Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Zambia
Zambia: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 45.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
45.9%
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
172nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
45.9%
in 2025
All-time low
11.5%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Zambia, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Zambia stood at 45.9%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Zambia peaked at 45.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 11.5%, in 1950.
That places Zambia 172nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11.5% | — |
| 1951 | 11.6% | +1.1% |
| 1952 | 11.9% | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 12.3% | +3.1% |
| 1954 | 12.7% | +3.9% |
| 1955 | 13.3% | +4.5% |
| 1956 | 14.0% | +4.9% |
| 1957 | 14.7% | +5.2% |
| 1958 | 15.5% | +5.4% |
| 1959 | 16.3% | +5.5% |
| 1960 | 17.2% | +5.5% |
| 1961 | 18.1% | +5.4% |
| 1962 | 19.1% | +5.2% |
| 1963 | 20.1% | +5.1% |
| 1964 | 21.3% | +6.1% |
| 1965 | 22.9% | +7.3% |
| 1966 | 24.6% | +7.6% |
| 1967 | 26.4% | +7.2% |
| 1968 | 28.0% | +6.3% |
| 1969 | 29.4% | +5.0% |
| 1970 | 30.7% | +4.2% |
| 1971 | 31.9% | +4.1% |
| 1972 | 33.2% | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 34.4% | +3.8% |
| 1974 | 35.6% | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 36.8% | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 37.8% | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 38.6% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 39.3% | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 39.7% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 39.9% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 39.9% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 39.9% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 39.8% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 39.8% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 39.7% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 39.7% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 39.6% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 39.5% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 39.5% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 39.4% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 39.3% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 39.1% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 38.9% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 38.7% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 38.4% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 38.0% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 37.4% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 36.7% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 36.2% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 36.8% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 37.3% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 37.8% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 38.4% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 39.0% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 39.5% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 40.0% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 40.4% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 40.8% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 41.2% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 41.6% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 42.0% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 42.7% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 43.1% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 43.5% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 43.9% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 44.2% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 44.6% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 45.0% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 45.5% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 45.9% | +1.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 45.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 90% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 45.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.4% | 11.5% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 22.7% | 17.2% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 35.8% | 30.7% | 39.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.7% | 39.5% | 39.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.2% | 36.2% | 39.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.3% | 35.9% | 39.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.7% | 40.0% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.9% | 43.9% | 45.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 169 Turkmenistan 47.1% compare
- 170 Guinea-Bissau 46.7% compare
- 171 Sierra Leone 45.9% compare
- 173 Seychelles 45.5% compare
- 174 Democratic Republic of Congo 45.1% compare
- 175 Lesotho 44.7% compare
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 urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Zambia?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Zambia was 45.9% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 45.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.5% in 1950.
- How does Zambia rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- Zambia ranks 172nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.