Demographic features of the population of Zambia include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and others aspects of the population.
Zambia's youthful population consists primarily of Bantu-speaking people representing nearly 70 different ethnicities. Zambia's high fertility rate continues to drive rapid population growth, averaging almost 3 percent annually between 2000 and 2010. The country's total fertility rate has fallen by less than 1.5 children per woman during the last 30 years and still averages among the world's highest, almost 6 children per woman, largely because of the country's lack of access to family planning services, education for girls, and employment for women. Zambia also exhibits wide fertility disparities based on rural or urban location, education, and income. Poor, uneducated women from rural areas are more likely to marry young, to give birth early, and to have more children, viewing children as a sign of prestige and recognizing that not all of their children will live to adulthood.
Population
According to the total population of Zambia is in , compared to only 2,340,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 46.4%, 50.6% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 3.1% was 65 years or older.
Total populationPopulation aged 0–14 (%)Population aged 15–64 (%)Population aged 65+ (%) 19502 340 00044.952.32.7 19552 653 00044.752.72.6 19603 045 00044.952.62.5 19653 537 00045.252.22.6 19704 139 00046.450.92.7 19754 900 00047.050.32.7 19805 775 00047.349.92.8 19856 785 00046.650.62.8 19907 860 00045.851.42.8 19958 919 00045.351.82.9 200010 202 00045.351.82.9 200511 462 00045.951.03.0 201013 089 00046.450.63.1 201817,351,708
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) (Data based on the 2010 Population Census.): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 8 852 174 9 033 248 17 885 422 100 0–4 1 579 231 1 554 009 3 133 240 17.52 5–9 1 357 442 1 343 776 2 701 218 15.10 10–14 1 160 256 1 154 409 2 314 665 12.94 15–19 958 687 954 923 1 913 610 10.70 20–24 833 604 851 421 1 685 025 9.42 25–29 693 050 727 248 1 420 298 7.94 30–34 496 336 579 946 1 076 282 6.02 35–39 433 030 493 825 926 855 5.18 40–44 361 566 362 160 723 726 4.05 45–49 298 359 283 452 581 811 3.25 50–54 205 799 193 301 399 100 2.23 55–59 153 109 160 905 314 014 1.76 60–64 109 330 123 190 232 520 1.30 65-69 72 624 79 062 151 686 0.85 70-74 54 288 68 013 122 301 0.68 75-79 35 056 44 637 79 693 0.45 80+ 50 407 58 971 109 378 0.61Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 4 096 929 4 052 194 8 149 123 45.56 15–64 4 542 870 4 730 371 9 273 241 51.85 65+ 212 375 250 683 463 058 2.59
Vital statistics
UN estimates
Registration of vital events is in Zambia not complete. The website Our World in Data prepared the following estimates based on statistics from the Population Department of the United Nations.
Mid-year populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Total fertility rate (TFR)Infant mortality (per 1000 live births)Life expectancy (in years)19502,318,000113,00046,00067,00048.619.728.86.62135.945.1219512,385,000116,00047,00069,00048.619.728.96.64134.945.2819522,454,000119,00048,00072,00048.719.429.26.68132.945.6819532,525,000123,00048,00075,00048.819.129.76.72130.846.1419542,600,000127,00049,00078,00048.918.930.16.76128.946.5319552,677,000132,00050,00082,00049.118.630.56.82126.946.9519562,758,000136,00051,00085,00049.318.430.96.87124.847.3719572,843,000141,00052,00089,00049.418.131.36.93122.847.7519582,931,000146,00052,00093,00049.617.831.86.99120.848.2319593,023,000151,00053,00098,00049.817.532.37.06118.848.6519603,119,000156,00054,000102,00049.917.332.67.12116.949.0419613,219,000161,00055,000106,00050.017.033.07.17115.149.4519623,323,000167,00056,000111,00050.116.833.37.21113.649.7919633,431,000172,00057,000115,00050.016.633.57.25112.150.1319643,543,000177,00059,000118,00050.016.733.37.27111.749.8519653,658,000183,00059,000123,00049.916.233.67.29110.250.5619663,778,000188,00061,000127,00049.716.133.67.30109.750.6819673,901,000194,00063,000131,00049.716.033.67.32109.450.8019684,029,000200,00064,000136,00049.716.033.77.33108.850.8619694,159,000207,00066,000141,00049.715.833.97.35107.751.1519704,282,000214,00067,000147,00049.815.534.27.37106.051.4919714,400,000219,00067,000152,00049.715.234.57.38103.652.0219724,524,000225,00067,000158,00049.614.834.97.39100.852.6319734,653,000231,00067,000164,00049.514.335.27.3997.953.3019744,789,000237,00067,000170,00049.313.935.37.3895.553.8719754,931,000244,00068,000177,00049.313.735.77.3993.754.2419765,080,000250,00069,000182,00049.113.435.77.3792.854.6019775,233,000257,00070,000187,00048.913.435.57.3392.754.7119785,391,000263,00072,000190,00048.613.435.27.2993.054.6119795,553,000269,00075,000194,00048.213.434.87.2393.354.4419805,720,000273,00078,000196,00047.613.534.17.1593.854.1419815,897,000282,00080,000202,00047.713.534.17.1094.154.0519826,091,000291,00083,000208,00047.813.634.27.0694.653.8619836,291,000301,00087,000214,00047.813.833.97.0295.553.3919846,488,000310,00092,000218,00047.714.233.66.9897.052.7619856,686,000321,00098,000223,00047.814.633.26.9299.051.9019866,891,000330,000104,000226,00047.815.132.86.85101.051.0619877,095,000338,000110,000229,00047.615.432.26.77102.950.3319887,294,000347,000116,000231,00047.415.831.66.68104.449.5319897,491,000356,000122,000234,00047.416.231.26.61105.448.7019907,686,000363,000128,000235,00047.116.630.56.53106.147.9319917,880,000372,000134,000238,00047.117.030.16.45106.647.1019928,074,000381,000140,000241,00047.017.229.86.36106.446.5119938,271,000391,000144,000247,00047.117.329.86.32105.546.2119948,474,000401,000148,000253,00047.117.429.86.27104.045.8519958,684,000410,000152,000258,00047.017.429.66.24102.445.5519968,902,000418,000156,000262,00046.817.529.36.18100.945.2319979,133,000425,000160,000265,00046.517.529.06.1299.544.9519989,372,000435,000164,000271,00046.317.528.86.0598.144.7019999,621,000445,000168,000277,00046.217.428.85.9996.444.6620009,891,000454,000167,000287,00045.916.929.05.9393.545.23200110,192,000460,000164,000296,00045.216.129.15.8689.046.02200210,508,000470,000161,000310,00044.715.329.55.7983.546.98200310,838,000481,000155,000326,00044.414.330.15.7378.148.28200411,188,000496,000150,000346,00044.313.530.95.7272.749.49200511,565,000511,000146,000365,00043.812.431.55.7067.850.66200611,972,000526,000143,000384,00043.711.732.05.6863.751.80200712,402,000538,000141,000398,00043.211.032.15.6160.852.74200812,853,000552,000137,000415,00042.610.432.25.5358.353.95200913,318,000564,000132,000431,00042.09.832.25.4555.555.30201013,792,000576,000127,000449,00041.49.332.15.3652.956.80201114,266,000587,000125,000462,00040.78.831.85.2651.657.77201214,745,000595,000122,000473,00039.98.431.55.1450.458.87201315,235,000602,000119,000483,00039.08.031.05.0148.359.88201415,738,000607,000117,000490,00038.17.730.44.8946.760.70201516,248,000614,000117,000498,00037.37.429.94.7846.361.21201616,768,000624,000116,000508,00036.67.229.44.6744.961.79201717,298,000633,000118,000515,00035.97.028.94.5744.562.12201817,836,000643,000120,000522,00035.56.828.74.4945.062.34201918,380,000652,000121,000531,00035.06.528.54.4244.262.79202019,059,000656,000119,000536,00034.46.328.14.3241.463.4202119,604,000665,000130,000536,00033.96.627.34.2540.362.4202220,153,000676,000113,000536,00033.55.628.04.1739.365.3202320,724,000686,000108,000578,00033.15.227.94.1038.266.3202432.75.227.64.04202532.45.127.23.97
Demographic and Health Surveys Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted TFR) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR) :
Year Total Urban Rural 1992 45 6.5 5.4 44 5.8 4.7 46 7.1 6.2 1996 45.2 6.08 5.2 43.7 5.08 4.1 46.1 6.86 6.1 2001–2002 43.3 5.9 4.9 36.7 4.3 3.4 47.0 6.9 5.8 2007 43.6 6.2 5.2 36.3 4.3 3.6 47.5 7.5 6.3 2013–2014 37.2 5.3 4.5 32.2 3.7 3.3 40.3 6.6 5.6 2018 35.3 4.7 4.0 30.9 3.4 2.9 38.4 5.8 5.0 2024 32.1 4.0 3.6 28.4 3.2 2.8 35.3 4.9 4.4
Fertility data as of 2013–2014 (DHS Program):
Province Total fertility rate Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant Mean number of children ever born to women age 40-49Central 5.9 8.1 6.8Copperbelt 4.0 7.6 5.5Eastern 5.8 8.7 6.9Luapula 6.4 11.4 6.6Lusaka 3.7 7.7 5.1Muchinga 6.3 10.3 7.2Northern 6.6 10.4 7.6North Western 6.2 9.2 6.7Southern 6.2 9.2 6.9Western 5.6 8.1 6.0
Fertility rate by religion At national level, the TFR was highest among women with no religious affiliation at 6.5. Among the women with religious affiliation Protestants had the highest TFR of 6.0, followed by Muslims with 5.9 and Catholics with 5.7. Religious Affiliation Total fertility rate Protestantism 6.0 Catholicism 5.7 Islam 3.2 Hinduism 2.0 Other religions 5.8 Not religious 6.5 Zambia (total) 5.9
Life expectancy PeriodLife expectancy in Years1950–195542.071955–1960 44.131960–1965 46.081965–1970 47.831970–1975 50.161975–1980 51.471980–1985 50.311985–1990 46.741990–1995 43.791995–2000 43.532000–2005 46.862005–2010 52.932010–2015 59.73
Ethnic groups Zambia is one of the most highly urbanised countries in sub-Saharan Africa with 44% of the population concentrated in a few urban areas along the major transport corridors, while rural areas are sparsely populated. Zambia's population comprises more than 72 Bantu-speaking ethnic groups. Some ethnic groups are small, and only two have enough people to constitute at least 10% of the population. The majority of Zambians are subsistence farmers, but the country is also fairly urbanised, with 42% of the population being city residents. The predominant religion is a blend of traditional beliefs and Christianity.
Immigrants, mostly British or South African, as well as some white Zambian citizens (about 40,000 in 2014), live mainly in Lusaka and in the Copperbelt in northern Zambia, where they are either employed in mines, financial and related activities or retired. Zambia also has small but economically important Indian and Chinese populations.
2010 census
Groups Percentage African 99.2% Bemba 21% Tonga 13.6% Chewa 7.4% Lozi 5.7% Nsenga 5.3% Tumbuka 4.4% Ngoni 4% Lala 3.1% Kaonde 2.9% Namwanga 2.8% Lunda (North-western) 2.6% Mambwe 2.5% Luvale 2.2% Lamba 2.1% Ushi 1.9% Lenje 1.6% Bisa 1.6% Mbunda 1.2% Other13.8% Unspecified 0.4% Source:
Languages
Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.) note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family
Religion Protestant 75.3% Roman Catholic 20.2% other 2.7% (includes Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i) none 1.8% (2010 est.)
See also Cultures of Zambia Angolans in Zambia Chinese people in Zambia Indians in Zambia Zimbabweans in Zambia Bibliography of the history of Zambia
References