Zambia Demographics: Median age, Gender, Race, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Zambia vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Zambia	World
1960	17	22.5
1961	16.9	22.5
1962	16.8	22.4
1963	16.7	22.2
1964	16.6	22
1965	16.6	21.8
1966	16.5	21.7
1967	16.5	21.6
1968	16.4	21.5
1969	16.4	21.5
1970	16.2	21.4
1971	16.1	21.4
1972	15.9	21.5
1973	15.8	21.5
1974	15.7	21.6
1975	15.5	21.7
1976	15.4	21.9
1977	15.4	22
1978	15.3	22.2
1979	15.3	22.3
1980	15.2	22.5
1981	15.3	22.6
1982	15.3	22.7
1983	15.4	22.9
1984	15.4	23
1985	15.5	23.2
1986	15.5	23.3
1987	15.6	23.4
1988	15.6	23.6
1989	15.7	23.8
1990	15.7	23.9
1991	15.7	24.1
1992	15.8	24.3
1993	15.8	24.5
1994	15.8	24.7
1995	15.8	25
1996	15.8	25.2
1997	15.8	25.4
1998	15.8	25.7
1999	15.8	25.9
2000	15.9	26.1
2001	15.9	26.3
2002	16	26.5
2003	16.1	26.7
2004	16.2	27
2005	16.3	27.2
2006	16.3	27.4
2007	16.4	27.6
2008	16.5	27.8
2009	16.6	28
2010	16.7	28.2
2011	16.8	28.4
2012	16.9	28.6
2013	17	28.9
2014	17.1	29.1
2015	17.2	29.3
2016	17.4	29.5
2017	17.5	29.8
2018	17.7	30
2019	17.9	30.3
2020	18	30.6
2021	18.2	30.8
2022	18.4	31
2023	18.6	31.3
2024	18.8	31.6
2025	18.9	31.9
2026	19.2	32.1
2027	19.4	32.3
2028	19.6	32.6
2029	19.9	32.8
2030	20.1	33
2031	20.3	33.2
2032	20.6	33.4
2033	20.8	33.6
2034	21	33.8
2035	21.3	34
2036	21.5	34.2
2037	21.7	34.4
2038	21.9	34.6
2039	22.1	34.8
2040	22.4	35
2041	22.6	35.2
2042	22.8	35.4
2043	23	35.6
2044	23.2	35.8
2045	23.5	36
2046	23.7	36.2
2047	23.9	36.4
2048	24.1	36.6
2049	24.4	36.8
2050	24.6	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Zambia was 17 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 18.8 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 170th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Zambia ranks 182nd currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Zambia is expected to increase to around 24.6 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Zambia demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Zambia
	Male	Female
0-4	7.52%	7.51%
5-9	6.85%	6.85%
10-14	6.35%	6.37%
15-19	5.61%	5.66%
20-24	4.67%	4.74%
25-29	3.99%	4.06%
30-34	3.42%	3.46%
35-39	2.96%	2.97%
40-44	2.45%	2.44%
45-49	1.94%	1.97%
50-54	1.38%	1.47%
55-59	0.94%	1.06%
60-64	0.63%	0.77%
65-69	0.39%	0.53%
70-74	0.22%	0.34%
75-79	0.11%	0.18%
80+	0.06%	0.12%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Zambia has high demographic potential with 77.1% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 13/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Zambia			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	95.6%	90%	5.58%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	96.2%	90.6%	5.61%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	96.8%	91.2%	5.66%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	97.7%	92%	5.72%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	98.6%	92.8%	5.78%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	99.2%	93.4%	5.83%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	99.5%	93.7%	5.87%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	99.8%	93.9%	5.9%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	100.2%	94.3%	5.94%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	100.7%	94.7%	5.98%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	101.7%	95.6%	6.05%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	103.1%	96.9%	6.15%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	104.5%	98.2%	6.23%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	105.8%	99.5%	6.32%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	107%	100.6%	6.39%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	108.1%	101.7%	6.46%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	109.1%	102.6%	6.52%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	109.9%	103.4%	6.57%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	110.6%	104%	6.61%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	111%	104.3%	6.64%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	111.1%	104.5%	6.65%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	110.8%	104.2%	6.63%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	110.2%	103.6%	6.57%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	109.4%	102.9%	6.49%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	108.8%	102.4%	6.42%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	108.2%	101.8%	6.34%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	107.5%	101.2%	6.25%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	106.8%	100.7%	6.17%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	106.3%	100.2%	6.08%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	105.7%	99.7%	6%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	105.2%	99.3%	5.91%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	104.7%	98.9%	5.82%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	104.3%	98.5%	5.72%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	103.9%	98.3%	5.62%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	103.7%	98.2%	5.52%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	103.6%	98.1%	5.41%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	103.4%	98.1%	5.3%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	103.1%	98%	5.18%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	102.7%	97.7%	5.04%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	102.2%	97.3%	4.91%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	101.5%	96.8%	4.76%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	100.5%	95.9%	4.61%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	99.4%	95%	4.46%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	98.5%	94.2%	4.32%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	97.6%	93.4%	4.19%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	96.8%	92.7%	4.06%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	95.9%	92%	3.93%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	95.1%	91.3%	3.82%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	94.2%	90.5%	3.71%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	93.4%	89.8%	3.61%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	92.6%	89.1%	3.53%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	91.9%	88.5%	3.47%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	91.2%	87.8%	3.41%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	90.4%	87.1%	3.35%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	89.4%	86.1%	3.3%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	88.4%	85.1%	3.27%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	87.3%	84%	3.26%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	86.1%	82.8%	3.26%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	84.9%	81.6%	3.27%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	83.6%	80.4%	3.28%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	82.3%	79%	3.3%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	80.9%	77.6%	3.3%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	79.5%	76.2%	3.33%	54%	39%	15%
2023	78.1%	74.7%	3.38%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	76.7%	73.3%	3.44%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Zambia decreased from 97.6% to 76.7% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an decreased proportion of people aged 65+

Zambia working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Zambia	World
1960	51.1%	57.6%
1961	51%	57.5%
1962	50.8%	57.4%
1963	50.6%	57.2%
1964	50.3%	57%
1965	50.2%	56.9%
1966	50.1%	56.8%
1967	50%	56.9%
1968	50%	56.9%
1969	49.8%	56.9%
1970	49.6%	57%
1971	49.2%	57.1%
1972	48.9%	57.2%
1973	48.6%	57.3%
1974	48.3%	57.3%
1975	48%	57.4%
1976	47.8%	57.5%
1977	47.6%	57.7%
1978	47.5%	58%
1979	47.4%	58.4%
1980	47.4%	58.7%
1981	47.4%	59%
1982	47.6%	59.3%
1983	47.8%	59.6%
1984	47.9%	59.9%
1985	48%	60.1%
1986	48.2%	60.4%
1987	48.3%	60.5%
1988	48.5%	60.7%
1989	48.6%	60.8%
1990	48.7%	60.9%
1991	48.8%	61%
1992	49%	61.1%
1993	49%	61.2%
1994	49.1%	61.3%
1995	49.1%	61.5%
1996	49.2%	61.7%
1997	49.2%	61.9%
1998	49.3%	62.2%
1999	49.4%	62.5%
2000	49.6%	62.8%
2001	49.9%	63.1%
2002	50.1%	63.4%
2003	50.4%	63.7%
2004	50.6%	64%
2005	50.8%	64.3%
2006	51%	64.5%
2007	51.3%	64.7%
2008	51.5%	64.9%
2009	51.7%	65%
2010	51.9%	65.1%
2011	52.1%	65.2%
2012	52.3%	65.2%
2013	52.5%	65.2%
2014	52.8%	65.2%
2015	53.1%	65.1%
2016	53.4%	65.1%
2017	53.7%	65%
2018	54.1%	64.9%
2019	54.5%	64.9%
2020	54.9%	64.8%
2021	55.3%	64.9%
2022	55.7%	64.9%
2023	56.1%	65%
2024	56.6%	65.1%
2025	57%	65.2%
2026	57.4%	65.3%
2027	57.8%	65.4%
2028	58.2%	65.4%
2029	58.5%	65.4%
2030	58.8%	65.4%
2031	59.1%	65.4%
2032	59.4%	65.4%
2033	59.6%	65.4%
2034	59.9%	65.3%
2035	60.1%	65.2%
2036	60.4%	65%
2037	60.6%	64.9%
2038	60.8%	64.7%
2039	61%	64.6%
2040	61.2%	64.5%
2041	61.4%	64.4%
2042	61.6%	64.3%
2043	61.8%	64.2%
2044	62%	64.1%
2045	62.3%	63.9%
2046	62.5%	63.8%
2047	62.7%	63.7%
2048	62.9%	63.6%
2049	63%	63.4%
2050	63.2%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Zambia changed from 50.6% to 56.6% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Zambia	World
1960	46%	37.4%
1961	46.2%	37.5%
1962	46.3%	37.6%
1963	46.5%	37.8%
1964	46.7%	38%
1965	46.9%	38%
1966	46.9%	38%
1967	47%	38%
1968	47.1%	37.9%
1969	47.2%	37.8%
1970	47.4%	37.7%
1971	47.7%	37.6%
1972	48%	37.5%
1973	48.3%	37.3%
1974	48.6%	37.2%
1975	48.8%	37.1%
1976	49.1%	36.9%
1977	49.2%	36.7%
1978	49.4%	36.3%
1979	49.5%	35.9%
1980	49.5%	35.5%
1981	49.4%	35.2%
1982	49.3%	34.9%
1983	49.1%	34.6%
1984	49%	34.3%
1985	48.9%	34%
1986	48.8%	33.8%
1987	48.7%	33.6%
1988	48.6%	33.4%
1989	48.5%	33.2%
1990	48.4%	33%
1991	48.3%	32.9%
1992	48.2%	32.7%
1993	48.2%	32.5%
1994	48.2%	32.3%
1995	48.2%	32.1%
1996	48.2%	31.8%
1997	48.2%	31.5%
1998	48.2%	31.1%
1999	48.1%	30.8%
2000	48%	30.4%
2001	47.8%	30%
2002	47.6%	29.6%
2003	47.4%	29.2%
2004	47.3%	28.8%
2005	47.1%	28.5%
2006	47%	28.1%
2007	46.8%	27.9%
2008	46.6%	27.6%
2009	46.4%	27.5%
2010	46.3%	27.3%
2011	46.1%	27.1%
2012	45.9%	27%
2013	45.7%	26.9%
2014	45.5%	26.8%
2015	45.2%	26.6%
2016	44.9%	26.5%
2017	44.5%	26.4%
2018	44.1%	26.2%
2019	43.8%	26%
2020	43.3%	25.8%
2021	42.9%	25.6%
2022	42.4%	25.3%
2023	42%	25%
2024	41.5%	24.7%
2025	41%	24.4%
2026	40.5%	24.1%
2027	40%	23.8%
2028	39.6%	23.4%
2029	39.2%	23.1%
2030	38.8%	22.8%
2031	38.5%	22.6%
2032	38.1%	22.3%
2033	37.8%	22.1%
2034	37.5%	21.9%
2035	37.1%	21.7%
2036	36.8%	21.6%
2037	36.5%	21.5%
2038	36.1%	21.4%
2039	35.8%	21.3%
2040	35.4%	21.2%
2041	35.1%	21.1%
2042	34.7%	21%
2043	34.4%	21%
2044	34%	20.9%
2045	33.7%	20.8%
2046	33.3%	20.7%
2047	33%	20.7%
2048	32.6%	20.6%
2049	32.3%	20.5%
2050	32%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Zambia decreased from 47.3% to 41.5% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Zambia	World
1960	2.85%	4.97%
1961	2.86%	4.99%
1962	2.87%	5.01%
1963	2.89%	5.02%
1964	2.91%	5.04%
1965	2.92%	5.08%
1966	2.94%	5.12%
1967	2.95%	5.16%
1968	2.97%	5.2%
1969	2.98%	5.24%
1970	3%	5.28%
1971	3.03%	5.32%
1972	3.05%	5.37%
1973	3.07%	5.42%
1974	3.09%	5.47%
1975	3.1%	5.53%
1976	3.12%	5.59%
1977	3.13%	5.65%
1978	3.14%	5.71%
1979	3.15%	5.77%
1980	3.15%	5.81%
1981	3.14%	5.81%
1982	3.12%	5.8%
1983	3.1%	5.79%
1984	3.07%	5.8%
1985	3.04%	5.82%
1986	3.01%	5.86%
1987	2.98%	5.91%
1988	2.95%	5.95%
1989	2.92%	6.01%
1990	2.88%	6.07%
1991	2.84%	6.14%
1992	2.8%	6.21%
1993	2.76%	6.29%
1994	2.71%	6.37%
1995	2.66%	6.45%
1996	2.61%	6.53%
1997	2.55%	6.61%
1998	2.49%	6.68%
1999	2.43%	6.76%
2000	2.36%	6.84%
2001	2.3%	6.92%
2002	2.24%	7.01%
2003	2.18%	7.1%
2004	2.12%	7.18%
2005	2.06%	7.26%
2006	2.01%	7.34%
2007	1.96%	7.41%
2008	1.91%	7.47%
2009	1.87%	7.52%
2010	1.83%	7.58%
2011	1.81%	7.66%
2012	1.78%	7.78%
2013	1.76%	7.92%
2014	1.74%	8.08%
2015	1.74%	8.26%
2016	1.74%	8.45%
2017	1.75%	8.65%
2018	1.77%	8.88%
2019	1.79%	9.1%
2020	1.81%	9.33%
2021	1.83%	9.53%
2022	1.86%	9.74%
2023	1.9%	9.98%
2024	1.95%	10.2%
2025	2%	10.4%
2026	2.06%	10.6%
2027	2.12%	10.8%
2028	2.18%	11.1%
2029	2.25%	11.5%
2030	2.32%	11.7%
2031	2.4%	12%
2032	2.48%	12.3%
2033	2.56%	12.6%
2034	2.66%	12.8%
2035	2.75%	13.1%
2036	2.86%	13.4%
2037	2.97%	13.7%
2038	3.09%	13.9%
2039	3.21%	14.1%
2040	3.35%	14.3%
2041	3.49%	14.5%
2042	3.63%	14.7%
2043	3.78%	14.9%
2044	3.92%	15%
2045	4.06%	15.2%
2046	4.21%	15.4%
2047	4.35%	15.7%
2048	4.5%	15.9%
2049	4.65%	16.1%
2050	4.8%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Zambia decreased from 2.12% to 1.95% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.