The population of Zambia is expected to grow by 608,041 in 2026 and reach 23,138,720 in 2027. Migration (including immigration and emigration) increases population by 6,939 people yearly. On average there are 719,906 births and 115,395 deaths in Zambia per year. Rate of natural increase is approximately 2.68 percent per year. The population density of Zambia has changed from 7.8 in 1980 to 28.7 in 2024.
| Current population | 23,045,777 people at present (Friday 6th of November 2026) | |
| Median Age | 22.9 years |
| Life expectancy | 66.9 years | |
| Population density | 30.3 per km2 |
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 22,521,915 | 608,041 (2.7%) | 6,939 | 22.9 | 3.91 | 30 | 10,443,296 (46.4%) |
| 2025 | 21,913,874 | 598,918 (2.7%) | 6,562 | 22.7 | 3.97 | 30 | 10,062,227 (45.9%) |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 7,381 | 22.5 | 4.04 | 29 | 9,691,992 (45.5%) |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 9,521 | 22.3 | 4.10 | 28 | 9,331,708 (45.0%) |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -8,566 | 22.1 | 4.18 | 27 | 8,987,979 (44.6%) |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 8,143 | 21.9 | 4.25 | 26 | 8,671,729 (44.2%) |
| 2020 | 19,059,395 | 545,556 (2.9%) | 8,156 | 21.8 | 4.32 | 26 | 8,360,299 (43.9%) |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 18,385 | 21.6 | 4.42 | 25 | 8,051,629 (43.5%) |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 18,431 | 21.4 | 4.49 | 24 | 7,748,670 (43.1%) |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 25,789 | 21.3 | 4.57 | 23 | 7,452,606 (42.7%) |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 25,860 | 21.1 | 4.67 | 23 | 7,162,285 (42.3%) |
| 2015 | 16,399,089 | 503,774 (3.1%) | 16,261 | 21.0 | 4.78 | 22 | 6,880,322 (42.0%) |
| 2010 | 13,965,594 | 475,205 (3.4%) | 22,761 | 20.4 | 5.36 | 19 | 5,580,077 (40.0%) |
| 2005 | 11,718,819 | 380,621 (3.3%) | 35,316 | 20.1 | 5.70 | 16 | 4,370,766 (37.3%) |
| 2000 | 10,017,631 | 277,626 (2.8%) | -4,338 | 20.0 | 5.92 | 13 | 3,593,679 (35.9%) |
| 1995 | 8,785,763 | 209,494 (2.4%) | -45,423 | 20.2 | 6.23 | 12 | 3,374,007 (38.4%) |
| 1990 | 7,786,169 | 196,953 (2.5%) | -38,619 | 20.4 | 6.57 | 10 | 3,064,947 (39.4%) |
| 1985 | 6,780,953 | 200,463 (3.0%) | -18,474 | 20.6 | 6.93 | 9 | 2,694,884 (39.7%) |
| 1980 | 5,802,833 | 171,105 (3.0%) | -24,664 | 20.7 | 7.14 | 8 | 2,314,502 (39.9%) |
| 1975 | 4,990,086 | 147,340 (3.0%) | -30,886 | 21.0 | 7.42 | 7 | 1,834,668 (36.8%) |
| 1970 | 4,321,718 | 124,602 (2.9%) | -31,370 | 21.5 | 7.22 | 6 | 1,324,621 (30.7%) |
| 1965 | 3,692,086 | 115,069 (3.1%) | -5,023 | 21.7 | 7.12 | 5 | 844,071 (22.9%) |
| 1960 | 3,153,729 | 100,357 (3.1%) | -3,898 | 21.9 | 6.95 | 4 | 543,186 (17.2%) |
In 2025 the population of Zambia was 21,913,874 and the average age increased from 21.9 in 1960 to 22.7. Urban population has increased from 3,593,679 (35.9%) in 2000 to 10,443,296 (46.4%) in the current year. The population density of Zambia has changed from 7.8 in 1980 to 28.7 in 2024.
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 8,156 | 21.8 | 4.32 | 26 | 8,360,299 (43.9%) |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 6,562 | 22.7 | 3.97 | 30 | 10,062,227 (45.9%) |
| 2030 | 25,024,901 | 635,215 (2.5%) | 2,795 | 23.7 | 3.67 | 34 | 12,070,970 (48.2%) |
| 2035 | 28,266,892 | 655,262 (2.3%) | -1,794 | 24.7 | 3.40 | 38 | 14,331,868 (50.7%) |
| 2040 | 31,550,402 | 654,805 (2.1%) | -9,164 | 25.7 | 3.15 | 42 | 16,823,857 (53.3%) |
| 2045 | 34,821,106 | 655,173 (1.9%) | -13,308 | 26.8 | 2.96 | 47 | 19,537,924 (56.1%) |
| 2050 | 38,083,385 | 648,702 (1.7%) | -19,990 | 27.8 | 2.81 | 51 | 22,494,797 (59.1%) |
The life expectancy at birth should reach 70.5 (67.7 years for male and 73.4 years for females). Population density will go up to 51.2 people per square kilometer.
The population growth rate is 2.77% (598,918 residents, including 110,092 deaths). The demographics of Zambia constitutes of 11,371,433 women and 11,150,482 men, which means there are 981 men per 1000 women. As far as age distribution goes, 51.8% of population (11,657,343) is 19 or younger, 46.2% of population (10,393,864) is between age 20 and 64 and 2.1% of population (463,951) is over 65.