Share of women using contraceptives in Zambia
Zambia: Share of women using contraceptives was 49.6% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Share of women using contraceptives in Zambia, 1992–2018
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 49.6% for share of women using contraceptives in 2018. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women using contraceptives in Zambia peaked at 49.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 15.2%, in 1992.
That places Zambia 76th out of 116 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of women using contraceptives in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 15.2% | — |
| 1996 | 25.9% | +70.4% |
| 1999 | 22.1% | -14.5% |
| 2002 | 34.2% | +54.5% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | +19.3% |
| 2014 | 49.0% | +20.1% |
| 2018 | 49.6% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.1% | 15.2% | 25.9% | 3 |
| 2000s | 37.5% | 34.2% | 40.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 49.3% | 49.0% | 49.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More gender data for Zambia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,719 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.61 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 340,219 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 341,639 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 331,557 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 332,331 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 324,712 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 325,021 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 318,536 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 318,579 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women using contraceptives in Zambia?
- Share of women using contraceptives in Zambia was 49.6% in 2018, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women using contraceptives recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 49.6% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of women using contraceptives recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.2% in 1992.
- How does Zambia rank for share of women using contraceptives?
- Zambia ranks 76th out of 116 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of women using contraceptives rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women using contraceptives. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Contraceptive prevalence rate is the percentage of women who are practicing, or whose sexual partners are practicing, any form of contraception. It is usually measured for women ages 15-49 who are married or in union.