Demographic features of the population of Zimbabwe include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Population The population of Zimbabwe has grown during the 20th century. This is in accordance with the model of a developing country with high birth rates and falling death rates, resulting in relatively high population growth rate (around 3% or above in the 1960s and early 1970s). After a spurt in the period 1980–1983 following independence, a decline in birth rates set in. Since 1991, however, there has been a jump in death rates from a low of 10 per 1000 in 1985 to a high of 25 per 1000 in 2002/2003. It has since subsided to just under 22 per 1000 (estimate for 2007) a little below the birth rate of around 27 per 1000.Statesman's Yearbook 2007, Palgrave Macmillan, New YorkCIA Factbook 2007, CIA Publications, Washington D.C.
ZimStat released the 2022 Population and Housing Census Preliminary Results which showed that Zimbabwe's population had increased by 16.2% and stood at 15.1 million people as of 20 April 2022.
Census data
Historical data of Southern Rhodesia +Census Year Black White Coloured Asian 1911 744,558 23,606 2,912 1921 862,319 33,620 1,998 1,250
+ Estimates Year Black White 1890 700,000 1910 900,000 20,000 1927 922,000 38,200 1930 1,300,000 1945 1,400,000? 140,000 1946 1,640,000 80,500
Current estimates
Based on , the population of Zimbabwe was estimated by the United Nations at in . About 38.9% comprised youths under 15, while another 56.9% grouped persons aged between 15 and 65 years. Only around 4.2% of citizens were apparently over 65. Total populationPopulation aged 0–14 (%)Population aged 15–64 (%)Population aged 65+ (%) 19502 747 00042.054.83.2 19553 204 00043.852.93.3 19603 752 00045.351.43.4 19654 422 00047.749.03.3 19705 206 00048.148.73.2 19756 170 00048.448.53.1 19807 289 00048.948.13.0 19858 855 00047.949.13.0 199010 469 00046.150.93.0 199511 685 00044.352.53.2 200012 509 00041.754.93.4 200512 710 00040.156.13.8 201013 080 00038.956.94.2
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 7 287 922 7 891 035 15 178 957 100 0 220 711 221 948 442 659 2.9 1–4 815 889 817 766 1 633 655 10.7 5–9 1 032 460 1 037 226 2 069 686 13.6 10–14 992 173 994 369 1 986 542 13.1 15–19 603 279 791 914 1 573 123 10.4 20–24 603 279 676 121 1 279 400 8.4 25–29 478 758 559 313 1 038 071 6.8 30–34 434 810 510 887 945 697 6.2 35–39 463 676 533 369 997 045 6.6 40–44 385 120 410 155 795 275 5.2 45–49 328 502 332 942 661 444 4.4 50–54 224 187 226 417 450 604 3.0 55–59 128 893 180 111 309 004 2.0 60–64 117 633 177 522 295 155 1.9 65–69 103 166 151 151 254 317 1.7 70–74 67 666 103 527 171 193 1.1 75–79 44 665 65 358 110 023 0.7 80–84 31 067 45 038 76 105 0.5 85–89 17 048 26 442 43 490 0.3 90–94 8 620 15 692 24 312 0.16 95–99 2 454 5 311 7 765 0.05 100+ 1 523 3 754 5 277 0.03Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 2 837 556 2 918 635 6 132 546 40.4 15–64 4 361 627 4 778 499 8 344 818 54.97 65+ 240 038 337 468 692 482 4.56
Vital statistics
United Nations estimates
Registration of vital events in Zimbabwe is not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. PeriodMid-year PopulationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCBR*CDR*NC*TFR*IMR*Life expectancy (in years)19502 791 000 141 000 46 000 95 00050.416.633.87.10102.249.641951 2 882 000 144 000 48 000 96 00049.916.733.27.10101.449.861952 2 974 000 147 000 49 000 98 00049.516.533.17.1199.850.221953 3 068 000 151 000 50 000 101 00049.116.232.97.1298.150.621954 3 165 000 155 000 50 000 104 00048.815.932.87.1396.451.011955 3 264 000 158 000 51 000 107 00048.415.732.77.1495.051.281956 3 365 000 162 000 52 000 110 00048.115.432.77.1693.651.701957 3 470 000 166 000 53 000 114 00047.915.132.87.1792.252.061958 3 579 000 171 000 53 000 118 00047.714.832.87.1990.652.401959 3 691 000 175 000 54 000 122 00047.414.532.97.2088.852.841960 3 806 000 180 000 54 000 126 00047.314.233.07.2287.153.241961 3 926 000 185 000 55 000 130 00047.013.933.17.2385.353.621962 4 050 000 190 000 55 000 135 00046.913.633.37.2683.354.071963 4 178 000 195 000 55 000 140 00046.613.233.47.2581.354.551964 4 310 000 200 000 56 000 145 00046.412.933.57.2679.254.991965 4 447 000 206 000 56 000 150 00046.212.633.77.2677.155.461966 4 589 000 212 000 56 000 155 00046.112.333.87.2475.255.891967 4 735 000 218 000 57 000 161 00045.912.033.97.2273.556.191968 4 886 000 225 000 58 000 167 00045.911.834.17.1972.156.461969 5 044 000 232 000 59 000 174 00046.011.634.37.1471.056.711970 5 203 000 240 000 60 000 181 00046.111.434.67.0970.157.031971 5 363 000 248 000 61 000 187 00046.211.434.87.0669.657.201972 5 533 000 258 000 63 000 195 00046.511.335.27.0669.357.401973 5 713 000 269 000 65 000 204 00047.011.335.77.0769.157.371974 5 904 000 279 000 67 000 212 00047.211.335.97.0469.057.491975 6 097 000 289 000 69 000 220 00047.311.336.06.9869.257.551976 6 288 000 297 000 73 000 224 00047.111.635.66.9169.356.941977 6 453 000 304 000 77 000 227 00046.711.834.96.8569.356.291978 6 549 000 309 000 84 000 226 00046.612.634.06.7769.054.591979 6 656 000 310 000 84 000 226 00046.312.633.86.7068.555.041980 7 050 000 317 000 76 000 241 00046.211.135.16.6166.958.671981 7 507 000 349 000 76 000 273 00046.510.136.46.5164.859.331982 7 804 000 358 000 76 000 282 00045.99.836.16.3862.059.881983 8 106 000 366 000 77 000 289 00045.19.435.76.2559.260.251984 8 399 000 365 000 75 000 290 00043.48.934.56.0855.761.051985 8 691 000 365 000 74 000 291 00042.08.533.55.9052.961.621986 8 983 000 364 000 73 000 290 00040.58.232.35.7050.862.021987 9 277 000 363 000 75 000 288 00039.28.131.05.5049.561.771988 9 569 000 356 000 78 000 278 00037.28.229.05.2949.261.321989 9 846 000 350 000 83 000 267 00035.68.427.25.0849.760.401990 10 114 000 352 000 88 000 263 00034.88.726.04.8750.959.431991 10 378 000 357 000 96 000 261 00034.49.325.24.7152.658.091992 10 642 000 363 000 106 000 257 00034.19.924.24.5754.856.441993 10 795 000 361 000 118 000 243 00033.110.822.34.3957.154.431994 10 859 000 359 000 128 000 230 00032.811.821.14.2758.952.591995 10 994 000 359 000 141 000 218 00032.612.819.84.1560.550.531996 11 178 000 372 000 154 000 218 00033.213.819.44.1161.848.961997 11 362 000 385 000 163 000 221 00033.814.419.44.0661.747.991998 11 548 000 399 000 175 000 224 00034.515.219.44.0361.446.821999 11 716 000 415 000 192 000 223 00035.316.319.04.0160.645.212000 11 835 000 424 000 200 000 224 00035.616.818.83.9759.944.692001 11 911 000 431 000 228 000 203 00036.019.016.93.9558.941.962002 11 985 000 433 000 204 000 229 00035.917.019.03.8958.344.572003 12 076 000 435 000 216 000 219 00035.917.818.13.8257.743.392004 12 161 000 434 000 208 000 226 00035.517.018.53.7458.144.502005 12 225 000 430 000 207 000 223 00034.916.818.13.6758.544.772006 12 330 000 427 000 203 000 223 00034.516.418.13.6259.545.362007 12 451 000 436 000 204 000 232 00034.816.318.53.6559.945.612008 12 550 000 449 000 197 000 252 00035.615.620.03.7759.946.722009 12 680 000 469 000 189 000 280 00036.714.821.93.9558.148.062010 12 840 000 478 000 171 000 307 00037.113.323.84.0355.050.652011 13 026 000 487 000 155 000 332 00037.211.925.34.1051.953.352012 13 265 000 490 000 142 000 347 00036.810.726.14.1047.255.632013 13 555 000 492 000 133 000 360 00036.29.826.54.0644.057.462014 13 856 000 488 000 127 000 361 00035.19.126.03.9642.058.852015 14 155 000 482 000 124 000 357 00034.08.825.23.8541.159.592016 14 453 000 480 000 122 000 358 00033.28.424.73.7739.660.312017 14 751 000 481 000 122 000 358 00032.58.324.33.7138.760.712018 15 052 000 484 000 120 000 364 00032.18.024.13.6637.461.412019 15 271 000475 000 126 000 349 00031.18.322.83.7536.861.12020 15 527 000481 000 126 000 355 00031.08.122.93.7535.761.52021 15 797 000489 000 139 000 350 000 30.98.822.23.7734.860.12022 16 069 000 496 000 125 000 371 00030.97.823.13.7734.162.4202316 341 000497 000124 000373 00030.47.622.83.7233.262.8202429.97.522.43.67202529.57.422.13.62 * CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)
Demographic and Health Surveys Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
Year CBR (Total) TFR (Total) CBR (Urban) TFR (Urban) CBR (Rural) TFR (Rural) 1982–1984 6.66 5.33 7.28 1985–1988 5.31 3.86 6.06 1994 31.6 4.29 (3.5) 30.5 3.09 (2.6) 32.0 4.85 (3.9) 1999 30.8 3.96 (3.4) 31.3 2.96 (2.6) 30.5 4.57 (3.8) 2005–2006 31.0 3.8 (3.3) 28.5 2.6 (2.3) 32.0 4.6 (3.9) 2010–2011 34 4.1 (3.4) 34 3.1 (2.7) 34 4.8 (4.0) 2015 32.0 4.0 (3.6) 31.1 3.0 (2.7) 32.7 4.7 (4.1) 2023–24 28.9 3.9 28.4 3.1 29.4 4.6
Fertility data as of 2010–2011 (DHS Program):
Province Total fertility rate Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49Manicaland 4.8 8.8 4.9Mashonaland Central 4.5 9.1 5.0Mashonaland East 4.5 7.3 4.2Mashonaland West 4.5 8.5 5.0Matabeleland North 4.1 7.7 5.2Matabeleland South 4.2 6.6 4.6Midlands 4.2 7.6 4.8Masvingo 4.7 11.1 4.6Harare 3.1 8.4 3.5Bulawayo 2.8 4.8 3.2
Life expectancy at birth Life expectancy from 1950 to 2021 (UN World Population Prospects):
PeriodLife expectancy inYears1950–195548.541955–1960 50.591960–1965 52.481965–1970 54.131970–1975 55.781975–1980 57.841980–1985 60.541985–1990 60.181990–1995 54.661995–2000 47.352000–2005 44.132005–2010 48.352010–2015 57.642020 61.122021 59.25
Ethnic groups According to 2012 Census report, 99.6% of the population is of African origin. Of the rest of the population, the great bulk—perhaps 30,000 persons—are White Zimbabweans of European ancestry, a minority which had diminished in size prior to independence.
The vast black majority has grown at a projected annual rate of 4.3% since 1980. Although present figures are difficult to ascertain, the white community once reproduced itself at an annual rate (under 1.5%) similar to that of most totals in developed nations. Of the two major ethnolinguistic categories, Shona speakers formed a decisive plurality at (80<)% and occupied the eastern two-thirds of Zimbabwe. Ndebele speakers constitute about 16%, and none of the other indigenous ethnic groups came to as much as 2% in recent decades. African speakers of nonindigenous languages included migrant workers from Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique.
Over 90% of White Zimbabweans are of British or British diasporan origin; at various times, many emigrated from South Africa and elsewhere. After World War II, Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) received a substantial influx of emigrants from the United Kingdom—a handful previously resided in other colonies such as India, Pakistan and Kenya. Also represented on a much smaller scale were individuals of Afrikaner, Greek, and Portuguese origin. After Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965, Ian Smith's administration removed technical obstacles to immigration from southern Europe.
A heavily urbanised Coloured population is descended, partially, from early unions between White Rhodesian settlers and local Black African females. Many, however, can also trace their ancestry to the Dutch/Khoisan mulatto clans of the Cape.
With the exception of a select few who were brought to Zimbabwe as railroad workers, most Asians in Zimbabwe arrived from India pursuing employment or entrepreneurship. An educated class, they have traditionally engaged in retail trade or manufacturing.
Languages