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Population in Ethiopia compared to Zimbabwe: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Ethiopia was 135,472,051 in 2025 vs 16,950,795 people in Zimbabwe in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Ethiopia's population is 140,722,974 people compared to 17,443,108 in Zimbabwe.

Population statistics:

  • Ethiopia's population is 8.07 times bigger than Zimbabwe's.
  • Ethiopia is ranked the 10th most populous country in the world, while Zimbabwe is the 74th.
  • The countries together account for 1.9% of the world: 1.69% for Ethiopia vs 0.21% for Zimbabwe.
  • For the last 10 years, Ethiopia has had an average growth rate of +2.69% per year vs +1.62% in Zimbabwe.
  • Since 2006, the population of Ethiopia has increased from 80.7M people to 141M (74.4% growth), while Zimbabwe has grown from 12.6M to 17.4M (38% growth).

Ethiopia vs Zimbabwe: population by year and forecast

Ethiopia
Factual

Projection
Zimbabwe
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Ethiopia Zimbabwe
2100 371,078,260 37,486,352
2099 369,338,252 37,415,690
2098 367,513,542 37,331,540
2097 365,567,496 37,238,819
2096 363,536,294 37,146,184
2095 361,596,042 37,035,388
2094 359,531,317 36,915,996
2093 357,460,480 36,814,133
2092 355,389,829 36,691,740
2091 353,218,632 36,570,481
2090 350,960,021 36,428,812
2089 348,751,618 36,284,166
2088 346,517,326 36,144,627
2087 344,162,324 35,980,805
2086 341,671,994 35,811,286
2085 339,167,930 35,640,228
2084 336,649,520 35,459,328
2083 334,083,247 35,271,139
2082 331,401,460 35,081,992
2081 328,715,487 34,876,198
2080 326,013,981 34,662,013
2079 323,282,865 34,442,751
2078 320,422,535 34,220,306
2077 317,492,915 33,985,899
2076 314,518,328 33,742,198
2075 311,487,723 33,498,815
2074 308,416,133 33,247,764
2073 305,383,505 32,981,390
2072 302,258,564 32,708,937
2071 299,119,280 32,448,602
2070 295,963,235 32,183,952
2069 292,756,723 31,909,601
2068 289,522,748 31,633,783
2067 286,191,689 31,348,096
2066 282,905,709 31,065,618
2065 279,576,283 30,769,538
2064 276,197,958 30,482,622
2063 272,782,685 30,178,760
2062 269,340,926 29,870,308
2061 265,803,351 29,559,670
2060 262,269,354 29,254,998
2059 258,692,767 28,947,636
2058 255,205,644 28,634,199
2057 251,656,356 28,309,796
2056 248,002,497 27,993,176
2055 244,426,069 27,661,321
2054 240,794,405 27,334,325
2053 237,155,110 26,989,310
2052 233,479,314 26,645,898
2051 229,733,593 26,289,905
2050 226,055,085 25,937,176
2049 222,351,471 25,587,491
2048 218,627,197 25,230,302
2047 214,883,954 24,876,838
2046 211,161,780 24,515,600
2045 207,461,987 24,149,762
2044 203,749,820 23,785,181
2043 200,035,613 23,404,024
2042 196,351,202 23,037,316
2041 192,689,672 22,649,943
2040 189,023,384 22,275,480
2039 185,365,776 21,904,908
2038 181,733,067 21,532,024
2037 178,124,993 21,161,527
2036 174,515,366 20,792,863
2035 170,904,339 20,415,452
2034 167,316,305 20,049,783
2033 163,763,376 19,678,070
2032 160,167,364 19,313,685
2031 156,590,018 18,960,968
2030 153,023,174 18,615,376
2029 149,461,578 18,271,657
2028 145,944,350 17,935,044
2027 142,419,893 17,602,533
2026 138,930,724 17,274,728
2025 135,472,051 16,950,795
2024 132,059,767 16,634,373
2023 128,691,692 16,340,822
2022 125,384,287 16,069,056
2021 122,138,588 15,797,210
2020 118,917,671 15,526,888
2019 115,737,383 15,271,368
2018 112,664,152 15,034,452
2017 109,666,481 14,812,482
2016 106,718,162 14,600,294
2015 103,867,135 14,399,013
2014 101,115,610 14,207,359
2013 98,438,751 14,013,808
2012 95,798,767 13,817,887
2011 93,149,970 13,595,424
2010 90,538,514 13,356,548
2009 88,007,636 13,142,790
2008 85,543,668 12,959,149
2007 83,103,217 12,804,058
2006 80,703,490 12,636,445
2005 78,367,470 12,483,432
2004 76,077,206 12,365,896
2003 73,832,663 12,232,323
2002 71,635,517 12,087,653
2001 69,487,762 11,971,901
2000 67,411,494 11,892,055
1999 65,374,561 11,783,458
1998 63,363,524 11,594,297
1997 61,404,539 11,369,827
1996 59,467,635 11,158,360
1995 57,537,335 10,974,599
1994 55,611,508 10,873,148
1993 53,708,891 10,860,288
1992 51,853,747 10,702,700
1991 49,717,198 10,404,816
1990 47,609,755 10,137,281
1989 45,879,690 9,864,798
1988 44,150,825 9,583,094
1987 42,460,039 9,284,644
1986 41,037,656 8,982,578
1985 39,842,136 8,686,813
1984 38,735,722 8,391,488
1983 37,740,817 8,098,404
1982 36,701,290 7,796,496
1981 35,304,012 7,498,635
1980 34,428,514 7,041,303
1979 34,238,652 6,647,556
1978 33,734,592 6,543,575
1977 33,167,272 6,449,512
1976 32,534,418 6,287,105
1975 31,723,252 6,098,658
1974 30,957,273 5,908,328
1973 30,166,785 5,720,404
1972 29,374,608 5,542,445
1971 28,600,106 5,374,712
1970 27,829,128 5,215,918
1969 27,072,571 5,058,181
1968 26,337,930 4,900,440
1967 25,620,276 4,748,307
1966 24,952,689 4,601,217
1965 24,310,612 4,458,462
1964 23,666,548 4,320,006
1963 23,051,637 4,185,877
1962 22,465,126 4,055,959
1961 21,906,102 3,930,401
1960 21,376,693 3,809,389

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/ethiopia/zimbabwe | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Ethiopia increased by 26,014,672 people (a 32.2% growth), while Zimbabwe gained 1,963,849 people (a 15.5% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Ethiopia gained 34,004,812 people (a 31.9% growth), while Zimbabwe's population increased by 2,842,814 people (a 19.5% growth).

Ethiopia was ranked 16th most populous country in 2006 and is 10th in 2026. Zimbabwe was ranked 70th in 2006 and ranked 74th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Ethiopia's population will grow by 60.6% to 226,055,085 people with a rank change from 10th to 7th. The population of Zimbabwe will increase by 48.7% to 25,937,176 people and rank change from 74th to 65th.

Ethiopia is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 371M people compared to the peak of 37.5M people in 2100 for Zimbabwe.

Population growth rate by year

Ethiopia
Factual

Projection
Zimbabwe
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Ethiopia Zimbabwe
2100 0.47% 0.19%
2099 0.5% 0.23%
2098 0.53% 0.25%
2097 0.56% 0.25%
2096 0.54% 0.3%
2095 0.57% 0.32%
2094 0.58% 0.28%
2093 0.58% 0.33%
2092 0.61% 0.33%
2091 0.64% 0.39%
2090 0.63% 0.4%
2089 0.64% 0.39%
2088 0.68% 0.46%
2087 0.73% 0.47%
2086 0.74% 0.48%
2085 0.75% 0.51%
2084 0.77% 0.53%
2083 0.81% 0.54%
2082 0.82% 0.59%
2081 0.83% 0.62%
2080 0.84% 0.64%
2079 0.89% 0.65%
2078 0.92% 0.69%
2077 0.95% 0.72%
2076 0.97% 0.73%
2075 1% 0.76%
2074 0.99% 0.81%
2073 1.03% 0.83%
2072 1.05% 0.8%
2071 1.07% 0.82%
2070 1.1% 0.86%
2069 1.12% 0.87%
2068 1.16% 0.91%
2067 1.16% 0.91%
2066 1.19% 0.96%
2065 1.22% 0.94%
2064 1.25% 1.01%
2063 1.28% 1.03%
2062 1.33% 1.05%
2061 1.35% 1.04%
2060 1.38% 1.06%
2059 1.37% 1.09%
2058 1.41% 1.15%
2057 1.47% 1.13%
2056 1.46% 1.2%
2055 1.51% 1.2%
2054 1.53% 1.28%
2053 1.57% 1.29%
2052 1.63% 1.35%
2051 1.63% 1.36%
2050 1.67% 1.37%
2049 1.7% 1.42%
2048 1.74% 1.42%
2047 1.76% 1.47%
2046 1.78% 1.51%
2045 1.82% 1.53%
2044 1.86% 1.63%
2043 1.88% 1.59%
2042 1.9% 1.71%
2041 1.94% 1.68%
2040 1.97% 1.69%
2039 2% 1.73%
2038 2.03% 1.75%
2037 2.07% 1.77%
2036 2.11% 1.85%
2035 2.14% 1.82%
2034 2.17% 1.89%
2033 2.25% 1.89%
2032 2.28% 1.86%
2031 2.33% 1.86%
2030 2.38% 1.88%
2029 2.41% 1.88%
2028 2.47% 1.89%
2027 2.51% 1.9%
2026 2.55% 1.91%
2025 2.58% 1.9%
2024 2.62% 1.8%
2023 2.64% 1.69%
2022 2.66% 1.72%
2021 2.71% 1.74%
2020 2.75% 1.67%
2019 2.73% 1.58%
2018 2.73% 1.5%
2017 2.76% 1.45%
2016 2.74% 1.4%
2015 2.72% 1.35%
2014 2.72% 1.38%
2013 2.76% 1.42%
2012 2.84% 1.64%
2011 2.88% 1.79%
2010 2.88% 1.63%
2009 2.88% 1.42%
2008 2.94% 1.21%
2007 2.97% 1.33%
2006 2.98% 1.23%
2005 3.01% 0.95%
2004 3.04% 1.09%
2003 3.07% 1.2%
2002 3.09% 0.97%
2001 3.08% 0.67%
2000 3.12% 0.92%
1999 3.17% 1.63%
1998 3.19% 1.97%
1997 3.26% 1.9%
1996 3.35% 1.67%
1995 3.46% 0.93%
1994 3.54% 0.12%
1993 3.58% 1.47%
1992 4.3% 2.86%
1991 4.43% 2.64%
1990 3.77% 2.76%
1989 3.92% 2.94%
1988 3.98% 3.21%
1987 3.47% 3.36%
1986 3% 3.4%
1985 2.86% 3.52%
1984 2.64% 3.62%
1983 2.83% 3.87%
1982 3.96% 3.97%
1981 2.54% 6.49%
1980 0.55% 5.92%
1979 1.49% 1.59%
1978 1.71% 1.46%
1977 1.95% 2.58%
1976 2.56% 3.09%
1975 2.47% 3.22%
1974 2.62% 3.29%
1973 2.7% 3.21%
1972 2.71% 3.12%
1971 2.77% 3.04%
1970 2.79% 3.12%
1969 2.79% 3.22%
1968 2.8% 3.2%
1967 2.68% 3.2%
1966 2.64% 3.2%
1965 2.72% 3.2%
1964 2.67% 3.2%
1963 2.61% 3.2%
1962 2.55% 3.19%
1961 2.48% 3.18%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/ethiopia/zimbabwe | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Ethiopia grew by 2.58%, while Zimbabwe's population grew by 1.9%.

Live population counters

Ethiopia Zimbabwe
Current population
140722974
17443108
Population rank 10/197 74/197
Percent of world population 1.69% 0.21%
One net population change
9.27 seconds
1.67 minutes
One birth every
7.59 seconds
1.06 minutes
One death every
40.6 seconds
4.21 minutes
Daily growth/decline +9,349 +867
Annual growth/decline +3,412,284 +316,422
Annual growth/decline rate +2.58% +1.9%
Population growth rate rank 24/197 53/197
One migration net change every
21.9 minutes
9.66 minutes
Annual migration change +24,054 -54,555
Net migration rank 31/196 175/196
Foreign-born residents 1,168,455 429,108
Foreign-born residents rank 53/195 87/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.9% 2.6%
Foreign-born share rank 157/195 127/195

Natural population change vs migration

Ethiopia
Natural

Migration
Zimbabwe
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Ethiopia Zimbabwe
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 24,054 - -54,555
2024 3,379,409 30,069 372,494 -60,528
2023 3,338,649 -11,996 372,505 -97,380
2022 3,300,114 -11,996 371,243 -102,828
2021 3,204,673 -1,377 349,908 -74,623
2020 3,199,718 38,866 354,790 -89,440
2019 3,132,780 -10,807 348,798 -103,107
2018 3,015,231 9,302 345,883 -117,758
2017 2,899,143 71,766 344,035 -128,241
2016 2,809,889 115,823 348,772 -140,181
2015 2,713,529 62,785 356,203 -162,220
2014 2,623,647 103,122 366,350 -177,029
2013 2,546,020 80,955 374,757 -176,972
2012 2,533,398 119,517 371,135 -177,061
2011 2,527,811 116,793 359,572 -108,714
2010 2,498,048 80,213 335,570 -108,671
2009 2,467,118 16,315 309,316 -108,689
2008 2,465,283 -20,780 280,527 -113,858
2007 2,436,753 -381 261,805 -118,299
2006 2,393,585 -30,512 248,963 -57,257
2005 2,353,375 -44,421 248,545 -134,212
2004 2,296,999 -25,430 248,307 -127,550
2003 2,231,223 -13,744 243,057 -96,667
2002 2,189,683 -12,925 244,170 -101,212
2001 2,137,791 -19,063 227,909 -139,361
2000 2,083,622 -49,891 236,343 -165,181
1999 2,010,987 29,142 232,393 -86,343
1998 1,984,989 -3,011 225,614 6,645
1997 1,945,112 -9,119 216,288 395
1996 1,896,364 41,456 205,269 978
1995 1,831,068 91,727 206,695 -45,428
1994 1,788,133 140,715 216,343 -174,723
1993 1,734,851 141,545 228,045 -243,947
1992 1,673,839 160,106 255,291 75,788
1991 1,579,416 859,737 260,943 3,749
1990 1,479,663 296,014 265,444 4,948
1989 1,441,769 242,614 270,838 3,736
1988 1,393,356 379,966 277,498 11,327
1987 1,356,853 251,387 286,766 21,308
1986 1,050,277 186,227 289,894 6,154
1985 997,050 157,476 290,756 4,718
1984 920,670 137,632 290,052 5,124
1983 863,472 68,022 286,545 4,456
1982 1,080,853 66,702 279,934 32,899
1981 1,018,838 628,135 271,361 11,523
1980 1,007,516 -903,529 241,179 390,593
1979 987,203 -711,455 223,657 -67,937
1978 943,388 -210,991 222,979 -170,727
1977 929,381 -527,133 225,139 -89,270
1976 899,577 -36,125 221,419 -32,495
1975 801,425 -42,540 216,947 -28,988
1974 777,306 -4,232 208,806 -16,105
1973 807,535 347 201,885 -18,733
1972 779,808 -3,375 193,725 -20,959
1971 787,047 -14,510 185,427 -22,719
1970 760,821 8,589 178,979 -24,102
1969 736,428 7,258 172,626 -12,028
1968 715,602 9,992 166,865 -11,997
1967 695,283 14,437 161,205 -11,814
1966 616,281 9,160 156,014 -11,211
1965 642,359 16,348 151,164 -10,465
1964 618,667 10,749 145,848 -9,631
1963 590,998 9,418 140,984 -8,936
1962 563,650 8,960 136,317 -8,529
1961 538,518 6,938 131,531 -8,204
1960 511,694 1,696 126,959 -8,260

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/ethiopia/zimbabwe | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 99.1% of the population change in Ethiopia is from natural causes (a gain of 30,993,135 people) and 0.93% is from migration (a gain of 292,435 people). In Zimbabwe 76.8% is from natural causes (a gain of 3,564,631 people) and 23.2% is from migration (a loss of 1,076,306 people).

As of 2024, 1,168,455 residents or 0.9% of the population were not native-born in Ethiopia, compared to 429,108 people or 2.6% in Zimbabwe.

Biggest cities by population

Ethiopia
City Population
Addis Ababa 5.7M
Gondar 324K
Mekelle 324K
Awasa 300K
Dire Dawa 277K
Bahir Dar 243K
Dessie 188K
Jimma 178K
Harar 157K
Jijiga 126K
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 map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/ethiopia/zimbabwe | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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