Population by labor force status in Zambia
Zambia: Population by labor force status was 8.98 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
8.98 million people
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
48th
of 186 countries
All-time high
8.98 million people
in 2025
All-time low
3.86 million people
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Zambia, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 8.98 million people for population by labor force status in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Zambia peaked at 8.98 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.86 million people, in 1991.
Zambia ranks 48th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Population by labor force status in Zambia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.86 million people | — |
| 1992 | 3.94 million people | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 4.04 million people | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 4.13 million people | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 4.24 million people | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 4.34 million people | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 4.45 million people | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 4.57 million people | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 4.69 million people | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 4.81 million people | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 4.94 million people | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 5.07 million people | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 5.21 million people | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 5.36 million people | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 5.52 million people | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 5.70 million people | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 5.88 million people | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 6.07 million people | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 6.26 million people | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 6.46 million people | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 6.66 million people | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 6.85 million people | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 7.04 million people | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 7.23 million people | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 7.41 million people | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 7.59 million people | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 7.76 million people | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 7.93 million people | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 8.10 million people | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 8.26 million people | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 8.41 million people | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 8.55 million people | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 8.69 million people | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 8.84 million people | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 8.98 million people | +1.6% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 8.98 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.79 million people, 2.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 8.98 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.33 million people, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.25 million people | 3.86 million people | 4.69 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.48 million people | 4.81 million people | 6.26 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.30 million people | 6.46 million people | 8.10 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.62 million people | 8.26 million people | 8.98 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More work & labour data for Zambia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5254 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5224 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.7611 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 25,577 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 15,424 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 32,895 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 31,579 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 64,474 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by labor force status in Zambia?
- Population by labor force status in Zambia was 8.98 million people in 2025, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by labor force status recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.98 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.86 million people in 1991.
- How does Zambia rank for population by labor force status?
- Zambia ranks 48th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by labor force status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population below working age (under 15 years old).