Demographics of Zambia

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Zambia, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and others aspects of the population.

Zambia population pyramid in 2020
Zambian people
Languages
English and Regional languages
Religion
Christianity
Zambia's population (1961-2008).

Ethnic groups

Zambia's population comprises more than 70 Bantu-speaking ethnic groups. Some ethnic groups are small, and only two have enough people to constitute at least 10% of the population. The majority of Zambians are subsistence farmers, but the country is also fairly urbanised, with 42% of the population being city residents. The predominant religion is a blend of traditional beliefs and Christianity.[1]

Immigrants, mostly British or South African, as well as some white Zambian citizens (about 40,000), live mainly in Lusaka and in the Copperbelt in northern Zambia, where they are either employed in mines, financial and related activities or retired. Zambia also has a small but economically important Asian population, most of whom are Indians or Chinese.

2010 census[2]
Groups Percentage
African 99.2%
Bemba 21%
Tonga 13.6%
Chewa 7.4%
Lozi 5.7%
Nsenga 5.3%
Tumbuka 4.4%
Ngoni 4%
Lala 3.1%
Kaonde 2.9%
Namwanga 2.8%
Lunda (North-western) 2.6%
Mambwe 2.5%
Luvale 2.2%
Lamba 2.1%
Ushi 1.9%
Lenje 1.6%
Bisa 1.6%
Mbunda 1.2%
Other 13.8%
Unspecified 0.4%

Population

According to the 2019 revision of the World Population Prospects[3][4] the total population of Zambia is 17,351,708 in 2018, compared to only 2,340,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 46.4%, 50.6% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 3.1% was 65 years or older.[5]

Total population[6] Population aged 0–14 (%) Population aged 15–64 (%) Population aged 65+ (%)
1950 2 340 00044.952.32.7
1955 2 653 00044.752.72.6
1960 3 045 00044.952.62.5
1965 3 537 00045.252.22.6
1970 4 139 00046.450.92.7
1975 4 900 00047.050.32.7
1980 5 775 00047.349.92.8
1985 6 785 00046.650.62.8
1990 7 860 00045.851.42.8
1995 8 919 00045.351.82.9
2000 10 202 00045.351.82.9
2005 11 462 00045.951.03.0
2010 13 089 00046.450.63.1
2018 17,351,708

Vital statistics

Registration of vital events is in Zambia not complete. The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. [5]

Period Live births per year Deaths per year Natural change per year CBR* CDR* NC* TFR* IMR*
1950-1955117 00054 00063 00046.821.725.16.75148
1955-1960136 00057 00078 00047.620.127.56.90137
1960-1965160 00062 00098 00048.618.829.87.15127
1965-1970189 00068 000121 00049.317.731.67.40118
1970-1975219 00072 000147 00048.516.032.57.43107
1975-1980254 00079 000174 00047.514.932.67.38100
1980-1985283 00091 000192 00045.114.430.66.9599
1985-1990322 000113 000209 00044.015.428.66.66103
1990-1995365 000151 000214 00043.518.025.56.30107
1995-2000427 000187 000240 00044.619.625.16.20105
2000-2005480 000212 000269 00044.419.624.86.10103
2005-2010547 000204 000342 00044.516.727.96.2095
* CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Births and deaths[7]

Year Population Live births Deaths Natural increase Crude birth rate Crude death rate Rate of natural increase TFR
1980 5,661,801 37.0 7.2
1990 7,383,105 44.0 6.7
2000 9,337,425 36.0 6.0
2010 13,092,666 442,998 164,385 278,613 35.4 13.1 22.2 5.9

Fertility and births

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted TFR) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR) :[8] [9]

Year CBR Total TFR (Wanted TFR) Total CBR Urban TFR (Wanted TFR) Urban CBR Rural TFR (Wanted TFR) Rural
1992 45 6.5 (5.4) 44 5.8 (4.7) 46 7.1 (6.2)
1996 45.2 6.08 (5.2) 43.7 5.08 (4.1) 46.1 6.86 (6.1)
2001-2002 43.3 5.9 (4.9) 36.7 4.3 (3.4) 47.0 6.9 (5.8)
2007 43.6 6.2 (5.2) 36.3 4.3 (3.6) 47.5 7.5 (6.3)
2013-2014 37.2 5.3 (4.5) 32.2 3.7 (3.3) 40.3 6.6 (5.6)
2018 35.3 4.7 (4.0) 30.9 3.4 (2.9) 38.4 5.8 (5.0)

Fertility data as of 2013-2014 (DHS Program):[10]

Province Total fertility rate Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant Mean number of children ever born to women age 40-49
Central5.98.16.8
Copperbelt4.07.65.5
Eastern5.88.76.9
Luapula6.411.46.6
Lusaka3.77.75.1
Muchinga6.310.37.2
Northern6.610.47.6
North Western6.29.26.7
Southern6.29.26.9
Western5.68.16.0

Fertility rate by religion

At national level, the TFR was highest among women with no religious affiliation at 6.5. Among the women with religious affiliation Protestants had the highest TFR of 6.0, followed by Muslims with 5.9 and Catholics with 5.7.

Religious Affiliation [11] Total fertility rate
Protestantism6.0
Catholicism5.7
Islam5.9
Hinduism2.0
Other religions5.8
Not religious6.5
Zambia (total)5.9

Life expectancy
Period Life expectancy in
Years[12]
1950–1955 42.07
1955–1960 44.13
1960–1965 46.08
1965–1970 47.83
1970–1975 50.16
1975–1980 51.47
1980–1985 50.31
1985–1990 46.74
1990–1995 43.79
1995–2000 43.53
2000–2005 46.86
2005–2010 52.93
2010–2015 59.73

Other demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics of Zambia in 2019 are from the World Population Review.[13]

  • One birth every 47 seconds
  • One death every 4 minutes
  • One net migrant every 65 minutes
  • Net gain of one person every 1 minutes

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[14]

Population
16,445,079 (July 2018 est.)

Age structure
Population pyramid of Zambia in 2017
0-14 years: 45.95% (male 3,796,548 /female 3,759,624)
15-24 years: 20% (male 1,643,364 /female 1,645,713)
25-54 years: 28.79% (male 2,384,765 /female 2,349,877)
55-64 years: 2.95% (male 225,586 /female 260,252)
65 years and over: 2.31% (male 166,224 /female 213,126) (2018 est.)

Median age
total: 16.8 years. Country comparison to the world: 222nd
male: 16.7 years
female: 16.9 years (2018 est.)
total: 17.2 years
male: 17.1 years
female: 17.3 years (2010 est.)
total: 16.46 years
male: 16.26 years
female: 16.67 years (2005 est.)
total: 16.5 years
male: 16.4 years
female: 16.6 years (2002 est.)

Birth rate
41.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 6th

Death rate
12 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Total fertility rate
5.58 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 8th

Population growth rate
2.91% (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 10th

Mother's mean age at first birth
19.2 years (2013/14 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 100th

Contraceptive prevalence rate
49% (2013/14)

Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 91.9 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 87.1 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 4.8 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 20.8 (2015 est.)

Population distribution

one of the highest levels of urbanization in Africa; high density in the central area, particularly around the cities of Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, and Mufulira

Urbanization
urban population: 43.5% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 4.23% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
total population: 53 years
male: 51.4 years
female: 54.7 years (2018 est.)
total population: 52.7 years
male: 51.1 years
female: 54.4 years (2017 est.)
total population:37.24 years
male:37.08 years
female:37.41 years (2000 est.)

Nationality
noun:Zambian(s)
adjective:Zambian

Demographic profile

Zambia's mineral rich, youthful population consists primarily of Bantu-speaking people representing nearly 70 different ethnicities. Zambia's high fertility rate continues to drive rapid population growth, averaging almost 3 percent annually between 2000 and 2010. The country's total fertility rate has fallen by less than 1.5 children per woman during the last 30 years and still averages among the world's highest, almost 6 children per woman, largely because of the country's lack of access to family planning services, education for girls, and employment for women. Zambia also exhibits wide fertility disparities based on rural or urban location, education, and income. Poor, uneducated women from rural areas are more likely to marry young, to give birth early, and to have more children, viewing children as a sign of prestige and recognizing that not all of their children will live to adulthood.[14]

Religions[15]
Main article: Religion in Zambia

Languages[15]
Further information: Languages of Zambia
Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.)
note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 63.4%
male: 70.9%
female: 56% (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 15.2%
male: 14.6%
female: 15.8% (2012 est.)

See also

References
  1. Inc, IBP (2016-04-18). Zambia Investment and Business Guide Volume 2 Business, Investment Opportunities and Incentives. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-57751-907-2.
  2. "https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/400.html". CIA. External link in |title= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  3. ""World Population prospects – Population division"". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  4. ""Overall total population" – World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision" (xslx). population.un.org (custom data acquired via website). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  5. "2015 Revision of World Population Prospects". Esa.un.org. Archived from the original on 2011-05-06. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  6. De Wulf, Martin. "Zambia 2015". Population Pyramids of the World from 1950 to 2100.
  7. https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/index.cshtml
  8. "Cambodia - Demographic and Health Survey 2010". Microdata.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  9. "National Health Survey 1998" (PDF). Dhsprogram.com. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  10. "Demographic and Health Survey 2013-14" (PDF). Dhsprogram.com. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  12. "World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations". esa.un.org. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  13. "Zambia Population 2019", World Population Review, June 6, 2018
  14. Zambia: People, CIA World Factbook, 2018 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  15. "Africa :: ZAMBIA". CIA The World Factbook.
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