Zambia has a population density of 74.3 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Zambia has 380,067 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Zambia ranked 158th out of 197.
Zambia has 0.26% of the world's population and 0.5% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Zambia compared to the World's average
Zambia
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 74.3 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 158/197 | N/A |
| Population |
22402291
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 287,024 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 375,407 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 53.1% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 46.9% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.6% | 28.6% |
Zambia population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Zambia has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 88%. The population density rank was 163rd 21 years ago and is 158th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 74.3 | 158 |
| 2023 | 72.2 | 158 |
| 2022 | 70.2 | 158 |
| 2021 | 68.3 | 158 |
| 2020 | 66.4 | 160 |
| 2019 | 64.5 | 161 |
| 2018 | 62.6 | 162 |
| 2017 | 60.8 | 162 |
| 2016 | 58.9 | 162 |
| 2015 | 57.1 | 161 |
| 2014 | 55.4 | 161 |
| 2013 | 53.7 | 162 |
| 2012 | 52 | 162 |
| 2011 | 50.3 | 163 |
| 2010 | 48.7 | 162 |
| 2009 | 47 | 163 |
| 2008 | 45.4 | 163 |
| 2007 | 43.8 | 164 |
| 2006 | 42.3 | 164 |
| 2005 | 40.8 | 162 |
| 2004 | 39.5 | 163 |
| 2003 | 38.3 | 163 |
| 2002 | 37.1 | 163 |
| 2001 | 36 | 163 |
| 2000 | 34.9 | 164 |
| 1999 | 33.9 | 161 |
| 1998 | 33 | 161 |
| 1997 | 32.2 | 161 |
| 1996 | 31.4 | 161 |
| 1995 | 30.6 | 162 |
| 1994 | 29.9 | 162 |
| 1993 | 29.2 | 162 |
| 1992 | 28.5 | 158 |
| 1991 | 27.8 | 143 |
| 1990 | 27.1 | 141 |
| 1989 | 26.4 | 140 |
| 1988 | 25.8 | 140 |
| 1987 | 25.1 | 140 |
| 1986 | 24.3 | 140 |
| 1985 | 23.6 | 140 |
| 1984 | 22.9 | 140 |
| 1983 | 22.2 | 140 |
| 1982 | 21.5 | 140 |
| 1981 | 20.8 | 140 |
| 1980 | 20.2 | 140 |
| 1979 | 19.6 | 139 |
| 1978 | 19 | 139 |
| 1977 | 18.5 | 140 |
| 1976 | 17.9 | 140 |
| 1975 | 17.4 | 140 |
| 1974 | 16.9 | 140 |
| 1973 | 16.4 | 139 |
| 1972 | 15.9 | 139 |
| 1971 | 15.5 | 139 |
| 1970 | 15.1 | 139 |
| 1969 | 14.6 | 140 |
| 1968 | 14.2 | 140 |
| 1967 | 13.7 | 139 |
| 1966 | 13.3 | 139 |
| 1965 | 12.9 | 139 |
| 1964 | 12.5 | 140 |
| 1963 | 12.1 | 139 |
| 1962 | 11.7 | 140 |
| 1961 | 11.3 | 140 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Zambia from 1960 to 2024: 18.1% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 34.8% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 46.9%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 46.9% | 139 |
| 2023 | 46.3% | 139 |
| 2022 | 45.8% | 139 |
| 2021 | 45.2% | 139 |
| 2020 | 44.6% | 139 |
| 2019 | 44.1% | 139 |
| 2018 | 43.5% | 139 |
| 2017 | 43% | 139 |
| 2016 | 42.4% | 142 |
| 2015 | 41.9% | 142 |
| 2014 | 41.4% | 142 |
| 2013 | 40.9% | 143 |
| 2012 | 40.4% | 143 |
| 2011 | 39.9% | 143 |
| 2010 | 39.4% | 142 |
| 2009 | 38.9% | 142 |
| 2008 | 38.4% | 143 |
| 2007 | 37.9% | 143 |
| 2006 | 37.4% | 143 |
| 2005 | 36.9% | 143 |
| 2004 | 36.4% | 142 |
| 2003 | 36% | 142 |
| 2002 | 35.5% | 143 |
| 2001 | 35% | 144 |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 144 |
| 1999 | 35.3% | 140 |
| 1998 | 35.7% | 136 |
| 1997 | 36.2% | 136 |
| 1996 | 36.6% | 136 |
| 1995 | 37.1% | 133 |
| 1994 | 37.6% | 132 |
| 1993 | 38% | 130 |
| 1992 | 38.5% | 129 |
| 1991 | 39% | 128 |
| 1990 | 39.4% | 123 |
| 1989 | 39.5% | 119 |
| 1988 | 39.5% | 118 |
| 1987 | 39.6% | 116 |
| 1986 | 39.6% | 114 |
| 1985 | 39.7% | 114 |
| 1984 | 39.7% | 114 |
| 1983 | 39.8% | 112 |
| 1982 | 39.8% | 110 |
| 1981 | 39.9% | 110 |
| 1980 | 39.8% | 111 |
| 1979 | 38.8% | 111 |
| 1978 | 37.8% | 113 |
| 1977 | 36.9% | 114 |
| 1976 | 35.9% | 115 |
| 1975 | 34.9% | 117 |
| 1974 | 34% | 118 |
| 1973 | 33.1% | 118 |
| 1972 | 32.1% | 119 |
| 1971 | 31.2% | 120 |
| 1970 | 30.4% | 120 |
| 1969 | 29.4% | 120 |
| 1968 | 27.8% | 123 |
| 1967 | 26.3% | 125 |
| 1966 | 24.8% | 126 |
| 1965 | 23.4% | 129 |
| 1964 | 22% | 130 |
| 1963 | 20.7% | 132 |
| 1962 | 19.8% | 135 |
| 1961 | 19% | 135 |
| 1960 | 18.1% | 135 |
Densely populated cities
|
Zambia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lusaka | 2.47M |
| Kitwe | 625K |
| Ndola | 528K |
| Chingola | 255K |
| Mufulira | 182K |
| Livingstone | 177K |
| Kasama | 158K |
| Kapiri Mposhi | 65.2K |
| Choma | 51.8K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Zambia topic pages:
Population density comparisons
