Zambia
Capital: LusakaRegion: Sub-Saharan Africa Income: Lower middle income
Zambia's GDP is $33.95B (2026), with a population of 21.3M, and GDP per capita of $1,523. Key indicators include real GDP growth of 6.4%, inflation at 9.2%, government debt at 114.9% of GDP, life expectancy of 66.3 years. Data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators. Explore Zambia's full economic profile with 440+ indicators, interactive charts, and historical data below.
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook
Economy
Fiscal & Monetary
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Inflation, Consumer Prices (%) | 9.2% | 2026 |
| Govt Gross Debt (% of GDP) | 114.9% | 2024 |
| Fiscal Balance (% of GDP) | -3.7% | 2026 |
| Current Account Balance (% of GDP) | 2.7% | 2026 |
| Total Investment (% of GDP) | 32.4% | 2026 |
| Gross National Savings (% of GDP) | 35.1% | 2026 |
| Inflation, CPI (%, World Bank) | 15.0% | 2024 |
| Real Interest Rate (%) | -3.9% | 2020 |
| Lending Interest Rate (%) | 9.5% | 2020 |
| Deposit Interest Rate (%) | 8.7% | 2020 |
| Government Debt (% of GDP) | 71.4% | 2021 |
| Government Revenue (% of GDP) | 22.0% | 2021 |
| Government Expenditure (% of GDP) | 25.1% | 2021 |
| Tax Revenue (% of GDP) | 16.8% | 2021 |
| Taxes on Goods & Services (% of revenue) | 22.6% | 2021 |
| Taxes on International Trade (% of revenue) | 4.9% | 2021 |
| Taxes on Income, Profits & Capital Gains (% of rev) | 39.0% | 2021 |
| Net Investment in Nonfinancial Assets (% of GDP) | 2.9% | 2021 |
| Total Reserves incl. Gold (USD) | $3.17B | 2023 |
| Total Reserves (months of imports) | 3 | 2023 |
| Official Exchange Rate (per USD) | 26.17 | 2024 |
| PPP Conversion Factor | 7.37 | 2024 |
| Broad Money (% of GDP) | 29.9% | 2023 |
Trade
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Trade (% of GDP) | 62.5% | 2024 |
| Exports of Goods & Services (% of GDP) | 35.0% | 2024 |
| Imports of Goods & Services (% of GDP) | 27.6% | 2024 |
| Exports of Goods & Services (USD) | $8.85B | 2024 |
| Imports of Goods & Services (USD) | $6.97B | 2024 |
| Merchandise Exports (USD) | $11.20B | 2024 |
| Merchandise Imports (USD) | $11.19B | 2024 |
| FDI Inflows (% of GDP) | 9.3% | 2024 |
| FDI Outflows (% of GDP) | 1.2% | 2024 |
| FDI Net Inflows (USD) | $2.36B | 2024 |
| Personal Remittances Received (USD) | $334.3M | 2024 |
| Personal Remittances Received (% of GDP) | 1.3% | 2024 |
| High-Tech Exports (% of manufactured) | 1.5% | 2024 |
| Current Account Balance (% of GDP) | -1.9% | 2024 |
| Current Account Balance (USD) | $-487.4M | 2024 |
External Debt
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| External Debt (% of GNI) | 114.2% | 2024 |
| External Debt Stocks (USD) | $28.12B | 2024 |
| Total Debt Service (% of GNI) | 16.9% | 2024 |
| Present Value of External Debt (USD) | $13.61B | 2024 |
| Use of IMF Credit (USD) | $3.13B | 2024 |
| Net ODA Received (% of GNI) | 5.5% | 2023 |
| Net ODA Received (USD) | $1.42B | 2023 |
Finance
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Credit by Financial Sector (% of GDP) | 31.8% | 2022 |
| Domestic Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP) | 13.0% | 2022 |
| Stock Market Capitalization (% of GDP) | 30.7% | 2024 |
| Stock Market Capitalization (USD) | $7.77B | 2024 |
| Stock Market Turnover (% of GDP) | 0.1% | 2024 |
| Listed Domestic Companies | 20 | 2024 |
| Bank Capital to Assets Ratio (%) | 10.1% | 2022 |
| Bank Nonperforming Loans (%) | 5.0% | 2022 |
| Account Ownership at Financial Institution (%) | 72.7% | 2024 |
| Account Ownership, Female (%) | 70.2% | 2024 |
| Account Ownership, Male (%) | 75.5% | 2024 |
People
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21.3M | 2024 |
| Population Growth (%) | 2.8% | 2024 |
| Population Density (per km²) | 28 | 2023 |
| Surface Area (sq km) | 752,610 | 2023 |
| Land Area (sq km) | 743,390 | 2023 |
| Urban Population (%) | 45.5% | 2024 |
| Urban Population (total) | 9.7M | 2024 |
| Rural Population (%) | 54.5% | 2024 |
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 66.3 years | 2023 |
| Life Expectancy, Male | 63.9 years | 2023 |
| Life Expectancy, Female | 68.7 years | 2023 |
| Fertility Rate (births per woman) | 4.1 | 2023 |
| Birth Rate (per 1,000) | 33.1 | 2023 |
| Death Rate (per 1,000) | 5.2 | 2023 |
| Net Migration | 6,562 | 2025 |
| Population Ages 0–14 (%) | 41.5% | 2024 |
| Population Ages 15–64 (%) | 56.6% | 2024 |
| Population Ages 65+ (%) | 1.9% | 2024 |
| Age Dependency Ratio (%) | 76.7% | 2024 |
| Old-Age Dependency Ratio (%) | 3.4% | 2024 |
| Youth Dependency Ratio (%) | 73.3% | 2024 |
| Mortality Rate, Adult Male (per 1,000) | 232.5 | 2023 |
| Mortality Rate, Adult Female (per 1,000) | 155.3 | 2023 |
Labor
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 8.0M | 2025 |
| Labor Force Participation (%) | 61.9% | 2025 |
| Female Labor Force Participation (%) | 56.4% | 2025 |
| Male Labor Force Participation (%) | 67.6% | 2025 |
| Unemployment (%) | 5.9% | 2025 |
| Female Unemployment (%) | 6.2% | 2025 |
| Male Unemployment (%) | 5.7% | 2025 |
| Youth Unemployment (%) | 10.5% | 2025 |
| Employment in Agriculture (%) | 54.5% | 2025 |
| Employment in Industry (%) | 10.3% | 2025 |
| Employment in Services (%) | 35.2% | 2025 |
| Self-Employed (%) | 62.0% | 2023 |
| Vulnerable Employment (%) | 70.2% | 2025 |
| Wage & Salaried Workers (% of total) | 28.3% | 2025 |
| Part-Time Employment (%) | 16.6% | 2023 |
| Employers (% of total employment) | 1.6% | 2025 |
| Labor Force, Female (% of total) | 46.3% | 2025 |
| Employment to Population Ratio (%) | 58.3% | 2025 |
| Self-Employed (% of total) | 71.7% | 2025 |
| NEET Youth (% not in education/employment) | 28.9% | 2023 |
Education
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Education Spending (% of GDP) | 4.1% | 2023 |
| Education Spending (% of govt expenditure) | 14.5% | 2025 |
| Adult Literacy Rate (%) | 82.0% | 2023 |
| Female Literacy Rate (%) | 77.2% | 2023 |
| Male Literacy Rate (%) | 87.2% | 2023 |
| Youth Literacy Rate (%) | 85.7% | 2023 |
| Primary School Enrollment (%) | 115.6% | 2024 |
| Secondary School Enrollment (%) | 56.8% | 2024 |
| Primary Completion Rate (%) | 81.8% | 2013 |
| Lower Secondary Completion Rate (%) | 55.3% | 2013 |
| Out-of-School Children, Primary | 136,539 | 2024 |
| Primary School Teachers | 116,859 | 2024 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 42,585 | 2024 |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio, Primary | 42 | 2017 |
| Expenditure per Student, Primary (% of GDP/cap) | 67.4% | 2017 |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio (Primary) | 55.5 | 2012 |
| Education Spending, Secondary (% of govt) | 23.3% | 2017 |
| Education Spending, Tertiary (% of govt) | 8.9% | 2017 |
Health
Energy & Environment
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| CO₂ Emissions (tonnes per capita) | 0.5 | 2024 |
| CO₂ Emissions (total kilotonnes) | 12 | 2024 |
| Energy Use (kg oil eq. per capita) | 801 | 2022 |
| Electric Power Consumption (kWh per capita) | 704 | 2022 |
| Renewable Electricity Output (%) | 92.1% | 2021 |
| Renewable Energy Consumption (%) | 83.0% | 2021 |
| Access to Electricity (%) | 51.1% | 2023 |
| Access to Clean Fuels for Cooking (%) | 9.2% | 2023 |
| PM2.5 Air Pollution (µg/m³) | 24.3 | 2020 |
| Forest Area (%) | 59.5% | 2023 |
| Forest Area (sq km) | 442,494 | 2023 |
| Arable Land (%) | 5.1% | 2023 |
| Terrestrial Protected Areas (%) | 41.3% | 2024 |
| Access to Basic Drinking Water (%) | 73.4% | 2024 |
| Access to Basic Sanitation (%) | 37.5% | 2024 |
Agriculture
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Land (%) | 32.1% | 2023 |
| Cereal Yield (kg per hectare) | 2,344 | 2023 |
| Food Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 119.9 | 2022 |
| Crop Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 123 | 2022 |
| Livestock Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 109.1 | 2022 |
| Land Under Cereal Production (hectares) | 1.6M | 2023 |
| Total Fisheries Production (metric tonnes) | 118,026 | 2023 |
| Fertilizer Consumption (kg per hectare) | 77.3 | 2023 |
| Prevalence of Undernourishment (%) | 37.2% | 2023 |
| Annual Freshwater Withdrawals (% of internal) | 2.0% | 2022 |
| Cereal Production (metric tons) | 3.7M | 2023 |
Technology
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Internet Users (%) | 33.0% | 2023 |
| Mobile Subscriptions (per 100 people) | 102 | 2023 |
| Fixed Broadband Subscriptions (per 100) | 0.7 | 2023 |
| Secure Internet Servers (per million) | 80.5 | 2024 |
| Patent Applications, Residents | 13 | 2021 |
| Patent Applications, Non-Residents | 13 | 2021 |
| Scientific Journal Articles | 344 | 2022 |
| High-Technology Exports (USD) | $23.4M | 2024 |
| ICT Service Exports (% of service exports) | 1.8% | 2024 |
| ICT Service Exports (USD) | $25.0M | 2024 |
| Industrial Design Applications, Resident | 46 | 2021 |
Infrastructure
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Air Transport, Passengers Carried | 321,739 | 2023 |
| Air Transport, Freight (million ton-km) | 104.3 | 2023 |
| Rail Lines (total km) | 1,248 | 2019 |
| Railways, Passengers (million km) | 4 | 2018 |
| Railways, Goods (million ton-km) | 297 | 2017 |
| Logistics Performance Index (1–5) | 2.53 | 2018 |
| Electricity from Oil (%) | 0.0% | 2022 |
| Electricity from Nuclear (%) | 0.0% | 2021 |
Gender
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Women in Parliament (%) | 15.0% | 2024 |
| Female Labor Force Participation, 15+ (%) | 56.4% | 2023 |
| Female Wage & Salaried Workers (%) | 19.9% | 2025 |
| Girls Out-of-School Rate (%) | 110.0% | 2017 |
| Adolescent Fertility Rate (per 1,000) | 115.9 | 2023 |
| Gender Parity Index, Primary | 107.42 | 2017 |
| Gender Parity in Primary Education | 1.02 | 2017 |
Governance
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Control of Corruption | -0.48 | 2023 |
| Government Effectiveness | -0.66 | 2023 |
| Political Stability | 0.2 | 2023 |
| Regulatory Quality | -0.5 | 2023 |
| Rule of Law | -0.53 | 2023 |
| Voice & Accountability | -0.05 | 2023 |
| Control of Corruption (percentile rank) | 36.8% | 2023 |
| Government Effectiveness (percentile rank) | 27.8% | 2023 |
| Rule of Law (percentile rank) | 31.6% | 2023 |
| Political Stability (percentile rank) | 52.1% | 2023 |
Military
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Military Spending (% of GDP) | 1.3% | 2024 |
| Military Expenditure (USD) | $349.7M | 2024 |
| Armed Forces Personnel | 16,000 | 2020 |
| Armed Forces (% of labor force) | 0.2% | 2020 |
| Military Spending (% of govt expenditure) | 4.7% | 2024 |
Poverty & Inequality
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty at $2.15/day (%) | 71.7% | 2022 |
| Poverty at $3.65/day (%) | 81.4% | 2022 |
| Poverty at $6.85/day (%) | 94.0% | 2022 |
| Poverty Headcount, National (%) | 60.0% | 2022 |
| Gini Index | 51.5 | 2022 |
| Income Share, Top 10% | 39.1% | 2022 |
| Income Share, Bottom 10% | 1.5% | 2022 |
| Income Share, Top 20% | 56.4% | 2022 |
| Income Share, Bottom 20% | 3.9% | 2022 |
| Shared Prosperity Premium (%) | -2.3% | 2022 |
| Survey Mean Consumption (2017 PPP $ per day) | 2.86 | 2022 |
| Poverty Gap at $2.15/day (%) | 39.8% | 2022 |
Social Protection
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Human Capital Index (0–1) | 0.40 | 2020 |
| Learning-Adjusted Years of School | 5.0 years | 2020 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| International Tourism, Arrivals | 502,000 | 2020 |
| Tourism Expenditures (USD) | $474.0M | 2020 |
Urban Development
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Population Growth (%) | 3.8% | 2024 |
| Population in Largest City | 3.5M | 2025 |
| Population in Largest City (% of urban) | 34.5% | 2025 |
| Population in Agglomerations >1M (% of total) | 15.8% | 2025 |
| Population in Slums (% of urban) | 48.3% | 2022 |
| Rural Population Growth (%) | 2.0% | 2024 |
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