Zambia

Sub-Saharan Africa·Lower middle income

Population: 20.7M; 62nd of 217
GDP: $26.3B; 116th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $1,235; 186th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 66.3; 180th of 217
Human development: 0.565; 152nd of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Zambia

Tanzania

Mali

South Sudan

Uganda

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

lower-middle-income sub-Saharan economy; regional hydroelectricity producer; trade ties and infrastructure investments from China; IMF assistance to restructure debt burden; one of youngest and fastest-growing labor forces; systemic corruption; extreme rural poverty

Area: 752,618 km²
Languages: Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%…
Resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
Borders: Angola 1,065 km; Botswana; Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,332 km; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Tanzania;…

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian98.3%▲ 0.6pt
Other1.1%▼ 0.6pt
Muslim0.5%

Religious diversity: 0.396 / 10 · very low · 174th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

ZMB

TZA

MLI

SSD

GDP

current US$

$26.3B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$85.9M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

85.1%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

1.8%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

37.5%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

20.7M–––

Population density

people per km²

27.1–––

Urban population

% of total

46.3%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

4.1–––

Net migration

people

7,381–––

Population under 15

% of total

41.5%–––

Population 65+

% of total

1.9%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

5.3%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.6%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

2,422.3–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

939–––

Electricity generation

TWh

19.5–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.475–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.385–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

9.18–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

2.62–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

3.19–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

4.57–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

33.6%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.54–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

29.5%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

27.5%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

54.7%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

67.8%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

37.9%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

3.69–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

0.396–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0.1%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

2.41–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.52–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

2.56–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

2.11–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

8.76–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.49–––

Would fight for country

% yes

64.8%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

2.55–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

1.3%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#116/214

$26.3B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#186/214

$1,2352024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#171/203

$4,077latest

GDP growth

annual %

#71/214

4%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#178/207

$1,2602024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#194/213

18.8%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#149/201

$85.9M2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#42/205

85.1%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#158/206

1.8%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#28/208

37.5%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#111/187

5.9%latest

Gini index

0–100

#162/168

51.5latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#162/168

71.7%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#62/217

20.7Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#175/216

27.1latest

Urban population

% of total

#155/215

46.3%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#180/217

66.3latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#24/217

4.1latest

Net migration

people

#50/217

7,3812024

Population under 15

% of total

#16/217

41.5%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#215/217

1.9%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#151/196

30.9latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#164/196

44.7latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#122/192

5.3%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#152/195

0.3latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#104/160

87.5%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#131/199

3.6%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#186/194

4%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#182/210

33%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#136/214

102.12023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#173/208

0.72023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#175/215

80.52024

Access to electricity

% of population

#198/215

51.1%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#160/198

2,422.32023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#138/202

9392023

Electricity generation

TWh

#84/202

19.52023

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#22/202

89%2023

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#27/202

11%2023

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#101/204

122024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#36/204

0.62024

Share of global CO₂

#105/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#82/193

4.32023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#86/172

0.5182022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#73/172

0.4332022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#118/178

332022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#121/193

-0.5292022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#135/193

-0.6582022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#126/193

-0.5192022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#89/193

0.1022022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#77/172

0.8072022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#44/104

0.4752007

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#42/105

0.3852007

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#35/113

9.182007

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#66/112

2.622007

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#61/114

3.192007

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#67/114

4.572007

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#111/114

3.382007

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#106/111

3.662007

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#54/113

33.6%2007

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#41/109

2.542007

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#15/112

29.5%2007

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#39/112

27.5%2007

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#30/114

54.7%2007

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#11/114

67.8%2007

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#103/110

37.9%2007

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#90/109

3.692007

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#174/193

0.3962020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#172/193

0.1%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#89/114

11.5%2007

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#44/112

2.412007

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#31/113

2.522007

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#52/110

2.562007

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#69/111

2.112007

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#32/104

8.762007

National pride

mean, 1–4

#59/114

3.492007

Would fight for country

% yes

#73/113

64.8%2007

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#30/114

2.552007

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#152/189

0.5652021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#138/170

0.542021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#143/164

4.112025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#54/113

7.22007

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#101/114

6.062007

Global Peace Index

1–5

#62/158

1.92023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#101/161

1.3%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.