Zimbabwe Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Zimbabwe vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Zimbabwe	World
1960	16.4	22.5
1961	16.2	22.5
1962	16	22.4
1963	15.8	22.2
1964	15.7	22
1965	15.7	21.8
1966	15.7	21.7
1967	15.7	21.6
1968	15.7	21.5
1969	15.7	21.5
1970	15.7	21.4
1971	15.8	21.4
1972	15.8	21.5
1973	15.8	21.5
1974	15.9	21.6
1975	15.9	21.7
1976	15.8	21.9
1977	15.8	22
1978	15.7	22.2
1979	15.6	22.3
1980	15.6	22.5
1981	15.7	22.6
1982	15.8	22.7
1983	15.8	22.9
1984	15.8	23
1985	15.9	23.2
1986	15.9	23.3
1987	15.9	23.4
1988	15.9	23.6
1989	16.1	23.8
1990	16.3	23.9
1991	16.5	24.1
1992	16.4	24.3
1993	16.3	24.5
1994	16.4	24.7
1995	16.6	25
1996	16.9	25.2
1997	17.2	25.4
1998	17.5	25.7
1999	17.7	25.9
2000	17.8	26.1
2001	18	26.3
2002	18.1	26.5
2003	18.2	26.7
2004	18.3	27
2005	18.3	27.2
2006	18.5	27.4
2007	18.5	27.6
2008	18.5	27.8
2009	18.4	28
2010	18.3	28.2
2011	18.2	28.4
2012	18.1	28.6
2013	18	28.9
2014	18	29.1
2015	18	29.3
2016	18	29.5
2017	18.1	29.8
2018	18.2	30
2019	18.3	30.3
2020	18.5	30.6
2021	18.6	30.8
2022	18.7	31
2023	18.9	31.3
2024	19	31.6
2025	19.1	31.9
2026	19.3	32.1
2027	19.5	32.3
2028	19.7	32.6
2029	20	32.8
2030	20.2	33
2031	20.5	33.2
2032	20.8	33.4
2033	21.1	33.6
2034	21.3	33.8
2035	21.6	34
2036	21.8	34.2
2037	22.1	34.4
2038	22.3	34.6
2039	22.5	34.8
2040	22.6	35
2041	22.8	35.2
2042	23	35.4
2043	23.2	35.6
2044	23.4	35.8
2045	23.6	36
2046	23.8	36.2
2047	24	36.4
2048	24.2	36.6
2049	24.4	36.8
2050	24.6	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Zimbabwe was 16.4 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 19 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 185th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Zimbabwe ranks 177th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Zimbabwe 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.

Zimbabwe demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Zimbabwe
	Male	Female
0-4	7.07%	6.95%
5-9	6.68%	6.58%
10-14	6.83%	6.76%
15-19	5.68%	5.67%
20-24	4.75%	4.92%
25-29	3.19%	3.64%
30-34	2.56%	3.11%
35-39	2.75%	3.35%
40-44	2.67%	3.34%
45-49	1.69%	2.44%
50-54	1%	1.57%
55-59	0.75%	1%
60-64	0.62%	0.83%
65-69	0.58%	0.83%
70-74	0.46%	0.67%
75-79	0.23%	0.36%
80+	0.16%	0.3%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Zimbabwe has high demographic potential with 74.4% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 27/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Zimbabwe			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	103%	96.1%	6.87%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	104.4%	97.5%	6.91%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	106%	99.1%	6.94%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	107.9%	100.9%	6.97%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	108.8%	101.8%	6.97%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	108.4%	101.5%	6.92%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	108%	101.1%	6.86%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	107.6%	100.8%	6.8%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	107.2%	100.4%	6.74%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	106.8%	100.1%	6.68%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	106.3%	99.7%	6.62%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	105.9%	99.3%	6.59%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	105.6%	99%	6.57%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	105.5%	98.9%	6.56%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	105.4%	98.9%	6.55%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	105.5%	98.9%	6.56%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	105.7%	99.1%	6.59%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	106.3%	99.6%	6.69%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	107.8%	100.9%	6.97%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	109.7%	102.4%	7.33%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	108.9%	101.7%	7.19%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	107.1%	100.3%	6.87%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	106.4%	99.6%	6.75%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	105.8%	99.2%	6.65%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	105.5%	98.9%	6.57%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	104.9%	98.4%	6.47%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	104.2%	97.8%	6.37%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	104%	97.7%	6.3%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	103.9%	97.7%	6.27%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	102.7%	96.5%	6.22%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	100.8%	94.7%	6.17%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	98.7%	92.6%	6.11%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	99.6%	93.3%	6.21%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	101.1%	94.6%	6.49%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	99.9%	93.2%	6.74%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	97.6%	90.7%	6.85%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	94.1%	87.3%	6.82%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	90.5%	83.8%	6.7%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	87.2%	80.7%	6.55%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	84.6%	78.2%	6.39%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	82.8%	76.5%	6.28%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	81.6%	75.4%	6.19%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	81%	74.9%	6.08%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	81.2%	75.2%	5.99%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	81.6%	75.7%	5.91%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	82.2%	76.3%	5.87%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	82.5%	76.7%	5.82%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	82.8%	77%	5.77%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	83.5%	77.7%	5.75%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	84.5%	78.7%	5.75%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	85.7%	79.9%	5.76%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	86.8%	81%	5.77%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	87.9%	82.1%	5.8%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	88.6%	82.8%	5.84%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	88.9%	83%	5.93%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	88.8%	82.8%	6.08%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	88.3%	82.1%	6.23%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	87.5%	81.2%	6.35%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	86.5%	80.1%	6.46%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	85.4%	78.9%	6.55%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	84.4%	77.8%	6.6%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	83.4%	76.8%	6.6%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	82.5%	76%	6.59%	54%	39%	15%
2023	81.6%	75.1%	6.57%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	80.1%	73.6%	6.49%	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 Zimbabwe decreased from 81.6% to 80.1% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Zimbabwe working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Zimbabwe	World
1960	49.3%	57.6%
1961	48.9%	57.5%
1962	48.5%	57.4%
1963	48.1%	57.2%
1964	47.9%	57%
1965	48%	56.9%
1966	48.1%	56.8%
1967	48.2%	56.9%
1968	48.3%	56.9%
1969	48.4%	56.9%
1970	48.5%	57%
1971	48.6%	57.1%
1972	48.6%	57.2%
1973	48.7%	57.3%
1974	48.7%	57.3%
1975	48.7%	57.4%
1976	48.6%	57.5%
1977	48.5%	57.7%
1978	48.1%	58%
1979	47.7%	58.4%
1980	47.9%	58.7%
1981	48.3%	59%
1982	48.5%	59.3%
1983	48.6%	59.6%
1984	48.7%	59.9%
1985	48.8%	60.1%
1986	49%	60.4%
1987	49%	60.5%
1988	49%	60.7%
1989	49.3%	60.8%
1990	49.8%	60.9%
1991	50.3%	61%
1992	50.1%	61.1%
1993	49.7%	61.2%
1994	50%	61.3%
1995	50.6%	61.5%
1996	51.5%	61.7%
1997	52.5%	61.9%
1998	53.4%	62.2%
1999	54.2%	62.5%
2000	54.7%	62.8%
2001	55.1%	63.1%
2002	55.2%	63.4%
2003	55.2%	63.7%
2004	55.1%	64%
2005	54.9%	64.3%
2006	54.8%	64.5%
2007	54.7%	64.7%
2008	54.5%	64.9%
2009	54.2%	65%
2010	53.9%	65.1%
2011	53.5%	65.2%
2012	53.2%	65.2%
2013	53%	65.2%
2014	52.9%	65.2%
2015	53%	65.1%
2016	53.1%	65.1%
2017	53.3%	65%
2018	53.6%	64.9%
2019	53.9%	64.9%
2020	54.2%	64.8%
2021	54.5%	64.9%
2022	54.8%	64.9%
2023	55.1%	65%
2024	55.5%	65.1%
2025	56.2%	65.2%
2026	56.8%	65.3%
2027	57.6%	65.4%
2028	58.3%	65.4%
2029	58.9%	65.4%
2030	59.4%	65.4%
2031	59.8%	65.4%
2032	60.1%	65.4%
2033	60.4%	65.4%
2034	60.6%	65.3%
2035	60.9%	65.2%
2036	61.1%	65%
2037	61.3%	64.9%
2038	61.6%	64.7%
2039	61.7%	64.6%
2040	61.9%	64.5%
2041	62%	64.4%
2042	62.1%	64.3%
2043	62.2%	64.2%
2044	62.3%	64.1%
2045	62.4%	63.9%
2046	62.4%	63.8%
2047	62.5%	63.7%
2048	62.6%	63.6%
2049	62.7%	63.4%
2050	62.8%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Zimbabwe changed from 55.1% to 55.5% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Zimbabwe	World
1960	47.3%	37.4%
1961	47.7%	37.5%
1962	48.1%	37.6%
1963	48.5%	37.8%
1964	48.8%	38%
1965	48.7%	38%
1966	48.6%	38%
1967	48.5%	38%
1968	48.5%	37.9%
1969	48.4%	37.8%
1970	48.3%	37.7%
1971	48.2%	37.6%
1972	48.2%	37.5%
1973	48.1%	37.3%
1974	48.1%	37.2%
1975	48.1%	37.1%
1976	48.2%	36.9%
1977	48.3%	36.7%
1978	48.5%	36.3%
1979	48.8%	35.9%
1980	48.7%	35.5%
1981	48.4%	35.2%
1982	48.3%	34.9%
1983	48.2%	34.6%
1984	48.1%	34.3%
1985	48%	34%
1986	47.9%	33.8%
1987	47.9%	33.6%
1988	47.9%	33.4%
1989	47.6%	33.2%
1990	47.1%	33%
1991	46.6%	32.9%
1992	46.8%	32.7%
1993	47.1%	32.5%
1994	46.6%	32.3%
1995	45.9%	32.1%
1996	45%	31.8%
1997	44%	31.5%
1998	43.1%	31.1%
1999	42.4%	30.8%
2000	41.9%	30.4%
2001	41.5%	30%
2002	41.4%	29.6%
2003	41.5%	29.2%
2004	41.7%	28.8%
2005	41.9%	28.5%
2006	42%	28.1%
2007	42.1%	27.9%
2008	42.4%	27.6%
2009	42.7%	27.5%
2010	43%	27.3%
2011	43.4%	27.1%
2012	43.7%	27%
2013	43.9%	26.9%
2014	43.9%	26.8%
2015	43.8%	26.6%
2016	43.6%	26.5%
2017	43.3%	26.4%
2018	42.9%	26.2%
2019	42.5%	26%
2020	42.2%	25.8%
2021	41.9%	25.6%
2022	41.6%	25.3%
2023	41.3%	25%
2024	40.9%	24.7%
2025	40.3%	24.4%
2026	39.6%	24.1%
2027	39%	23.8%
2028	38.4%	23.4%
2029	37.8%	23.1%
2030	37.4%	22.8%
2031	37%	22.6%
2032	36.8%	22.3%
2033	36.5%	22.1%
2034	36.3%	21.9%
2035	36.1%	21.7%
2036	35.8%	21.6%
2037	35.6%	21.5%
2038	35.3%	21.4%
2039	35.1%	21.3%
2040	34.8%	21.2%
2041	34.6%	21.1%
2042	34.3%	21%
2043	34.1%	21%
2044	33.8%	20.9%
2045	33.5%	20.8%
2046	33.2%	20.7%
2047	32.9%	20.7%
2048	32.6%	20.6%
2049	32.2%	20.5%
2050	31.9%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Zimbabwe decreased from 41.7% to 40.9% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Zimbabwe	World
1960	3.39%	4.97%
1961	3.38%	4.99%
1962	3.37%	5.01%
1963	3.35%	5.02%
1964	3.34%	5.04%
1965	3.32%	5.08%
1966	3.3%	5.12%
1967	3.28%	5.16%
1968	3.26%	5.2%
1969	3.23%	5.24%
1970	3.21%	5.28%
1971	3.2%	5.32%
1972	3.19%	5.37%
1973	3.19%	5.42%
1974	3.19%	5.47%
1975	3.19%	5.53%
1976	3.2%	5.59%
1977	3.24%	5.65%
1978	3.36%	5.71%
1979	3.5%	5.77%
1980	3.44%	5.81%
1981	3.32%	5.81%
1982	3.27%	5.8%
1983	3.23%	5.79%
1984	3.2%	5.8%
1985	3.16%	5.82%
1986	3.12%	5.86%
1987	3.09%	5.91%
1988	3.07%	5.95%
1989	3.07%	6.01%
1990	3.07%	6.07%
1991	3.08%	6.14%
1992	3.11%	6.21%
1993	3.22%	6.29%
1994	3.37%	6.37%
1995	3.47%	6.45%
1996	3.51%	6.53%
1997	3.52%	6.61%
1998	3.5%	6.68%
1999	3.46%	6.76%
2000	3.44%	6.84%
2001	3.41%	6.92%
2002	3.36%	7.01%
2003	3.3%	7.1%
2004	3.26%	7.18%
2005	3.22%	7.26%
2006	3.19%	7.34%
2007	3.16%	7.41%
2008	3.14%	7.47%
2009	3.12%	7.52%
2010	3.1%	7.58%
2011	3.09%	7.66%
2012	3.09%	7.78%
2013	3.09%	7.92%
2014	3.14%	8.08%
2015	3.22%	8.26%
2016	3.31%	8.45%
2017	3.39%	8.65%
2018	3.47%	8.88%
2019	3.53%	9.1%
2020	3.58%	9.33%
2021	3.6%	9.53%
2022	3.61%	9.74%
2023	3.62%	9.98%
2024	3.6%	10.2%
2025	3.56%	10.4%
2026	3.51%	10.6%
2027	3.45%	10.8%
2028	3.38%	11.1%
2029	3.31%	11.5%
2030	3.24%	11.7%
2031	3.19%	12%
2032	3.14%	12.3%
2033	3.1%	12.6%
2034	3.08%	12.8%
2035	3.07%	13.1%
2036	3.07%	13.4%
2037	3.1%	13.7%
2038	3.14%	13.9%
2039	3.2%	14.1%
2040	3.29%	14.3%
2041	3.41%	14.5%
2042	3.55%	14.7%
2043	3.72%	14.9%
2044	3.91%	15%
2045	4.11%	15.2%
2046	4.34%	15.4%
2047	4.59%	15.7%
2048	4.84%	15.9%
2049	5.08%	16.1%
2050	5.32%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Zimbabwe increased from 3.26% to 3.6% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.