Zambia — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for Zambia, 2000–2023.
Health spending for Zambia was 5.98% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 24 years, from 2000 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 6.75% in 2019. The lowest was 3.83% in 2014 (about 1.6× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.63% per year.
Zambia ranks 104 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 55%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.48%, so Zambia sits above it. It peaked in 2019 and has fallen 11% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved up 31%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 15 of 46 economies; Cabo Verde (5.85%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 42% in 2019. That is 14% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 43 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 125th of 184 in 2000 → 143rd of 188 in 2010 → 101st of 189 in 2020 → 103rd of 188 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5.98% | +0.8 pp |
| 2022 | 5.21% | -1.4 pp |
| 2021 | 6.64% | +0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 6.31% | -0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 6.75% | +2.0 pp |
| 2018 | 4.77% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 4.78% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 4.47% | +0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 4.43% | +0.6 pp |
| 2014 | 3.83% | -0.7 pp |
| 2013 | 4.57% | +0.5 pp |
| 2012 | 4.05% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 3.96% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 4.13% | -1.1 pp |
| 2009 | 5.23% | +0.7 pp |
| 2008 | 4.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 4.56% | -1.0 pp |
| 2006 | 5.58% | -0.8 pp |
| 2005 | 6.33% | +0.9 pp |
| 2004 | 5.47% | -0.5 pp |
| 2003 | 6% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 5.89% | +1.1 pp |
| 2001 | 4.78% | +0.7 pp |
| 2000 | 4.12% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Zambia’s Health spending in 2001?
4.78% (2001). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Zambia’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +45.1% in total — about 1.6% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2023: 5.98%; 2022: 5.21%; 2021: 6.64%; 2020: 6.31%; 2019: 6.75%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.