Population, per square kilometre in Zambia

Zambia: Population, per square kilometre was 27.88 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
27.88 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
147th
of 186 countries
All-time high
27.88 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
4.38 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Population, per square kilometre in Zambia, 1961–2023

51015202530196119922023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population, per square kilometre in Zambia is 27.88 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 34.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population, per square kilometre in Zambia peaked at 27.88 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4.38 units per square kilometre, in 1961.

Zambia ranks 147th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Population, per square kilometre in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for Population, per square kilometre in Zambia, 1961 to 2023.
Year units per square kilometre Change
1961 4.38 units per square kilometre
1962 4.52 units per square kilometre +3.2%
1963 4.66 units per square kilometre +3.2%
1964 4.81 units per square kilometre +3.2%
1965 4.97 units per square kilometre +3.2%
1966 5.13 units per square kilometre +3.2%
1967 5.3 units per square kilometre +3.3%
1968 5.47 units per square kilometre +3.3%
1969 5.65 units per square kilometre +3.2%
1970 5.81 units per square kilometre +3.0%
1971 5.98 units per square kilometre +2.8%
1972 6.15 units per square kilometre +2.9%
1973 6.33 units per square kilometre +2.9%
1974 6.51 units per square kilometre +3.0%
1975 6.71 units per square kilometre +3.0%
1976 6.92 units per square kilometre +3.1%
1977 7.13 units per square kilometre +3.1%
1978 7.35 units per square kilometre +3.1%
1979 7.58 units per square kilometre +3.0%
1980 7.81 units per square kilometre +3.0%
1981 8.05 units per square kilometre +3.1%
1982 8.31 units per square kilometre +3.3%
1983 8.58 units per square kilometre +3.3%
1984 8.85 units per square kilometre +3.1%
1985 9.12 units per square kilometre +3.0%
1986 9.4 units per square kilometre +3.0%
1987 9.67 units per square kilometre +2.9%
1988 9.94 units per square kilometre +2.8%
1989 10.21 units per square kilometre +2.7%
1990 10.47 units per square kilometre +2.6%
1991 10.74 units per square kilometre +2.5%
1992 11 units per square kilometre +2.4%
1993 11.26 units per square kilometre +2.4%
1994 11.54 units per square kilometre +2.4%
1995 11.82 units per square kilometre +2.4%
1996 12.11 units per square kilometre +2.5%
1997 12.43 units per square kilometre +2.6%
1998 12.76 units per square kilometre +2.7%
1999 13.1 units per square kilometre +2.7%
2000 13.48 units per square kilometre +2.9%
2001 13.89 units per square kilometre +3.1%
2002 14.32 units per square kilometre +3.1%
2003 14.78 units per square kilometre +3.2%
2004 15.25 units per square kilometre +3.2%
2005 15.76 units per square kilometre +3.4%
2006 16.32 units per square kilometre +3.5%
2007 16.9 units per square kilometre +3.6%
2008 17.52 units per square kilometre +3.6%
2009 18.15 units per square kilometre +3.6%
2010 18.79 units per square kilometre +3.5%
2011 19.42 units per square kilometre +3.4%
2012 20.06 units per square kilometre +3.3%
2013 20.71 units per square kilometre +3.3%
2014 21.38 units per square kilometre +3.2%
2015 22.06 units per square kilometre +3.2%
2016 22.75 units per square kilometre +3.1%
2017 23.46 units per square kilometre +3.1%
2018 24.18 units per square kilometre +3.1%
2019 24.9 units per square kilometre +3.0%
2020 25.64 units per square kilometre +2.9%
2021 26.37 units per square kilometre +2.9%
2022 27.11 units per square kilometre +2.8%
2023 27.88 units per square kilometre +2.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 4.99 units per square kilometre 4.38 units per square kilometre 5.65 units per square kilometre 9
1970s 6.65 units per square kilometre 5.81 units per square kilometre 7.58 units per square kilometre 10
1980s 8.99 units per square kilometre 7.81 units per square kilometre 10.21 units per square kilometre 10
1990s 11.72 units per square kilometre 10.47 units per square kilometre 13.1 units per square kilometre 10
2000s 15.64 units per square kilometre 13.48 units per square kilometre 18.15 units per square kilometre 10
2010s 21.77 units per square kilometre 18.79 units per square kilometre 24.9 units per square kilometre 10
2020s 26.75 units per square kilometre 25.64 units per square kilometre 27.88 units per square kilometre 4

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 144 Somalia 29.26 units per square kilometre compare
  2. 145 Eritrea 28.64 units per square kilometre compare
  3. 146 Solomon Islands 28.58 units per square kilometre compare
  4. 148 Sudan 26.79 units per square kilometre compare
  5. 149 Chile 26.46 units per square kilometre compare
  6. 150 Peru 26.44 units per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More gender data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is population, per square kilometre in Zambia?
Population, per square kilometre in Zambia was 27.88 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest population, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 27.88 units per square kilometre in 2023.
What is the lowest population, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 4.38 units per square kilometre in 1961.
How does Zambia rank for population, per square kilometre?
Zambia ranks 147th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
Is population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 34.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population, per square kilometre in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/population-per-square-kilometre/zambia/

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<a href="https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/population-per-square-kilometre/zambia/">Population, per square kilometre in Zambia</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.

Population ÷ Land area (sq. km)

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Population, per square kilometre
Unit
units per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
186 places, 10,641 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

Population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.