Zambia has a population density of 78.5 people per square mile compared to 115.6 people in Zimbabwe. Zambia has 380,067 sq ft of land per person vs 252,854 sq ft in Zimbabwe. Zambia and Zimbabwe rank 157th and 144th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Zambia has 0.26% of the world's population and 0.5% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.2% of the population and 0.26% of the land area for Zimbabwe, making the population density in Zambia 32.1% lower than in Zimbabwe.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Zambia
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
| 2026 | 78.5 | 115.6 |
| 2025 | 76.4 | 113.5 |
| 2024 | 74.3 | 111.4 |
| 2023 | 72.2 | 109.4 |
| 2022 | 70.2 | 107.6 |
| 2021 | 68.3 | 105.8 |
| 2020 | 66.4 | 104 |
| 2019 | 64.5 | 102.2 |
| 2018 | 62.6 | 100.7 |
| 2017 | 60.8 | 99.2 |
| 2016 | 58.9 | 97.8 |
| 2015 | 57.1 | 96.4 |
| 2014 | 55.4 | 95.1 |
| 2013 | 53.7 | 93.8 |
| 2012 | 52 | 92.5 |
| 2011 | 50.3 | 91 |
| 2010 | 48.7 | 89.4 |
| 2009 | 47 | 88 |
| 2008 | 45.4 | 86.8 |
| 2007 | 43.8 | 85.7 |
| 2006 | 42.3 | 84.6 |
| 2005 | 40.8 | 83.6 |
| 2004 | 39.5 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 38.3 | 81.9 |
| 2002 | 37.1 | 80.9 |
| 2001 | 36 | 80.2 |
| 2000 | 34.9 | 79.6 |
| 1999 | 33.9 | 78.9 |
| 1998 | 33 | 77.6 |
| 1997 | 32.2 | 76.1 |
| 1996 | 31.4 | 74.7 |
| 1995 | 30.6 | 73.5 |
| 1994 | 29.9 | 72.8 |
| 1993 | 29.2 | 72.7 |
| 1992 | 28.5 | 71.7 |
| 1991 | 27.8 | 69.7 |
| 1990 | 27.1 | 67.9 |
| 1989 | 26.4 | 66 |
| 1988 | 25.8 | 64.2 |
| 1987 | 25.1 | 62.2 |
| 1986 | 24.3 | 60.1 |
| 1985 | 23.6 | 58.2 |
| 1984 | 22.9 | 56.2 |
| 1983 | 22.2 | 54.2 |
| 1982 | 21.5 | 52.2 |
| 1981 | 20.8 | 50.2 |
| 1980 | 20.2 | 47.1 |
| 1979 | 19.6 | 44.5 |
| 1978 | 19 | 43.8 |
| 1977 | 18.5 | 43.2 |
| 1976 | 17.9 | 42.1 |
| 1975 | 17.4 | 40.8 |
| 1974 | 16.9 | 39.6 |
| 1973 | 16.4 | 38.3 |
| 1972 | 15.9 | 37.1 |
| 1971 | 15.5 | 36 |
| 1970 | 15.1 | 34.9 |
| 1969 | 14.6 | 33.9 |
| 1968 | 14.2 | 32.8 |
| 1967 | 13.7 | 31.8 |
| 1966 | 13.3 | 30.8 |
| 1965 | 12.9 | 29.8 |
| 1964 | 12.5 | 28.9 |
| 1963 | 12.1 | 28 |
| 1962 | 11.7 | 27.2 |
| 1961 | 11.3 | 26.3 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/zambia/zimbabwe | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Zambia increased by 85.7%, compared to a 36.7% growth in Zimbabwe.
In 2006, Zambia ranked 164th by population density and is 157th now. Zimbabwe was 145th in 2006 and ranks 144th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Zambia
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 78.5 ppl/mi² | 115.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 157/197 | 144/197 |
| Population |
22697916
|
17361868
|
| Land area | 287,024 sq mi | 149,364 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 375,407 sq ft | 250,326 sq ft |
| Rural population | 54.5% | 60.1% |
| Urban population | 45.5% | 39.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.9% | 21.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Zambia
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
| 2024 | 45.5% | 39.9% |
| 2023 | 45% | 39.3% |
| 2022 | 44.6% | 38.7% |
| 2021 | 44.2% | 37.9% |
| 2020 | 43.9% | 37% |
| 2019 | 43.5% | 36.2% |
| 2018 | 43.1% | 35.4% |
| 2017 | 42.7% | 34.7% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | 34.1% |
| 2015 | 42% | 33.6% |
| 2014 | 41.6% | 33.2% |
| 2013 | 41.2% | 32.9% |
| 2012 | 40.8% | 32.8% |
| 2011 | 40.4% | 32.8% |
| 2010 | 40% | 32.7% |
| 2009 | 39.5% | 32.7% |
| 2008 | 39% | 32.7% |
| 2007 | 38.4% | 32.7% |
| 2006 | 37.8% | 32.7% |
| 2005 | 37.3% | 32.6% |
| 2004 | 36.8% | 32.6% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | 32.6% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | 32.6% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | 32.5% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 32.4% |
| 1999 | 36.2% | 32.3% |
| 1998 | 36.7% | 32.1% |
| 1997 | 37.4% | 31.9% |
| 1996 | 38% | 31.7% |
| 1995 | 38.4% | 31.4% |
| 1994 | 38.7% | 31.2% |
| 1993 | 38.9% | 30.9% |
| 1992 | 39.1% | 30.6% |
| 1991 | 39.3% | 30.2% |
| 1990 | 39.4% | 29.6% |
| 1989 | 39.5% | 28.9% |
| 1988 | 39.5% | 28.1% |
| 1987 | 39.6% | 27.3% |
| 1986 | 39.7% | 26.5% |
| 1985 | 39.7% | 25.6% |
| 1984 | 39.8% | 24.8% |
| 1983 | 39.8% | 24.1% |
| 1982 | 39.9% | 23.5% |
| 1981 | 39.9% | 22.9% |
| 1980 | 39.9% | 22.3% |
| 1979 | 39.7% | 21.8% |
| 1978 | 39.3% | 21.3% |
| 1977 | 38.6% | 20.8% |
| 1976 | 37.8% | 20.3% |
| 1975 | 36.8% | 19.8% |
| 1974 | 35.6% | 19.4% |
| 1973 | 34.4% | 18.9% |
| 1972 | 33.2% | 18.4% |
| 1971 | 31.9% | 17.9% |
| 1970 | 30.7% | 17.4% |
| 1969 | 29.4% | 16.9% |
| 1968 | 28% | 16.4% |
| 1967 | 26.4% | 15.8% |
| 1966 | 24.6% | 15.1% |
| 1965 | 22.9% | 14.5% |
| 1964 | 21.3% | 14% |
| 1963 | 20.1% | 13.5% |
| 1962 | 19.1% | 13.1% |
| 1961 | 18.1% | 12.8% |
| 1960 | 17.2% | 12.5% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/zambia/zimbabwe | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 36.8% to 45.5% in Zambia and from 32.6% to 39.9% in Zimbabwe.
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 |
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Harare | 2.15M |
| Masvingo | 1.64M |
| Bulawayo | 666K |
| Chitungwiza | 371K |
| Mutare | 225K |
| Gweru | 141K |
| Kadoma | 116K |
| Kwekwe | 93.1K |
| Chinhoyi | 56.8K |
| Marondera | 52.3K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/zambia/zimbabwe | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Wikidata (2002–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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