Population growth in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Population growth was 1.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population growth in Zimbabwe, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth in Zimbabwe is 1.9%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 5.8% on the previous year and up 40.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Zimbabwe peaked at 6.3% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1994.
That places Zimbabwe 54th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.7% | 1.4% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.9% | 2.9% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 0.1% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.7% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 51 Sao Tome and Principe 2.0% compare
- 52 Kenya 1.9% compare
- 53 Malta 1.9% compare
- 55 Uzbekistan 1.9% compare
- 56 Comoros 1.9% compare
- 57 Cayman Islands 1.8% compare
More climate change data for Zimbabwe
- Population, total 16.95 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.4% (2025)
- Urban population 6.86 million (2025)
- Urban population 40.5% (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 9.6% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 4.91 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 40.0% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 28.3% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 28.3% (2025)
- CPIA public sector management and institutions cluster average 2.9 1=low to 6=high (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Zimbabwe?
- Population growth in Zimbabwe was 1.9% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 1981.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1994.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for population growth?
- Zimbabwe ranks 54th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.