Refugees
18,065refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
13,005from it, abroad, 2025
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has 17 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $51 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of its potash supply (FAOSTAT, 2023, estimated) and 98% of the oil it uses (EIA, 2024).
Written automatically from the figures on this page.
- Population
- 17 m (2025)
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.
- GDPUS$51.2billion95th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Population17million73rd of 216World Bank · 2025
- GDP per personUS$3,021141st of 186World Bank · 2025
- Military, % GDP0.6% of GDP135th of 150World Bank · 2025
- CO2 per person0.8t164th of 213Global Carbon Budget · 2024
Dependencies at a glance
Zimbabwe imports all of its potash supply and 98% of the oil it uses.
Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
| Resource | Dependence | Position | Main partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Imports most | Imports 98% of the oil it usesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | South Africa, China |
| Natural gas | Uses no gas, by this source PreliminaryEIA, 2024 | No partner data from the source | |
| Wheat | Imports some | Imports 37% of the wheat it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | South Africa, Russia, Mozambique |
| Maize | Imports most | Imports 73% of the maize it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | South Africa |
| Rice | Imports most | Imports all of the rice it usesFAOSTAT, 2023 | India, Thailand, Mauritius |
| Soybeans | Imports most | Imports 62% of the soybeans it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Zambia, Malawi |
| Potash | Imports most | Imports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2023 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Mauritius |
| Phosphate | Imports some | Imports 48% of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2023 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Mozambique |
| Arms | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: China, 100% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025 | China |
| Chips | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: South Africa, 66% of importsUN Comtrade, 2025 | South Africa, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates |
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 98% of the oil it uses
Main partners: South Africa, China
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- Natural gas
Uses no gas, by this source Preliminary
Main partners: No partner data from the source
EIA, 2024
- WheatImports some
Imports 37% of the wheat it uses
Main partners: South Africa, Russia, Mozambique
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- MaizeImports most
Imports 73% of the maize it uses
Main partners: South Africa
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- RiceImports most
Imports all of the rice it uses
Main partners: India, Thailand, Mauritius
FAOSTAT, 2023
- SoybeansImports most
Imports 62% of the soybeans it uses
Main partners: Zambia, Malawi
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- PotashImports most
Imports all of its potash supply Estimate
Main partners: South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Mauritius
FAOSTAT, supply 2023 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- PhosphateImports some
Imports 48% of its phosphate supply Estimate
Main partners: South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Mozambique
FAOSTAT, supply 2023 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- ArmsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: China, 100% of imports
Main partners: China
SIPRI, 2021–2025
- ChipsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: South Africa, 66% of imports
Main partners: South Africa, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates
UN Comtrade, 2025
Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRI; UN Comtradeyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Dependencies toolMoney and reserves
Zimbabwe’s economy produced $51 bn in 2025.
GDP, 2000–2025
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026
Economic growth8.1%2025 · 8th of 186 · World Bank
Unemployment9.3%2025 · 38th of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$485million2024 · 150th of 164 · World Bank
Trade42% of GDP2024 · 147th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$965million2025 · 98th of 200 · World Bank
People
Zimbabwe had 17 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
Zimbabwe’s population by age
1950200020502100
Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Births per woman3.722023 · 37th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age17.82023 · 217th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over3.6%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
Technology and space
Satellites owned in Zimbabwe numbered 1 at the end of 2025.
Climate and hazards
Zimbabwe emitted 13.7 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.
Zimbabwe’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024
Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026
CO2 emissions14Mt2024 · 99th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person0.8t2024 · 164th of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 1750833Mt2024 · 88th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress2.22023 · 65th of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
More figures
Shown only where a source covers Zimbabwe.
Sanctions
21entries on the US, EU and UK lists give it as an address or nationality: US 20 and UK 1
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$5.54billioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021
Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021
Cyber incidents
6publicly known incidents affecting Zimbabwe, 2000–2024
Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to
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 Zimbabwe.
| GDP | $51 bn | 2025 | 95th of 186 | World Bank |
| GDP per person | $3,021 | 2025 | 141st of 186 | World Bank |
| Economic growth | 8.1% | 2025 | 8th of 186 | World Bank |
| Government debt | 38% | 2025 | 137th of 191 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Government budget balance | 0.1% | 2025 | 37th of 195 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Current account balance | 3.6% | 2025 | 47th of 194 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Unemployment | 9.3% | 2025 | 38th of 181 | World Bank |
| Reserves, including gold | $485 m | 2024 | 150th of 164 | World Bank |
| Trade | 42% | 2024 | 147th of 172 | World Bank |
| Foreign investment in | $965 m | 2025 | 98th of 200 | World Bank |
| Remittances received | 8.5% | 2024 | 30th of 162 | World Bank |
| Population | 17 m | 2025 | 73rd of 216 | World Bank |
| Population with UN projections | 16 m | 2023 | 74th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Births per woman | 3.72 | 2023 | 37th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Median age | 17.8 | 2023 | 217th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Life expectancy | 62.8 | 2023 | 220th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Refugees from the country | 13,005 | 2025 | 77th of 206 | UNHCR |
| Refugees and others needing protection, by host | 18,065 | 2025 | 102nd of 176 | UNHCR |
| Refugees hosted per 1,000 people | 1.1 | 2025 | 110th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Crude oil production | 0 kb/d | 2025 | 100th of 214 | EIA |
| Oil consumption | 38 kb/d | 2024 | 119th 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 | 10 TWh | 2024 | 108th of 193 | Ember |
| Low-carbon electricity | 57% | 2024 | 68th of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from coal | 43% | 2024 | 17th of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from wind and solar | 0.4% | 2024 | 163rd of 193 | Ember |
| Wheat production | 0.5 Mt | 2024 | 61st of 123 | FAOSTAT |
| Wheat imports | 0.3 Mt | 2024 | 76th of 180 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize production | 0.6 Mt | 2024 | 71st of 169 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize imports | 1.7 Mt | 2024 | 29th of 196 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 114th of 135 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice imports | 0.3 Mt | 2024 | 51st of 197 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean production | 0.1 Mt | 2024 | 47th of 108 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean imports | 0.1 Mt | 2024 | 45th of 179 | FAOSTAT |
| Potash fertiliser use | 0.00 Mt | 2024 | 107th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| Phosphate fertiliser use | 0.00 Mt | 2024 | 121st of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| CO2 emissions | 14 Mt | 2024 | 99th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 per person | 0.8 t | 2024 | 164th of 213 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 emitted since 1750 | 833 Mt | 2024 | 88th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Net CO2 imports through trade | 14% | 2023 | 74th of 120 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Water stress | 2.2 | 2023 | 65th of 164 | WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0) |
| Water from abroad | 39% | 2023 | 52nd of 193 | FAO AQUASTAT |
| Military spending, share of GDP | 0.6% | 2025 | 135th of 150 | World Bank |
| Military spending | $160 m | 2025 | 127th of 150 | World Bank |
| Arms imports | 20 TIV m | 2023 | 78th of 125 | SIPRI |
| Satellites in orbit | 1 | 2025 | 63rd of 83 | Orbital data from CelesTrak |
| People using the internet | 42% | 2024 | 151st of 182 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports | $15 m | 2024 | 134th of 162 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports, share of service exports | 3.3% | 2024 | 109th of 162 | World Bank |
| Sanctions list entries (US, EU, UK) | 21 | 2026 | 88th of 181 | US CSL |
| Chinese loans and grants committed | $131 m | 2021 | 38th of 122 | AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0 |
Sources for this page
- World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Unemployment, Reserves, Trade, …
- 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
- CelesTrak SATCATSatellites in orbit
- 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