Projections 2023-2047, Table A2, age 15. Reference date 2026.
2 of 7
Main Zambian languages in standard AI benchmarks Our check
Bemba and Nyanja only (Belebele and Global-MMLU: Nyanja only). Tonga, Lozi, Luvale, Lunda, Kaonde in none. FLORES+, the standard translation test set, has Bemba and Nyanja but no Tonga and no Lozi (dev split listed via the Hugging Face API, 2 Oct 2026). Tonga and Lozi have only niche scores (Glot500, Zambezi Voice speech recognition).
FLORES-200 and FLORES+, SIB-200, AfroBench, Belebele, Global-MMLU, IrokoBench language lists, Language lists checked 2 Oct 2026. Reference date 2026-10-02.
19,693,423
Population at the 2022 census
19,610,769 was the preliminary figure; this is the official final.
ZamStats, 2022 Census of Population and Housing, Revised Summary Report Vol. II (Feb 2025), §2.1. Reference date 2022-09-08.
3.5% a year
Average annual population growth 2010-2022
3.4% was the preliminary figure.
ZamStats, 2022 Census Revised Summary Report Vol. II, §2.7. Reference date 2010-2022.
4.0
Total fertility rate
Rural 4.9, urban 3.2. 6.5 in 1992.
Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2024, Final Report (Nov 2025), Table 5.3.2. Reference date 2024.
2.8 million (52.8%)
Youth (19-34) not in education employment or training
52.8% of youth. The 2022 survey used ages 15-35 (3,362,224; 50.2%); not comparable.
ZamStats and Ministry of Labour, 2024 Labour Force Survey Report (Nov 2025), Table 12.2. Reference date 2024.
25.8%
Formally employed share of the employed
1,026,375 of 3,972,883 employed. The same report gives 28.8% in Table 5.4. Own-use farmers are outside the labour force.
ZamStats and Ministry of Labour, 2024 Labour Force Survey Report, Executive Summary. Reference date 2024.
3.6 million
Children under five Projection
The census counted 2,760,251 (2022) but undercounted young children by about 18-20%.
ZamStats, Population and Demographic Projections 2023-2047, Table A1. Reference date 2026-07-01.

Opportunities

What there is to build on. Each line reads one of the checked figures below; follow the link for its source.

Land, water, sun and minerals

42 million ha
Land rated medium to high potential for crops
58% of the country's land. Not the same as arable land (see the next row).
Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, National Agriculture Policy 2012-2030 (final draft, Aug 2011), Situation analysis. Reference date 2011.
3.8 million ha
Arable land (land under temporary crops and fallow)
5.1% of land area. Area equipped for irrigation: 155,890 ha (AQUASTAT 2022) against a stated potential of about 2.75 million ha (Agriculture Policy 2011).
World Bank WDI (AG.LND.ARBL.HA), from FAOSTAT, 2023 value. Reference date 2023.
5.88 kWh/m²/day
Average solar irradiation (global horizontal)
Range 5.58-6.15 across the country; about 2,150 kWh/m2 a year (derived).
Global Solar Atlas (World Bank/ESMAP, Solargis), country data, Country mean GHI. Reference date long-term average.
4.83 kWh/kWp/day
Practical solar power output
About 1,760 kWh per installed kWp a year (derived).
Global Solar Atlas (World Bank/ESMAP, Solargis), country data, Country mean PVOUT. Reference date long-term average.
105 km³ a year
Total renewable freshwater resources
About 5,200 m3 per person a year. Withdrawals are 1.57 km3 a year, about 1.5% of renewable supply (derived).
FAO AQUASTAT, Zambia water resources sheet, Total renewable water resources. Reference date 2022.
40.7%
Share of the Zambezi basin's area in Zambia
The largest of eight riparian states. The popular claim that Zambia holds 40% of southern Africa's water is wrong: it is about 4.5% (FAO data).
Zambezi River Authority, Hydrology: Geography, Riparian shares. Reference date current.
about 3,950 km³
Estimated groundwater storage Estimate
Range 1,430-12,300 km3; about 38 years of renewable supply (derived).
MacDonald et al., Environmental Research Letters 7 024009 (British Geological Survey), Table 1. Reference date 2012.
over 6,000 MW
Hydropower potential
An older policy figure with no newer official assessment. Installed hydro was 3,188 MW in mid-2026 (ERB), so roughly half is developed (derived).
Ministry of Energy, National Energy Policy 2019, Hydropower section. Reference date 2019.
890,346 t
Copper mine production
Up 8% on 2024. 7th in the world and 2nd in Africa (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026). Reserves 21 Mt. The government targets 3 million t a year by 2031; that is a target.
Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, via the Presidential Delivery Unit (Feb 2026), 2025 output. Reference date 2025.
73%
Ores and metals share of merchandise exports
Mostly copper. Traditional exports were 67.2% in May 2026 (ZamStats, The Monthly, June 2026).
World Bank WDI (TX.VAL.MMTL.ZS.UN), 2024 value. Reference date 2024.
about 20%
Share of world emerald production Estimate
An industry estimate; no official world emerald statistic exists.
USGS Minerals Yearbook 2020-21, Zambia, citing the Zambia Chamber of Mines, Commodity review. Reference date 2020-21.
60.4%
Forest cover
44.9 million ha; the 2025 value is an FAO extrapolation from the 2020 national figure.
FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025, Extent of forest (Zambia). Reference date 2025.
41.3%
Protected areas
Includes forest reserves. National parks and game management areas alone cover about 30%.
World Bank WDI (ER.LND.PTLD.ZS), from the World Database on Protected Areas, 2025 value. Reference date 2025.

Stability, economy and trade

3
Peaceful handovers of power to the opposition through elections
"Since then, power has changed hands peacefully through elections on three occasions: 1991, 2011 and 2021." Also Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2022.
African Union and COMESA Election Observation Mission, Preliminary Statement on the 13 August 2026 election, §i Political Context. Reference date 1991-2021.
0
Successful military coups since independence (1964)
One of sub-Saharan Africa's coup-free countries; failed attempts in 1980, 1990 and 1997. The source's data run to 2010.
Lindemann, The Ethnic Politics of Coup Avoidance, Africa Spectrum 2/2011, Table 1, Table 1. Reference date 1964-2010.
5.4%
Real GDP growth
Final estimate at constant 2010 prices; the preliminary estimate in March 2026 was 3.8%. 3.8% in 2024.
ZamStats, The Monthly Vol. 282 (September 2026), Annual GDP estimates (final). Reference date 2025.
6.1%
Annual inflation
Down from 12.3% in September 2025.
ZamStats, The Monthly Vol. 282 (September 2026), Annual inflation September 2026. Reference date 2026-09.
about 94%
Share of the debt restructuring perimeter agreed
The US$3 billion Eurobond exchange was completed in June 2024. The IMF programme's final review was completed in January 2026. Debt is rated sustainable but at high risk of distress.
World Bank and IMF, Joint Debt Sustainability Analysis, Sixth ECF Review, DSA text. Reference date 2025-11.
8
Neighbouring countries
Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe. Member of SADC and COMESA; ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area on 28 Jan 2021 (AU treaty status list).
World Bank, Zambia overview, Overview. Reference date current.
US$265 million
African Development Bank financing approved for the Lobito Corridor in Zambia
A US$255m loan and US$10m grant for about 550 km of rail and 105 km of road in Zambia. The corridor links Zambia to Angola's Atlantic port of Lobito (MoU of 26 Oct 2023).
African Development Bank Group, press release (6 Aug 2026), Press release. Reference date 2026-08-06.
US$1.4 billion
TAZARA railway revitalisation agreement
Rehabilitates more than 1,800 km of railway from New Kapiri Mposhi to the port of Dar es Salaam, under a concession of about 30 years.
Ministry of Transport and Logistics, Press statement. Reference date 2025-09-29.
2031
Next general election, fixed by the Constitution (every five years, on the second Thursday of August) Derived
The last general election was held on 13 Aug 2026, so the next falls on 14 Aug 2031.
Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016, Art. 56(1), Page 10. Reference date 2031-08-14.

Health, nutrition and poverty

32.1%
Children under five who are stunted
Height-for-age below -2 SD. Provinces range from 20% (Lusaka) to 45% (Luapula).
Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2024, Final Report, Table 11.1. Reference date 2024.
32.2%
Sub-Saharan Africa stunting average
Zambia is level with its region. The global figure is 23.2%.
UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates, 2025 edition, Key findings p.16. Reference date 2024.
12.1%
Children under five who are underweight
Wasting 2.5%.
Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2024, Final Report, Table 11.1. Reference date 2024.
62.2%
Children 6-59 months with anaemia
51.0% on the 2011 WHO cutoffs (Table C.16). Capillary single-drop readings; the survey advises against trend comparisons.
Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2024, Final Report, Table 11.12. Reference date 2024.
41.1%
Women 15-49 with anaemia
30.5% on the 2011 cutoffs (Table C.17).
Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2024, Final Report, Table 11.18. Reference date 2024.
42 per 1,000
Under-five mortality
Five-year pooled estimate, 95% CI 37-47. Infant mortality 29.
Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2024, Final Report, Table 8.1. Reference date 2020-2024.
71.7%
Population below US$3.00 a day (2021 PPP)
The current international line. 64.3% on the old $2.15 line (2017 PPP).
World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform, release 22 Sep 2026, Headcount at $3.00. Reference date 2022.
60.0%
Population below the national poverty line
Rural 78.8%, urban 31.9%. Extreme poverty 48.0% (the same report also gives 46.1%).
ZamStats, 2022 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey Report, Ch. 12, p.130. Reference date 2022.
over 4.6 million
Learners reached by home-grown school feeding
Government's own claim, "over 4.6 million learners in 106 districts"; not independently verified.
2026 Budget Address, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Para 97. Reference date 2025-09-26.

Energy, digital and compute

17.1%
Individuals using the internet
A private estimate (DataReportal, Oct 2025) gives 7.29 million, 33%. The 2022 national ICT survey found 19.4% used it in the last three months (age 10+).
ITU, via World Bank WDI (IT.NET.USER.ZS), Indicator value 2024. Reference date 2024.
18.6%
People aged 10+ who own a smartphone
Urban 36.2%, rural 7.4%. Four in five have none.
ZamStats and ZICTA, 2022 National Survey on Access and Usage of ICTs, Survey report. Reference date 2022-23.
17 million
Active mobile money wallets
76.2% of adults use mobile money. ZICTA counted 12.3m active subscriptions in 2024; definitions differ, so do not compute growth across them.
Bank of Zambia, Mobile Money in Zambia (ITU-T workshop, 14 May 2026), slide 5, Slide 5. Reference date 2025.
53.6%
Population with access to electricity
Urban 80.3%, rural 31.3%. Counts off-grid solar. Only 34.0% of households are on the grid (National Energy Access Survey 2023). Series break in 2024: not a trend.
World Bank WDI (EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS); Tracking SDG7 2026, 2024 value. Reference date 2024.
4,543 MW
Installed electricity generation capacity
Grid-connected: hydro 3,186, solar 744, coal 415, diesel 192 MW.
Energy Regulation Board, Mid-Year Statistical Bulletin 2026, Table 1. Reference date 2026-06-30.
70.2%
Hydro share of installed capacity Derived
Derived. Falling as solar grows: 81.4% at end-2024. Hydro was about 81% of generation in 2025.
Energy Regulation Board, Mid-Year Statistical Bulletin 2026, Table 1 (3188.14/4542.71). Reference date 2026-06-30.
about 30% down
Fall in electricity generated 2023 to 2024 Derived
19,373 GWh to 13,567 GWh in the drought. Load-shedding of up to 20 hours a day for households (ERB Energy Sector Report 2024).
Energy Regulation Board, Energy Sector Report 2025, Table 3-6. Reference date 2024.
1 MW
Minimum size to use open access to the grid
At least 1 MW of trading, generating or consumption capacity, plus an ERB licence.
Electricity (Open Access) Regulations, 2024, Statutory Instrument No. 40 of 2024, Reg. 5(2). Reference date 2024-07-19.
about 2 MW
Live critical IT load in rentable data centres Estimate
A consultancy estimate, about 5 live facilities. 1.9 MW in 2021, flat since. Cite only; the brief forbids reproduction.
Xalam Analytics, Zambia Data Center Market Briefing, for the EU D4D Hub (Jul 2025), p.4. Reference date 2024.
744 MW
Grid-connected solar capacity
Up 141% on mid-2025. The fastest-growing source of power.
Energy Regulation Board, Mid-Year Statistical Bulletin 2026, Table 1. Reference date 2026-06-30.
+17%
Growth in installed generation capacity from end-2024 to mid-2026 Derived
Derived. 3,885.86 MW to 4,542.71 MW in eighteen months.
Energy Regulation Board, Energy Sector Report 2024 and Mid-Year Statistical Bulletin 2026, ESR 2024; Bulletin Table 1. Reference date 2024-12-31 to 2026-06-30.
about 81%
Hydro share of electricity generated Derived
Derived. 11,835 of 14,560 GWh. Mostly renewable, but exposed to drought: generation fell about 30% in 2024.
Energy Regulation Board, Energy Sector Report 2025, Table 3-6. Reference date 2025.
76.2%
Adults who use mobile money
58.4% in 2020.
Bank of Zambia, Mobile Money in Zambia (ITU-T workshop, 14 May 2026), slide 5, Slide 5. Reference date 2025.

Open calls

What we are looking for help with. Each one is a gap we can describe but cannot close alone.

1. Zambian languages in AI tests

Of Zambia's seven main languages, only Bemba and Nyanja appear in the standard tests used to score AI language models. Tonga, Lozi, Luvale, Lunda and Kaonde appear in none, so nobody can say whether any AI model works for the people who speak them. We have written 200 everyday sentences to start a test set. We are looking for partners who can provide native-speaker translation and checking, or who already build evaluation data for African languages.

chris@zamai.pro

How we check