Zimbabwe Population (LIVE)

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Zimbabwe Population (1950 - 2026)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Zimbabwe is 17,194,304 as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
  • Zimbabwe 2026 population is estimated at 17,273,580 people at mid-year.
  • Zimbabwe population is equivalent to 0.21% of the total world population.
  • Zimbabwe ranks number 74 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Zimbabwe is 45 per Km² (116 people per mi²).
  • The total land area is 386,850 Km² (149,364 sq. miles).
  • 38.20% of the population is urban (6,598,903 people in 2026)
  • The median age in Zimbabwe is 18.3 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Zimbabwe (2026 and historical)

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population Zimbabwe Global Rank
2026 17,273,580 1.9% 322,785 −54,620 18.3 3.57 45 38.2% 6,598,903 0.21% 8,300,678,395 74
2025 16,950,795 1.9% 316,422 −54,555 18.1 3.62 44 37.9% 6,429,761 0.21% 8,231,613,070 74
2024 16,634,373 1.8% 293,551 −60,528 18 3.67 43 37.7% 6,269,464 0.20% 8,161,972,572 74
2023 16,340,822 1.69% 271,766 −97,380 17.8 3.72 42 37.4% 6,117,511 0.20% 8,091,734,930 74
2022 16,069,056 1.73% 271,084 −102,828 17.7 3.77 42 37.2% 5,972,826 0.20% 8,021,407,192 74
2020 15,526,888 1.52% 225,575 −89,440 17.4 3.75 40 36.7% 5,700,460 0.20% 7,887,001,292 74
2015 14,399,013 1.51% 208,493 −162,220 16.7 3.91 37 35.5% 5,109,485 0.19% 7,470,491,872 73
2010 13,356,548 1.36% 174,623 −108,671 17.3 4.04 35 35% 4,676,106 0.19% 7,021,732,148 71
2005 12,483,432 0.98% 118,275 −134,212 17.5 3.69 32 35.4% 4,413,866 0.19% 6,586,970,132 70
2000 11,892,055 1.62% 183,491 −165,181 16.7 4.01 31 34.7% 4,125,989 0.19% 6,171,702,993 66
1995 10,974,599 1.6% 167,464 −45,428 15.5 4.15 28 32.7% 3,592,151 0.19% 5,758,878,982 64
1990 10,137,281 3.14% 290,094 4,948 15.2 4.88 26 29.1% 2,951,918 0.19% 5,327,803,110 69
1985 8,686,813 4.29% 329,102 4,718 14.8 5.87 22 25.3% 2,200,595 0.18% 4,868,943,465 71
1980 7,041,303 2.92% 188,529 390,593 14.6 6.52 18 22.8% 1,602,677 0.16% 4,447,606,236 75
1975 6,098,658 3.18% 176,548 −28,988 14.8 6.83 16 19.9% 1,215,331 0.15% 4,070,735,277 79
1970 5,215,918 3.19% 151,491 −24,102 14.7 6.98 13 17.2% 898,584 0.14% 3,694,683,794 79
1965 4,458,462 3.2% 129,815 −10,465 14.5 7.23 12 14.5% 644,767 0.13% 3,334,533,703 82
1960 3,809,389 3.14% 109,235 −8,260 15.3 7.2 10 12.4% 472,478 0.13% 3,015,470,894 86
1955 3,263,215 3.18% 94,462 −6,496 16.2 7.1 8 11.4% 371,106 0.12% 2,740,213,792 89

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Zimbabwe Population Forecast

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population Zimbabwe Global Rank
2030 18,610,349 1.89% 331,911 −61,071 19.2 3.38 48 39.6% 7,370,279 0.22% 8,569,124,911 73
2035 20,409,146 1.86% 359,759 −51,648 20.6 3.17 53 42% 8,580,510 0.23% 8,885,210,181 70
2040 22,250,109 1.74% 368,193 −61,224 21.6 2.99 58 45.4% 10,097,359 0.24% 9,177,190,203 68
2045 24,102,380 1.61% 370,454 −64,665 22.6 2.84 62 49% 11,802,761 0.26% 9,439,639,668 67
2050 25,866,385 1.42% 352,801 −62,500 23.6 2.69 67 52.7% 13,627,246 0.27% 9,664,378,587 65

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Zimbabwe Demographics (2026)

Life Expectancy
63.6 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)

View by sex and historical chart

Infant Mortality Rate
30.5

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Deaths under age 5
42.1

(per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Zimbabwe

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank Urban Area Population Estimate (2025)
1 Harare 2,117,195
2 Bulawayo 492,771
3 Ruwa 185,224
4 Mutare 149,231
5 Kwekwe 135,991
6 Masvingo 122,019
7 Chinhoyi 97,159
8 Norton 90,287
9 Kadoma 88,029
10 Marondera 87,722
11 Chegutu 69,833
12 Gweru 67,301
13 Mkoba 56,561
14 Zvishavane 55,721
15 Rusape 52,605
More info

See also


Notes

The Zimbabwe Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Zimbabwe delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Zimbabwe (1950 - 2026) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2026.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2026. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2026: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2026: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Zimbabwe in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.