Refugees
96,131refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
892from it, abroad, 2025
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026
Zambia
Zambia has 22 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $29 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of its potash supply (FAOSTAT, 2023, estimated) and all of the oil it uses (EIA, 2024).
Written automatically from the figures on this page.
- Population
- 22 m (2025)
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.
- GDPUS$28.9billion115th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Population22million61st of 216World Bank · 2025
- GDP per personUS$1,318164th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Military, % GDP1.3% of GDP97th of 150World Bank · 2025
- CO2 per person0.6t178th of 213Global Carbon Budget · 2024
Dependencies at a glance
Zambia imports all of its potash supply and all of the oil it uses.
Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
| Resource | Dependence | Position | Main partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Imports most | Imports all of the oil it usesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025, Namibia → Zambia as reported by the exporter | South Africa, Namibia |
| Natural gas | Uses no gas, by this source PreliminaryEIA, 2024 | No partner data from the source | |
| Wheat | Imports some | Imports 46% of the wheat it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | South Africa, Lithuania |
| Maize | Low net trade | Imports 7.1% of the maize it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | South Africa |
| Rice | Imports most | Imports 67% of the rice it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | South Africa, Pakistan, Thailand |
| Soybeans | Low net trade | Exports 8% of what it producesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Zimbabwe |
| Potash | Imports most | Imports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2023 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | China, Egypt, South Africa |
| Phosphate | Imports most | Imports all of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2023 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Morocco, China, South Africa |
| Arms | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: Italy, 36% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025 | Italy, Israel, United States |
| Chips | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: South Korea, 35% of importsUN Comtrade, 2025 | South Korea, South Africa, United States |
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
- OilImports most
Imports all of the oil it uses
Main partners: South Africa, Namibia
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025, Namibia → Zambia as reported by the exporter
- Natural gas
Uses no gas, by this source Preliminary
Main partners: No partner data from the source
EIA, 2024
- WheatImports some
Imports 46% of the wheat it uses
Main partners: South Africa, Lithuania
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- MaizeLow net trade
Imports 7.1% of the maize it uses
Main partners: South Africa
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- RiceImports most
Imports 67% of the rice it uses
Main partners: South Africa, Pakistan, Thailand
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- SoybeansLow net trade
Exports 8% of what it produces
Main partners: Zimbabwe
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- PotashImports most
Imports all of its potash supply Estimate
Main partners: China, Egypt, South Africa
FAOSTAT, supply 2023 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- PhosphateImports most
Imports all of its phosphate supply Estimate
Main partners: Morocco, China, South Africa
FAOSTAT, supply 2023 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- ArmsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: Italy, 36% of imports
Main partners: Italy, Israel, United States
SIPRI, 2021–2025
- ChipsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: South Korea, 35% of imports
Main partners: South Korea, South Africa, United States
UN Comtrade, 2025
Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRI; UN Comtradeyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Dependencies toolMoney and reserves
Zambia’s economy produced $29 bn in 2025.
GDP, 2000–2025
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026
Economic growth3.8%2025 · 78th of 186 · World Bank
Inflation13.9%2025 · 12th of 169 · World Bank
Unemployment5.9%2025 · 74th of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$4.09billion2024 · 101st of 164 · World Bank
Trade63% of GDP2024 · 115th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$1.29billion2025 · 88th of 200 · World Bank
People
Zambia had 22 m people in 2025.
Population, 1950–2100
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios
Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Zambia’s population by age
1950200020502100
Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Births per woman4.102023 · 25th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age17.52023 · 222nd of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over2%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
Climate and hazards
Zambia emitted 12.0 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.
Zambia’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024
Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026
CO2 emissions12Mt2024 · 105th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person0.6t2024 · 178th of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 1750301Mt2024 · 118th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress0.82023 · 111th of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
More figures
Shown only where a source covers Zambia.
Sanctions
4entries on the US, EU and UK lists give it as an address or nationality: US 4
Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.
Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Chinese loans and grants
US$14.0billioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021
Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021
Cyber incidents
No publicly known incidents affecting Zambia in EuRepoC’s dataset, 2000–2024.
Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted.
Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024
All figures
52 measures on this site have a recent figure for Zambia.
| GDP | $29 bn | 2025 | 115th of 186 | World Bank |
| GDP per person | $1,318 | 2025 | 164th of 186 | World Bank |
| Economic growth | 3.8% | 2025 | 78th of 186 | World Bank |
| Inflation | 13.9% | 2025 | 12th of 169 | World Bank |
| Government debt | 101% | 2025 | 20th of 191 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Government budget balance | −3.8% | 2025 | 130th of 195 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Current account balance | Estimate | 2025 | 145th of 194 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Unemployment | 5.9% | 2025 | 74th of 181 | World Bank |
| Reserves, including gold | $4.1 bn | 2024 | 101st of 164 | World Bank |
| Trade | 63% | 2024 | 115th of 172 | World Bank |
| Foreign investment in | $1.3 bn | 2025 | 88th of 200 | World Bank |
| Remittances received | 1.3% | 2024 | 98th of 162 | World Bank |
| Population | 22 m | 2025 | 61st of 216 | World Bank |
| Population with UN projections | 21 m | 2023 | 63rd of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Births per woman | 4.10 | 2023 | 25th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Median age | 17.5 | 2023 | 222nd of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Life expectancy | 66.3 | 2023 | 200th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Refugees from the country | 892 | 2025 | 131st of 206 | UNHCR |
| Refugees and others needing protection, by host | 96,131 | 2025 | 63rd of 176 | UNHCR |
| Refugees hosted per 1,000 people | 4.4 | 2025 | 86th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Crude oil production | 0 kb/d | 2025 | 100th of 214 | EIA |
| Oil consumption | 37 kb/d | 2024 | 121st of 212 | EIA |
| Natural gas production | Preliminary | 2024 | 97th of 213 | EIA |
| Natural gas consumption | 0.0 bcm | 2024 | 126th of 213 | EIA |
| Electricity generated | 20 TWh | 2024 | 85th of 193 | Ember |
| Low-carbon electricity | 87% | 2024 | 28th of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from coal | 11% | 2024 | 51st of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from wind and solar | 0.9% | 2024 | 146th of 193 | Ember |
| Wheat production | 0.2 Mt | 2024 | 73rd of 123 | FAOSTAT |
| Wheat imports | 0.2 Mt | 2024 | 95th of 180 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize production | 1.5 Mt | 2024 | 53rd of 169 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize imports | 0.1 Mt | 2024 | 78th of 196 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 90th of 135 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice imports | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 118th of 197 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean production | 0.2 Mt | 2024 | 34th of 108 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean imports | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 149th of 179 | FAOSTAT |
| Potash fertiliser use | 0.03 Mt | 2024 | 67th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| Phosphate fertiliser use | 0.06 Mt | 2024 | 49th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| CO2 emissions | 12 Mt | 2024 | 105th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 per person | 0.6 t | 2024 | 178th of 213 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 emitted since 1750 | 301 Mt | 2024 | 118th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Net CO2 imports through trade | 7.4% | 2023 | 81st of 120 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Water stress | 0.8 | 2023 | 111th of 164 | WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0) |
| Water from abroad | 23% | 2023 | 68th of 193 | FAO AQUASTAT |
| Military spending, share of GDP | 1.3% | 2025 | 97th of 150 | World Bank |
| Military spending | $406 m | 2025 | 107th of 150 | World Bank |
| Arms imports | 1 TIV m | 2024 | 113th of 117 | SIPRI |
| People using the internet | 17% | 2024 | 176th of 182 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports | $25 m | 2024 | 129th of 162 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports, share of service exports | 1.8% | 2024 | 130th of 162 | World Bank |
| Sanctions list entries (US, EU, UK) | 4 | 2026 | 145th of 181 | US CSL |
| Chinese loans and grants committed | $20 m | 2021 | 74th of 122 | AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0 |
Sources for this page
- World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Reserves, …
- IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
- UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
- UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000
- U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
- Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
- FAOSTATWheat production, Wheat imports, Maize production, Maize imports, Rice production, Rice imports, …
- Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750, Net CO2 imports through trade
- WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
- FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
- SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Dependencies at a glance
- US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions list entries, Sanctions
- AidData Chinese development financeChinese loans and grants
- UN ComtradeDependencies at a glance
- EU financial sanctions listSanctions
- UK Sanctions ListSanctions
- EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents
Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure