Zambia has a population density of 74.3 people per square mile compared to 111.4 people in Zimbabwe. Zambia has 380,067 sq ft of land per person vs 252,854 sq ft in Zimbabwe. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Zambia and Zimbabwe are ranked 158th and 145th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.2% of the population and 0.26% of the land area for Zimbabwe, hence the population density in Zambia is 33.3% lower than in Zimbabwe.
Population density comparison
Zambia
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 74.3 ppl/mi² | 111.4 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 158/197 | 145/197 |
| Population |
22402291
|
17210092
|
| Land area | 287,024 sq mi | 149,364 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 375,407 sq ft | 250,326 sq ft |
| Rural population | 53.1% | 67.3% |
| Urban population | 46.9% | 32.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.6% | 22.8% |
Zambia vs Zimbabwe:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Zambia increased by 88%, compared to a 34.5% growth in Zimbabwe.
In 2004, Zambia ranked 163rd for population density and is in 158th place now. Zimbabwe was 144th in 2004 and ranks 145th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Zambia
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
| 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 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Zambia
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
| 2024 | 46.9% | 32.7% |
| 2023 | 46.3% | 32.5% |
| 2022 | 45.8% | 32.4% |
| 2021 | 45.2% | 32.3% |
| 2020 | 44.6% | 32.2% |
| 2019 | 44.1% | 32.2% |
| 2018 | 43.5% | 32.2% |
| 2017 | 43% | 32.2% |
| 2016 | 42.4% | 32.3% |
| 2015 | 41.9% | 32.4% |
| 2014 | 41.4% | 32.5% |
| 2013 | 40.9% | 32.7% |
| 2012 | 40.4% | 32.8% |
| 2011 | 39.9% | 33% |
| 2010 | 39.4% | 33.2% |
| 2009 | 38.9% | 33.4% |
| 2008 | 38.4% | 33.6% |
| 2007 | 37.9% | 33.7% |
| 2006 | 37.4% | 33.9% |
| 2005 | 36.9% | 34.1% |
| 2004 | 36.4% | 34.3% |
| 2003 | 36% | 34.5% |
| 2002 | 35.5% | 34.6% |
| 2001 | 35% | 34.2% |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 33.8% |
| 1999 | 35.3% | 33.3% |
| 1998 | 35.7% | 32.9% |
| 1997 | 36.2% | 32.5% |
| 1996 | 36.6% | 32.1% |
| 1995 | 37.1% | 31.7% |
| 1994 | 37.6% | 31.3% |
| 1993 | 38% | 30.9% |
| 1992 | 38.5% | 30.5% |
| 1991 | 39% | 29.7% |
| 1990 | 39.4% | 29% |
| 1989 | 39.5% | 28.2% |
| 1988 | 39.5% | 27.5% |
| 1987 | 39.6% | 26.8% |
| 1986 | 39.6% | 26.1% |
| 1985 | 39.7% | 25.4% |
| 1984 | 39.7% | 24.7% |
| 1983 | 39.8% | 24.1% |
| 1982 | 39.8% | 23.4% |
| 1981 | 39.9% | 22.9% |
| 1980 | 39.8% | 22.4% |
| 1979 | 38.8% | 21.9% |
| 1978 | 37.8% | 21.3% |
| 1977 | 36.9% | 20.8% |
| 1976 | 35.9% | 20.4% |
| 1975 | 34.9% | 19.9% |
| 1974 | 34% | 19.4% |
| 1973 | 33.1% | 18.9% |
| 1972 | 32.1% | 18.4% |
| 1971 | 31.2% | 17.9% |
| 1970 | 30.4% | 17.4% |
| 1969 | 29.4% | 16.9% |
| 1968 | 27.8% | 16.3% |
| 1967 | 26.3% | 15.7% |
| 1966 | 24.8% | 15.2% |
| 1965 | 23.4% | 14.6% |
| 1964 | 22% | 14.1% |
| 1963 | 20.7% | 13.6% |
| 1962 | 19.8% | 13.1% |
| 1961 | 19% | 12.8% |
| 1960 | 18.1% | 12.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 36.4% to 46.9% in Zambia and from 34.3% to 32.7% 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 |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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